log on to thegoan.net Facebook.com/thegoan @thegoanonline WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2024 GOA The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 16 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 153 IFFI: It’s lights, camera, action; 270 films from 101 countries to be screened 2 3 GOA New traffic diversion route near Porvorim to be ready by Dec 15 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Lung diseases caused by breathing in polluted air Spiritual tourism faces key test STAKEHOLDERS PIN HOPES ON SACRED AURA OF ST XAVIER TO MAKE UP FOR LACKLUSTRE PUSH; RISING FLIGHT FARES, ACCOMMODATION A CONCERN VIBHA VERMA THE GOAN I PANAJI Old Goa is gearing up for the grand Exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier, which commences on Thursday. While it is expected to draw pilgrims and visitors worldwide, stakeholders feel that the government has missed the mark in leveraging this spiritual spectacle to boost tourism. Inquiries are trickling in but bookings are reportedly not meeting expectations. Many stakeholders have lamented a weak promotional strategy for this oncein-a-decade event which offers a golden opportunity to showcase Goa’s rich religious heritage and boost revenue. Local travel agents argue that there is limited interest from traditionally active pilgrimage markets. Atish Fernandes of First Class Holiday said that they received a few group queries from Poland and Malaysia, but the overall interest in religious tourism is below expectations. “We have received four group queries, two each from Poland and Malaysia. They are primarily interested in bookings for the main Feast day on December 3… These countries have strong reli- WHAT THEY SAID… Some who are already in Goa and their trip overlaps with the Exposition have asked us to arrange a visit to Old Goa. Overall, the number of pilgrims is not anywhere near what they initially expected, at least so far,” —Atish Fernandes, First Class Holiday Exposition blends faith with tourism. Unfortunately, the planning and marketing leave much to be desired,” —Jack Sukhija, Ready to host Exposition; CM says 98% works already completed Many are combining their holidays in India with the Exposition, while some are specifically coming to Goa and staying in 4-5 star hotels,” —Ernest Dias, COO of SITA Travels Some tourists learnt about the event only after they arrived in Goa. Rising flight fares, accommodation costs and missing pilgrimage packages have dampened interest,” —Orlando Nunes, TTAG President Trailblazer Tours India gious tourism traditions…” he said. Orlando Nunes of Trailblazer Tours India echoed similar views adding that some FIT (free independent travellers) did inquire about hotels near Old Goa. Even among domestic tourists, the Exposition appears to be an incidental attraction rather than a planned pilgrimage. “Some who are already in Goa and their trip overlaps with the Exposition have asked us to arrange a visit to Old Goa,” Fernandes said. Overall, he stated that the number of pilgrims is not anywhere near what they initially expected, at least so far. Some tourists learnt about the event only after they arrived in Goa, Nunes said. “Rising flight fares, accommodation costs and missing pilgrimage packages have dampened interest. Many are opting for online bookings to get better deals,” he added explaining the unsatisfactory response so far. Chief Operating Officer OLD GOA: With the inaugural of the Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier to be held on Thursday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that all preparations for the 45-day spiritual event are nearly complete. Speaking to reporters in Old Goa on Tuesday, Chief Minister Sawant said, “In the last three months the Exposition Committee has been working tirelessly on the ground and today, 98% of the works have been completed.”>> See pg 3 of SITA Travels Ernest Dias revealed that visitors from Portugal and Spain are combining their trips to India with a visit to Old Goa for the Exposition. “We received inquiries and bookings from groups as well as FITs from Portugal and Spain. Many are combining their holidays in India with the Exposition, while some are specifically coming to Goa and staying in 4-5 star hotels,” he shared. When asked about the overall response, Dias’ reply was, “As of now it’s looking good.” For the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), the Exposition is a golden opportunity to showcase rich religious heritage but Goa suffers from proper planning and infrastructure. “Exposition blends faith with tourism. Unfortunately, the planning and marketing leave much to be desired,” TTAG President Jack Sukhija said, adding, ‘There is undoubtedly interest from NRIs and expat Goans, European and Asian followers of the Saint’. Sukhija suggested that Goa needs better infrastructure and visitor management centres at tourism hotspots throughout the year. “Lack of coordination, focus and longterm planning in organising the present Exposition is a broader issue in the tourism sector,” he opined. 12 16 SPORTS India beats Japan 2-0, to face China in ACT final 100-member brass band to tail carriage of St Xavier’s relics THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Anil Couto, the Archbishop of Delhi who will lead the congregation and 10 other Bishops including Cardinal Felipe Neri Ferrao and Goa's auxiliary bishop Simião Purificação Fernandes, will not be the only ones lending a slice of spiritual aura to the e-carriage taking the relics of St Francis Xavier from the Basilica of Bom Jesus to the Se Cathedral at Old Goa after the inaugural mass of the Exposition on Thursday morning. Adding a solemn, musical touch to the once-in10-years proceedings will be a brass band, said to comprise of a hundred musicians, which will tail the e-carriage from the start at the Basilica to when it reaches the door-step of the Se Cathedral. The members of the band, both male and female, are from all over Goa and will be conducted by Fr Simon D'Cunha, who heads the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Music. The band will play to the tunes of three hymns dedicated to the sixteenth century saint: 'Sam Fransisku Xaveira' by Raimund Barreto, 'Sam Fransisk Xaviera, The brass band doing a reece on the route between the Basilica and the Se Cathedral. vhodda kunvra' by Pedro Salvador Carneiro and 'Sonvsarak Jezu diat' by the Fr Vasco Rego, SJ. A fourth tune will be a 'Marche' 'Porgottnar Goencho Saib' which D'Cunha himself has specially composed for this year's Exposition. The musicians drawn from across Goa have been dedicatedly practicing for nearly four weeks in separate groups at Margao in South Goa and at Merces in the North, D'Cunha who has also done all the music arrangements for the Brass instruments, told The Goan. The brass band had combined practice sessions and also did a reece on the route between the Basilica and the Se Cathedral along which the silver-glass casket containing the saint's relics will be transported for the first time in a specially-designed e-carriage. Formerly, the casket used to be carried on shoulders in turns, by groups of lay Catholics picked by the Church authorities, through the distance between the two iconic heritage churches at Old Goa. The carriage is being designed to replicate the resting place of the saint's relics – the mausoleum within the Basilica – said people involved with the design team working on the electric vehicle. A group of Jesuits (priests belonging to the Society of Jesus, the society of which St Francis Xavier was a co-founder along with St Ignatius of Loyola) will carry the casket from the Basilica's sacristy to its altar. After the mass led by Archbishop Couto, lay groups will carry it up to the Basilica's entrance > Continued on P8 स�मेव जयते 55th International Film Festival of India 20th- 28th November, 2024 Panaji, Goa , Goa 2024 Grand Opening In the gracious presence of, Dr. Pramod Sawant Hon’ble Chief Minister Government of Goa Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw Hon'ble Union Minister Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Government of India Dr. L. Murugan Hon'ble Minister of State Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Government of India Opening Ceremony on 20th November, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Taleigao, Goa We kindly request your presence to be seated 30 minutes before the event begins. 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