Sixty-one years after liberation, India’s numero uno tourist destination gets a full-fledged international civilian airport, promising Goa an increase in tourism, a growth in cargo traffic and an upswing in the economy as a whole. Senior journalist PKS maheshwari takes an in-depth look at the new Greenfield Airport at Mopa for VIVA GOA
On December 19, 1961, Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule. Now, a little less than 61 years later, the state gets its first 24×7 international civilian airport. An all-new facility has been built in Mopa, 30km from Panaji and 60 from the existing Dabolim airport. To ensure easy access, a six-lane elevated National Highway 166S is being built, which will also connect to National Highway 66. Initially, the
airport will be able to service around 4.4 million domestic and international passengers annually, and this will be scaled up as traffic growth demands. Cargo services will also be offered.
Goa has always had a special place among India’s states. It was first made a union territory, and then received statehood in 1987. The state – decidedly India’s #1 tourist destination – now boasts one of the country’s highest per capita incomes, with tourism, farming,
fishing, and iron ore mining forming the basis of its economy.
However, despite being one of the biggest tourist destinations in the country, a full-fledged civilian airport has always eluded Goa. In
2019, around 21 million outbound tourists travelled to sun, sand and sea destinations from 26 key regions, but Goa attracted only 4.3 per cent global tourists. Destinations like Bali in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand get around five to 10 times the traffic of Goa. The opportunities are huge for domestic travellers as well. An estimated two million Indians travel to Goa-like destinations, and around 1.5
Goa takes flight Sixty-one years after liberation, India’s numero uno tourist destination gets a full-fledged international civilian airport, promising Goa an increase in tourism, a growth in cargo traffic and an upswing in the economy as a whole. Senior journalist PKS maheshwari takes an in-depth look at the new Greenfield Airport at mopa for VIVA GOA million people are said to be able to afford outbound international air travel.
