North Goa turning into a bustling ground for Concept Tourism after MOPA Airport

By: Ankit Kansal, Founder & MD, Axon Developers

A destination that is a major draw for tourists from all over the world owing to its abundance of prolific natural beauty, pleasant weather, and renowned beaches is Goa. The beautiful state settled across the western coast of India is one of the most favored tourist destinations in the country, attracting both local as well as international tourists in big volume.

Despite the setbacks caused during 2019 and 2020 in the face of the novel corona virus, the tourism market is once again on an upswing making a jump of 375% in the current calendar year. It is estimated in 2022, the total tourist inflow will cross 10 million with an average hotel occupancy of more than 72%.

Mopa Airport the game changer in North Goa

The North Goa region has received an exclusive airport. The MOPA airport, a Rs 2,300 crore mega airport project is operational and will work with Dabolim airport simultaneously. The current capacity of the airport is around 4.4 million and can reach up to 13.1 million, when fully completed.

The airport will help North Goa make a mark as a lucrative real estate and hospitality hub in western India. The North Goa and the nearby Konkan region is a nature’s paradise blessed with lush green mountains, mangrove forests, beautiful sea beaches & coves, panoramic natural views, eco reserves, and much more.

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The picturesque surroundings of this region are driving interest, especially from urban homebuyers looking to escape the humdrum of city life. This has consequently led to the emergence of North Goa as an upcoming destination for second homes, recreational abodes, and villas that provide a serene & tranquil lifestyle for corporate honchos, HNIs, retired professionals, etc.

Concept-based hospitality will rise

However, apart from conventional properties in this category, the region is also rapidly coming up as a blossoming hub for concept-based hospitality real estate such as nature resorts, eco hotels, forest lodges, wellness hotels, jungle lodges, etc.

The market potential in the region will be further augmented with the help of the MOPA project which will seamlessly connect North Goa with the rest of the world. This will further drive tourist inflow and will unlock new business opportunities in the tourism, hospitality, and real estate sector.

The increasing intrigue among buyers & investors towards the hospitality and real estate segment in the region will see a meteoric rise. North Goa is also consistently climbing in India’s wellness tourism category. Hotels, spas, and Ayurveda massage centers are becoming popular, catering to demand from both domestic and international tourists.

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This will be further enhanced by the development of the MOPA airport in the region. Being developed as a part of a scheme to alleviate the burgeoning air traffic, this airport, after becoming fully operational, will facilitate the increase in footfall from both international & domestic quarters. The Mopa Airport will emerge as a gateway to North Goa as well as Sindhudurg and other tourist locations in the Konkan region.

It will bring the spotlight to the otherwise scarcely explored, pristine beauty of North Goa and the adjacent Konkan/Malvan region. While the vibrant seashores and beach resorts will continue to soar, there will be a gradual shift towards the interior of Goa in terms of the nature of tourism. Taking into account the heightened infrastructure development & commercial activity, such as the creation of a 6.5 KM-long highway to connect the airport with NH66, it is evident that streamlined connectivity will be a catalyst for investors to flock to the region.Additionally, the development of an aerocity near the airport will also translate into growth in hospitality in the close vicinity. In the coming time, close to 10% of the new hotel inventory in Goa will be situated near the MOPA site. This translates into ~ 1500 rooms (~ 3000 guests/night) by 2030.

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