PANAJI
Who could have believed that 5-star hotels in the last few days of March will ever be able to charge much higher tariff than even New Year’s Eve? Interestingly, that’s really the case, at least for hotels in South Goa. And, that's due to the upcoming DefExpo 2016, which is going to be held at Quitol in Quepem from March 28 to 31.
Sample this: The Leela Goa, Cavelossim is charging Rs 61,075 per night tariff if you check in on March 27 and check out on April 1. Park Hyatt in Cansaulim is charging Rs 52,300 per night for those days. This is double of what 5-star hotels typically charge on New Year’s Eve.
While The Leela Goa and Park Hyatt still have rooms, Taj Exotica in Benaulim and The Lalit Golf & Spa Resort in Canacona are sold out during four days of DefExpo.
Ralph de Sousa, chairman of de Souza Group, said, “DefExpo is a really high profile exhibition, which will bring a lot of high income travellers to Goa. In fact, everyone from hotels to shops to taxis to flights will really do good business for two weeks. This is because a lot of people will actually start reaching Goa much before the expo for planning, designing and etc”.
While, the 5-star hotels in South Goa will make merry merry, the fortunes of 5-star hotels in North Goa aren’t going to change as significantly.
For instance, Taj “ Fort Aguada is charging Rs 22,933 per night if you check in on March 27 and check out on April 1.
Travel & Tourism Association of Goa had earlier made it clear that it supports DefExpo as it is good for growth and to arrest the decline in tourism trade. For tourism trade, DefExpo couldn’t have come at a better time when they are seeing pressure due to slowdown in Russian demand.
