&w=3840&q=100)
Over 50 tourists from Goa stuck in J&K after terror attack: Officials
Terrorists struck at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday, killing at least 26 persons, mostly tourists, and injuring several others, according to officials.
The terrorists opened fire at tourists who were milling around eateries, taking pony rides or just picnicking at the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam, touted as 'Mini Switzerland' for its serene beauty.
After the incident, all visitors were transported from Pahalgam and other places to hotels in Srinagar, a Goa government official said.
More than 50 persons from Goa were currently in Jammu and Kashmir, the official said, adding that "all are safe".
Efforts were on to bring them back, the official said.
Tour operators from Goa were also working out plans to bring all tourists back from Jammu and Kashmir.
One of the tour operators said a few of the tourists were scheduled to visit Baisaran point after food where the attack happened.
"A group of Goans was in Pahalgam market when the incident happened, while another group was in Sonamarg. All were called back to a hotel in Srinagar were they are currently safe," said Ahraz Mulla, co-founder of tour company Goa Adventure Club in Panaji.
Mulla said their firm had planned a trip for a group of 34 persons to Pahalgam and 12 to Jammu.
"Those in Jammu are stranded due to a landslide. They also cannot fly out from there as flights are running full capacity," he said.
A group that went to Pahalgam reached there on April 17 and was supposed to return on April 24. "Efforts are on to get them back immediately," Mulla said.
Daxal Naik, owner of Travel Bug Tours and Travels near Panaji, said a group of 26 persons whose visit to Jammu and Kashmir was facilitated by his company, was still stranded there.
"All of them have reached hotels in Srinagar. We are trying to bring them back as soon as possible," he said.
Naik said a group of tourists from Goa was having lunch at Pahalgam market when the attack happened.
"The tourists were scheduled to visit Baisaran point after having food where the attack happened," he added.
The group had left from Goa on April 21 and was supposed to return on April 26, he said.
The unavailability of seats in flights from Jammu and Kashmir has forced the tour operators to keep tourists in hotels there, Naik claimed, adding that efforts were on to bring them back by the earlier flight possible.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
03-08-2025
- News18
Goa wins excellence award at TTF for hinterland tourism campaign
Panaji, Aug 3 (PTI) Goa has won the Excellence Award for its hinterland tourism campaign at the recently held Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) in Gujarat, an official said on Sunday. The award for the 'Goa Beyond Beaches' campaign was presented at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar during the TTF, which concluded on Saturday, said state Tourism Director Kedar Naik. He said the state is honoured to receive this recognition. 'The 'Goa Beyond Beaches' campaign is part of our mission to create a more inclusive, responsible, and diversified tourism experience," he said. Naik said the award validates the tourism department's ongoing efforts to make Goa an all-year-round destination anchored in sustainability, culture, and community participation. The display also put the spotlight on Goa's vibrant festival calendar, from Chikhal Kalo and Sao Joao to Shigmo, Spirit of Goa, and Carnaval, all of which are attracting experiential travellers from across India, he added. PTI RPS ARU view comments First Published: August 03, 2025, 09:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Time of India
Goa govt may stop sale of alcohol in glass bottles near beaches
Porvorim: CM Pramod Sawant on Thursday said in the assembly that he will consider banning the sale of alcohol in glass bottles and will restrict its sale only in cans along the beach belt. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He said this after ruling and opposition MLAs criticised the increasing cases of injuries suffered by beachgoers from glass bottles on the beach. Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said that before the new tourist season begins, a board in both English and Hindi with dos and don'ts for tourists will be put up across beach entrances in the state to sensitise visitors. He said that a bill increasing the fines for creating a nuisance in tourist places from the present upper limit of Rs 50,000 will be brought in this assembly session, and he asked MLAs to support the bill. 'Tourists who come to Goa want to go in the waters without slippers to feel the sand. But some tourists drink and break bottles on the beach, and others suffer cuts due to this on their feet. Time and again, we bring this topic in the House, but nothing has changed. I saw a couple in the water the other day with shoes on. I asked them why, and they said their friend received nine stitches due to cuts from glass bottles, and he and his wife had to cut short their holiday to Goa,' said Calangute MLA Michael Lobo. He said that all tourist destinations, including countries like Sri Lanka, have already banned glass bottles and plastics on beaches to safeguard them. Lobo said that if this continues, the quality of tourists coming to Goa will deteriorate. Khaunte said that breaking bottles on beaches is already liable for fines under two acts, and since action began in 2022, the number of cases went down from two in 2022, to four in 2023, 20 in 2024, to nil so far in 2025. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'The environment department has already notified a deposit scheme where users can return glass and plastic bottles and receive a deposit sum in return. The CM has already held a meeting and has directed to implement it at the earliest. We have a beach vigil app. You can click a photo and upload it on the app, and agencies appointed will get the waste removed from the beach,' he said. 'Maximum wine stores and bar businesses are being run by Goans. At least along the coastal belt, we will consider banning the sale of alcohol in glass bottles and ensure only the sale of cans,' said the CM. Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai asked why waste is still visible on beaches even as a contract at Rs 90 crore has been awarded. Khaunte said that a new agency has been appointed from March, which covers 50 beaches now instead of the earlier 32, in addition to 122 dead-ends, which were earlier a point of dispute between panchayats and cleaning agencies. He said that 525 labourers are deployed, and the hours of cleaning have also been increased now from the earlier six hours. Khaunte said that if any MLA can get women's self-help groups to do the work, the same will be incorporated into the beach cleaning work.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
30-07-2025
- Business Standard
'Air India to resume Goa-Gatwick direct flights by September-end'
The Air India flight between Goa and Gatwick in London, stopped following the horrific June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash, will resume by the end of September, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has said in the state assembly. Improved connectivity to Goa from various locations is a "game changer" for the tourism sector, Khaunte said in the House on Tuesday during demands for grants for his department in the ongoing monsoon session of the assembly. The Air India flights from Goa's Manohar International Airport to Gatwick were suspended following the crash of the AI plane heading from Ahmedabad to London last month, which claimed the lives of 260 persons, including 241 on board. Khaunte said in the House that the direct flight between Goa and Gatwick will resume by the end of September this year. Notably, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant last week said in the assembly he will consult the Civil Aviation Ministry on resumption of the Air India Goa-Gatwick flight after BJP MLA Michael Lobo said it was the only flight directly bringing Goans from London to the coastal state. Khaunte also informed the House on Tuesday that from October 5, 2025, Russia's Aeroflot Airlines will operate three weekly flights from Yekaterinburg to Goa's Manohar International Airport, with each flight carrying up to 210 passengers. This service is projected to draw more than 13,000 Russian tourists to Goa during the upcoming season, the minister said. Goa has already established new air corridors with countries like Poland, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, key routes that are fuelling a steady rise in international tourist arrivals, he informed. The state is embracing a long-term, strategic vision to drive sustainable tourism with a lasting impact, Khaunte said. "Major results may take time, but positive changes are already visible," he added. Goa welcomed 54.5 lakh tourists between January and June 2025, comprising 51.8 lakh domestic and 2.7 lakh international visitors, marking an impressive 8.4 per cent year-on-year growth, Khaunte said sharing figures in the House. "In June alone, tourist arrivals reached 8.34 lakh, boosted by cultural events such as the Sao Joao celebrations, forest stay experiences and creek tours. Hotel occupancy during the first half of the current calendar year (2025) ranged between 70 per cent to 100 per cent, underscoring high tourism demand," he informed. The minister dismissed claims of a drop in tourism, presenting official figures to show Goa has surpassed its pre-COVID-19 numbers. "In 2019, Goa welcomed 80.6 lakh tourists. In 2024, the number rose to 1.04 crore, including nearly 99.4 lakh domestic tourists and over 4.67 lakh international visitors, marking a 39.5 per cent rise in domestic and 50 per cent growth in international tourism compared to pre-COVID-9 levels," he said.
