Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar has defended the series of upcoming foreign jaunts scheduled from September 2019 to April 2020 claiming that attending international and national events are a part of the Tourism’s promotional strategy. “…Its (Goa Tourism Department) participation in the upcoming international and national fairs and events are part and parcel of marketing and promotion of the State on various platforms. Goa is not the only State in the country that is participating in foreign and domestic events. In fact, tourism boards in other States have higher budgets and spend on marketing and promotion of their brands,” the minister said in a press statement issued through the department’s public relations agency on Wednesday.
‘Functioning’ of Goa Dairy, cattle feed plant will be revived: GovindThe minister’s justification comes in response to Herald’s news report published on Wednesday, which highlighted how the State, while its reeling under a financial crisis, is participating in these events as confirmed by the Tourism Department. Ajgaonkar said Goa had skipped participating in key tourism fairs abroad for which it had received criticism from the stakeholders and the media. He said there is nothing wrong in State’s marketing strategy to make its presence felt in the international and national markets.