THE BOOMING HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY OF GOA

By Rajesh Ghadge

Goa is known for its serene beaches and rich culture People are highly educated and live a posh life with high capita income. But what makes Goa rich is its hospitality. Hospitality means not just the hotels and stays but the real hospitable nature of the people of Goa A Goan will never let you down when you come to him for help and most tourists have already experienced this. Goa is also considered to be the safest place in the country as far as women travellers are concerned where solo women travellers can venture without any fear and this may be a major reason behind the everbooming hospitality industry of Goa.

Rome was not built in a day so Goa’s hospitality industry wasn’t either. It took years to reach the stage it’s at today and in fact, Goa is the only destination in the country that everyone wants to be at least once in their life.

What Makes Goa so Appealing?

There is no single thing that makes Goa one of the top destinations in the world: it is a mix of various things and the perfect combination of all that makes Goa a sought-after destination in the world. Here are some to mention…

Goa’s Pristine Beaches - Goa is famous for its beautiful beaches, which are clean and offer a variety of water sports such as jet skiing, parasailing, and banana boat rides.

The Rich Culture and History - Goa has a rich history and culture, influenced by the Portuguese who ruled Goa for more than four centuries and the same is reflected in its architecture, cuisine, and festivals. In fact, it is the mix of Indian and Portuguese cultures, which makes it so unique.

The Nightlife - It is not that there is no buzzing nightlife in the other parts of the country, especially the metro cities have no dearth of nightlife, but what still makes Goa stand out is the vibrant nightlife scene, with a variety of clubs and bars that cater to different tastes. Many places stay open until the early hours of the morning The best thing is, you feel safe in the environment

Goan Cuisine - Goan cuisine is a blend of Indian and Portuguese influences, which makes it different from other Indian cuisines. Seafood is a speciality in Goa due to its long coast, and you can find many delicious dishes made with fish, prawns, and crabs

Budget Friendly - Goa is a perfect mix of luxury and budget-friendly destinations. You can survive here with only a couple of thousand rupees in your pocket but if you have an unlimited budget then Goa is game

Goa’s Booming Hospitality Industry

Goa was the only place in the world that was open during covid which made the whole world stand still. The state’s hospitality industry was completely converted into the Covid isolation centre and some of the top-notch hotels were being used by the rich and famous across the world for its relaxation during the pandemic. This is what changed the entire perspective of the hospitality industry here and when Covid restrictions were lifted, Goa was the only destination that started full-fledged operations with 100% occupancy There are some hoteliers who claimed of doing hundreds of cores rupees business during and postpandemic in the state of Goa and that itself is sufficient to prove the statement.

Some Of The Hotels We Recommend For Your Next Vacation In Goa

PLANET HOLLYWOOD BEACH RESORTS, UTORDA GOA

Spread across many verdant acres of land on Utorda beach in South Goa, the Planet Hollywood Beach Resort is one of Goa’s top five-star properties and a well-known wedding destination. This is their first property outside of Las Vegas. Situated in Goa, it is also the first property in India and Asia under this brand The Planet Hollywood Beach Resort, Goa is owned by the JMJ group, currently headed by Sachin Joshi, a well-known name in business and Bollywood in India. This Internationally popular name in hospitality came into existence when Robert Earl, who owns this brand and Sachin Joshi merged their vision to provide a world-class hospitality experience in Goa. Interestingly, unlike the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, this property is a family resort that is also pet-friendly, an increasingly important attribute when it comes to choosing a destination for a family vacation.

“We come under the five-star plus category of hotels. We are on par with any international five-star luxury hotel in the staff quality and service approach,” says Mr Anand Chatterjee adding that due to this, the positioning of the hotel has been extremely successful as the guests realise that they get more value for their money! “We offer something that any luxurious five-star property would do but at a reasonable price ”

The Planet Hollywood Beach Resort, Goa has 115 rooms and additional 3 sea-facing chalets situated on the seashore which come under the ecologically sensitive zone and are the most luxurious sea-facing accommodations available in the entire state of Goa. Planet Hollywood also has a 3-bedroom Presidential Villa with large living rooms and a kitchen with butler service available. The other category of rooms offers a pool view or garden view which is equally mesmerizing. Planet Hollywood besides being a pet-friendly resort is also one of the top wedding destinations in Goa

HOLIDAY INN RESORTS GOA, MOBOR CAVELOSSIM

Holiday Inn Resort Goa is a beachfront resort situated in the picturesque village of Mobor in South Goa. The resort is one of the biggest properties in Goa featuring 203 rooms and suites that are spread over 25 acres of lush tropical gardens and offer scenic views of the Arabian Sea

The resort boasts a range of amenities including a large outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, a spa, a kids' club, and several dining options serving Indian, Goan, and international cuisine Additionally, the resort offers direct access to Mobor Beach, making it an ideal location for water sports such as parasailing, jet skiing, and banana boat rides. For business travellers, the resort features a variety of meeting and conference facilities, including a ballroom that can accommodate up to 350 guests. Overall, Holiday Inn Resort Goa is an excellent option for travellers seeking a comfortable and luxurious beachfront stay in South Goa, with plenty of activities and facilities to keep guests entertained

The resort also has the famous restaurant chain, Fisherman’s Wharf, which is just a 2 min walk from the property. It is one of Goa’s top food outlets and one of the pioneers in the fish speciality in Goa

SOBIT SAROVAR PORTICO, CANACONA

Situated on Goa’s most famous Palolem beach, The Sobit Sarovar Portico is a tastefully built holiday location in Goa that is far away from the hustle and bustle of the city crowd. Situated in south Goa this hotel is hardly 500 meters away from the serene, picturesque, and verdant Palolem beach

The Sobit Sarovar Portico is strategically located and reachable by road, air, and train, just 90 mins from Goa’s famous Dabolim Airport and just 10 mins from the Canacona railway station. The hotel has the semblance of Portuguese architecture with combination roofs, lots of fine woodwork, and Goan & Portuguese style art and artefacts to give it a unique character. The central part of the hotel hosts an amazingly beautiful swimming pool with refreshing green landscaping.

Sobit Sarovar Portico has 48 well-appointed rooms encased beautifully by quaint architecture that reflects Goa’s history and Culture. Intricate woodwork, hand-selected art, and sleek lines showcase a blend of Goan and Indo- Portuguese styles. Throughout the hotel, paintings and other art narrate the tale of Goa’s heritage, culture, landscapes, events, and daily life.

The deluxe and deluxe king rooms with balcony, decked with comfortable furnishing and complimentary amenities, ensure to offer you a wonderful stay furniture in the room includes a cosy double bed, sofa and tables, and a wardrobe, and amenities such as dressing space, tea/coffee machine, and LCD

TV are appointed for your convenience A spacious balcony provides a picturesque view of the surroundings and lets you sit back and destress.

The amenities include pool view, Wi-Fi Internet access, bedside table, complimentary cookies, television, fruit platter (on request), mini bar, ro water, parallel phone line in bathroom, hair dryer, iron and iron board on request, bathrobe on request, 24hrs in-room dining, laundry services chargeable basis & safety lockers.

Overall, the Sobit Sarovar Portico serves as an all-in-one business leisure destination for all your needs. Every Sarovar hotel is designed to meet the contemporary requirements of today's travellers. From tech-enabled spaces to inspired design, from affordable luxury to chic boutiques, and from value-driven essentials to pampered indulgence

HOLIDAY INN GOA, CANDOLIM

Situated in the heart of the city, on the Candolim Sinquerim main road, Holiday Inn

Goa Candolim is a premium luxury five star property providing a warm and friendly atmosphere to its guests. Holiday Inn Goa Candolim is an upscale hotel located in a serene, green, and relaxing setting of Goa The hotel offers a relaxing haven for business or leisure travellers seeking luxury accommodation with all the comforts.

Holiday Inn is situated just 5 minutes walking distance from Candolim Beach, a short drive from world-famous beaches along the west coast of India including Anjuna and Vagator. The hotel has all you need in order to make your stay a memorable one. It features facilities that include a large swimming pool with sundeck and shell bar alongside. Other dining facilities also include Viva lounge & bar and bakery to fulfil all your taste buds. Holiday Inn Goa is a fine diner, where you can enjoy all the local delicacies.

Whether you ' re looking for a romantic getaway or an upscale place to hold an executive event, Holiday Inn Goa Candolim is where you need to be. With over 105 total rooms, one being the presidential suite with jacuzzi, Coral – Banquet hall, Pearl – Boardroom, gym facility and SeaSalt spa by Senses and Elements we are confident that you will find what you need at our hotel

Holiday Inn Goa Candolim is an ideal destination to stay in Goa. It has the most spacious and comfortable rooms with a fabulous ambience and impeccable service. It has special attention to detail in all its classes of accommodation, making it an ideal choice

The Holiday Inn Candolim also has a fully equipped fitness centre, located amidst the green foliage, and it is the perfect option to give a boost to your health goals the best thing is, it operational 24X7. The fitness equipment available in the gym is elliptical machines, free weights, rowers, stationary bicycles, and treadmills.

For the people who are on the move and don’t stop doing business even while on vacation they have a fully equipped business centre which is open 24 hours a day with all the facilities such as computers, printers, scanners and a copy machine.

The other facilities provided by the hotel include housekeeping & laundry, same-day dry cleaning, emergency cords/button in bedrooms, concierge services, wake up calls, foreign currency exchange, and doctor on call