Delegates from G20 nations gathered for the fourth and final G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting and the G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting over the past three months, presenting a different scene.
After successfully hosting a meeting for tourism officials from the G20 group, Goa is now preparing to host two more important events for the group in July. Goa, also known as the “Pearl of the Orient,” is a popular tourist destination because of its beautiful beaches and warm weather.Â
Delegates from G20 nations met for the fourth and final G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting and the G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting in the past three months, however.
Goa hosted five additional G20 events related to start-ups, finance, audit, development, and health before the tourism track meetings. This brought the total number of G20 meetings held in the state to seven.
“The sixth and seventh G20 meetings, both held in Goa, were the most recent tourism gatherings. In total, our state will host nine G20 events. In an interview with PTI, the nodal officer for G20 meetings in Goa Sanjit Rodrigues stated, “Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting and another G20 meeting will take place here in July.”
He stated that these two events, like the tourism track meetings, will be held simultaneously from July 19 to 22. The official stated that the state’s infrastructure upgrade for such expensive events is not just temporary but intended for the long term. The Goan capital was host to ministers from the United Kingdom, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa as well as key delegates from several other nations for the Tourism Ministerial Meeting.
Rodrigues responded, “Goa has been a favourite destination for MICE tourism, and a lot of infrastructure facilities have been built for conferences and large meetings like these,” when asked what makes Goa a preferred location for such gatherings. As a result, it comes naturally.” A type of tourism known as “Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions” (MICE) involves bringing together large groups, typically in advance.
He also stated that expensive and prestigious events like the G20 meetings raise the value of the brand. These massive gatherings unquestionably attract more attendees and generate revenue. A person in charge said, “We have had many important events in Goa before, like big meetings with other countries such as BRICS, SCO, and G20 many times. “
Rodrigues said that Goa is a good place for big events because it has good facilities, is easy to get to, and people there are experienced in hosting good events. There are currently two international airports in the state, where G20 delegates were greeted with traditional Goan music and dance on a red carpet.
An official who was questioned said that the Tourism Ministerial Meeting was the best part of the G20 event in Goa. Due to the fact that tourism is our primary source of revenue, this meeting was very significant for Goa. He said that we want to show Goa in the best way possible. The roads that important people use when they come to our state have gotten much better in the last six months.
He stated, “They are good for the events but it was done for the people as well,” and that work has been done on roads, electricity, underground cabling, and street lights. According to Rodrigues, road resurfacing and infrastructure upgrade, work have also taken place in the hinterland, near excursion sites like Ponda, Old Goa, and Lotholim. He went on to say that these projects and related work have cost approximately Rs 100 crore.
Delegates were shown the Aguada Fort and the Figueiredo Mansion, both remnants of Goa’s Portuguese past, on the sidelines of the G20 tourism track, meet.
Rodrigues said that Goa is famous not just for its pretty nature and buildings, but also because they spend a lot of money taking care of them. He said that if you find things you are good at, like your family background, and work on improving them, anyone can succeed in this field.
Goa is also known for its natural and architectural beauty. Startup20 Goa Sankalpana, the third meeting of the Startup20 Engagement Group for start-ups under the Indian Presidency of the G20, was held at the beginning of June. The second Health Working Group Meeting of the G20 was held in the coastal state in April, and the third Development Working Group Meeting was held in May.
In June, the G20 hosted the International Financial Architecture Working Group (IFAWG)’s third meeting. The fourth Tourism Working Group Meeting, which took place from June 19 to 20, was just a week before the SAI20 (Supreme Audit Institutions-20) Summit.
