Goa’s Big Pitch to Remote Workers

Long known as the party destination in India, Goa now feels the need to move beyond its image of beaches, nightlife and parties and is looking to present itself as an ideal destination for remote workers.

This week at the Skift India Travel Podcast catch Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan discuss this image makeover of the coastal state and why the launch of a sectoral index specifically to track travel listings is good news for investors and the tourism industry alike.

Key Points

Launch of Nifty India Tourism Index: The National Stock Exchange of India launched the Nifty India Tourism Index. The index tracks travel and tourism companies within the Nifty 500 index. Includes 17 stocks with a cap of no single stock comprising more than 20% of the index. Aims to align with the Indian government’s push to make India a top tourist destination. The index has shown strong performance with a significant gain over the past year.

Recent IPOs and Investor Interest: Recent IPOs by TBO Tech and Exiggo have been oversubscribed, indicating strong investor interest. These developments reflect the robust growth potential of India’s travel and tourism sector.

India’s Expanding Tourism Footprint: The first direct flight between Cambodia and India highlights India’s importance in regional tourism. Indian tourists are increasingly seen as a key market for neighboring countries.

Goa as a Digital Nomad Hub: Goa is positioning itself as a destination for digital nomads. The state is working on improving infrastructure, including internet connectivity and co-working spaces. Goa’s tourism minister aims to diversify the state’s appeal beyond beaches and nightlife.

Delhi International Airport’s Self-Service Baggage Drop: Introduction of self-service baggage quick drop facilities at Terminals 1 and 3. Aimed at reducing check-in times and enhancing passenger experience.The system claims to reduce baggage drop time to 30 seconds without the need for biometric validation or boarding pass scanning.

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Episode Summary

In this episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast, Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan delve into the latest developments in the travel sector, focusing on the recent launch of the Nifty India Tourism Index by the National Stock Exchange of India. They discuss its significance, structure, and potential impact on the Indian economy and investors. This episode of the podcast explores the implications of this new index amidst the backdrop of recent IPOs by travel companies like TBO Tek and Ixigo.

The podcast also touches upon India’s growing role as a significant player in the global tourism industry, highlighted by the inaugural direct flight between Cambodia and India and the e-visa facility that Taiwan wants to extend to Indian travelers.

There is also a discussion on the burgeoning trend of digital nomadism in Goa, where the beach destination looks to promote itself to remote workers. And for that wants to out infrastructure in place to attract these tourists. Goa’s tourism minister aims to diversify the state’s appeal beyond beaches and nightlife.

Lastly, the introduction of a self-service baggage quick drop facility at Delhi International Airport, aims to enhance passenger convenience. The newly installed machines are an upgrade from the self baggage drop facility installed by the airport at terminal 3 last year. The newly installed 50 machines across the two terminals are meant to facilitate faster baggage check-ins within 30 seconds, as per the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).