Tag Archives: Goa

Mopa airport in North Goa to start operations from Sept 1

The much awaited Mopa airport is gearing up to be operational for the travellers very soon. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on June 7 said flights will start landing at the Greenfield International Airport at Mopa in North Goa from September 1.

The first phase of the airport would be commissioned between August 15 and 31, the Chief Minister during a function held to distribute appointment and admission letters of GMR Goa.

The airport is built by GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL), a subsidiary of GMR Airports Limited (GAL). “The Mopa Airport will be inaugurated sometime between August 15 and 31, and flights will start landing at the facility from September 1 onwards,” Sawant said.

Manpower trained by the GGIAL, as a part of an agreement with the state government, will be employed at the airport. Besides the existing manpower recruited for the project, 1,000 more recruitments will be done at the airport in the next six months, he said.

The GGIAL has introduced 20 aviation sector courses affiliated to the National Skill Development Centre, he said. “The state government in partnership with the GGIAL is committed to creating skilled human resources required for the facility,” Sawant said. The chief minister further appealed to youths to ‘grab opportunities in the private sector.’
“Government jobs are not the only jobs. There are opportunities in the private sector as well. If we don’t grab them now, the youth from outside the state will grab them,” Sawant said.

 

BLADE India launches helicopter services in Goa

Urban Air Mobility company, BLADE India in association with the Government of Goa, has launched three helicopter services for inbound travellers – by the seat flights – connecting Goa airport to North, South Goa and old Goa airport, private charter services from Maharashtra and within Goa and experiential flights. At the launch of the event, Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, who aims to promote heli-tourism in the state, was present on the occasion.

Following the commencement, Sawant said, “Heli Tourism will let us explore the hinterlands of Goa like never before. Government will gladly provide any kind of support for such initiatives to promote tourism in Goa. Many congratulations to BLADE India Aviation for successfully launching their services in the state.”

After a good response in Maharashtra and Karnataka, BLADE India is rapidly expanding its footprint in the country. With this launch, BLADE India aims to make Goa more accessible and navigable for travellers to discover the bounties and hidden gems at their own pace.

BLADE will be providing by-the-seat helicopter services from Goa airport to North and South Goa wherein a person can book just a seat in a helicopter through the official website or app and cover this distance in a few minutes. Travellers can also opt for short experiential helicopter flights of 10-15 minutes to bask in the beautiful Goa views from atop or charter the entire aircraft should they wish to from nearby cities such as Mumbai, Pune and other neighbouring towns or within Goa as well. A few other landing points in Goa are Surla, Sanquelim in North Goa.

On the introduction of new routes, Amit Dutta, MD, BLADE India, said,, “The aim of heli-tourism services is to make places more accessible through short-haul air mobility. The Goa airport and North – South Goa have always been disconnected due to the road travel time involved and have been a pain point for travellers in Goa and locals alike. The goal is to bridge the gap between the two locations and help local communities and businesses thrive by being connected”.

 

Goa Tourism Minister meets GMR before commissioning of Mopa Airport

‘Ahead of the commissioning of the first phase of the Mopa International Airport in North Goa, State Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte held a meeting with GMR Goa International Airport Ltd, which has won the contract for the project, reports PTI.

Khaunte met the officials of GMR Goa International Airport Limited on Monday. The proposed date for commissioning of the first phase of Mopa Airport is August 15, 2022.

Talking to reporters, Khaunte said that the Mopa Airport will be a huge game-changer as the existing facility at Dabolim has its own restrictions. Dabolim is an Indian Navy managed airport located inside the Defence base – INS Hansa.

Khaunte said that the Goa Tourism Department will have to “put its things right” considering the kind of tourists that will arrive after the commissioning of the airport.

He said that the airport management and the Tourism Department will have to work out a ‘consolidated plan’ to increase footfalls in the coastal state.

The Tourism Minister also pointed out that this airport will handle the cargo, which can turn out to be a win-win situation for the state.

“We need to decide on the focus areas. Also which countries we are focusing on and what they are doing about as far as tourists are concerned,” he said, adding that systems like e-visas need to be put in place at the airport before commissioning.

 

Goa tops Indian travellers bucket list: OYO Survey

A majority of Indians would prefer to go local and explore domestic destinations instead of international ones this year with Goa topping the bucket list followed by Manali, according to OYO Travelopedia.

OYO Travelopedia, the annual consumer survey by OYO to study travel intent and expectations among its user base across some of its core markets, including India, Indonesia and Europe, took responses of nearly 3,000 people in December 2021. As per the survey, 61% of Indians would prefer to go local and explore domestic destinations, while 25 per cent would like to try international as well as domestic trips in 2022.

Despite the excitement to travel, 80% of respondents said safety continues to be key concern amid the pandemic and arrival of booster dose would give them the reassurance to travel. As far as the favourite destination is concerned, Goa topped a third of the respondents’ 2022 bucket lists, it said. “This is followed by Manali, Dubai, Shimla and Kerala,” hospitality chain OYO said adding other international destinations on Indian travellers’ bucket list include Maldives, Paris, Bali and Switzerland. (source mint)

VRO Hospitality Expands Beyond Bengaluru; Steps Into Major Hospitality Markets Mumbai & Goa

As the country returns to post-pandemic normalcy, and millions of Indians return to their favorite restaurants, pubs and bars, leading Bengaluru-based hospitality chain, VRO Hospitality is back in an expansion mode. The group has entered two of the biggest markets for travel & hospitality, i.e. Mumbai & Goa with an ambition of a pan-India presence.

With its iconic French café brand ‘Café Noir’, the group is set to take up all of 1,000 sqft at the new Lodha World estate in Mumbai’s Lower Parel. It is also unveiling a new brand ‘Taki Taki’, which will deliver some of the finest Japanese flavours within the same Lodha premises.

By the end of the month, VRO also plans to launch into one the biggest hospitality destinations in the country, Goa with another equally successful brand ‘Mirage’ at the popular Vagator Beach.

Commenting on the group’s ambitious expansion plans, VRO co-founder Dawn Thomas said: “Millions of Indian food lovers have been on the edge for over a year and a half, craving for luxurious & memorable indulgences with friends & family. As social beings, restaurants & cafés have been the primary destination for us to fraternise, share moments of candor & create new memories. Over the past 18 months, we have been channelling our focus & energy into acquiring and building new brands. As food lovers return to their favorite restaurants & cafés in town, on the hunt for great experiences, we have planned some truly amazing openings in the most vibrant markets across India! Let’s just say, we are taking their business of having fun very seriously.”

Besides Café Noir, VRO Hospitality also acquired Fava, Plan B, Caperberry, and One Night in Bangkok that were transiting from the F&B space last year. The acquisitions were followed by a fresh round of funding (Series A) this year worth $3 million and will help VRO take their diverse portfolio across India. Around 80% of the Series A funding, which was led by Creed Capital, will be going into expansion as VRO is planning to add 16 new projects in Bengaluru, Goa, Mumbai, Kochi, and Chennai.

Co-founder Sharath Rice, an experienced restaurateur adds how the fresh round of funding will accelerate VRO’s growth. “Our funding has come at the right time when the hospitality industry is seeing a sudden rise in consumer demand. Café Noir’s DNA is in sync with Mumbai’s culinary culture, and the pent-up demand augurs well for the industry and this will act as a catalyst for growth at a time when we are focused on expansion. We are confident that the ambience and the wide menu will give our patrons an experience to remember.”

Skal International Goa bags Skal Club of The Year 2021 Award

The 50th Asian Area Annual Assembly was held virtually on 8th September 2021 and in that meeting it was announced that Skal International (Goa) was adjudged Skal Club of the Year 2021. Besides this, Skal International (Goa) also received awards in three different categories viz-.SIAA Best Young Skal Club 2021, Award for achieving highest growth in the Skal Club members, Award for achieving highest growth in the Young Skal members.

The awards were judged and nominated by a select panel of eminent Skalleagues and SIAA past presidents.

Commenting on the Awards, Ernest Dias, President Sk, said, “The entire team of the Executive Committee has worked tirelessly towards this well-defined goal of bagging the Skal Club Of The Year Award. It is indeed a proud moment for us all at Skal Goa & I am indeed blessed to lead this active & vibrant Club”.

“Our tag line during the pandemic “Member gets Member” approach with utmost zeal and personalized contacts played a vital role in growth.Our regular serious business at EC meetings and General body meetings followed by networking over cocktails and dinner helped doing business amongst friends, kindled interest in Skal activities, thus boosting our overall membership growth,” observed Dias.