PANAJI
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging citizens to postpone non-essential foreign leisure travel for a year, Goa’s tourism and travel industry fears a sharp decline in outbound international travel, even as domestic and luxury tourism segments could see a boost amid rising global uncertainties.
Industry stakeholders said the PM’s remarks have come at a time when international travel sentiment was already under pressure due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, followed by rising airfares, a weakening rupee, and disrupted flight routes.
Calling the situation “a crisis beyond anyone’s control”, President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) Jack Sukhija told The Goan that Goa’s tourism sector may not face an immediate direct impact, though a slowdown of nearly 20-30 per cent could be expected in the wider travel industry.
“This is a crisis that is beyond anyone’s control. The government has already restricted official foreign travel for public servants... Goa’s tourism sector, by and large, may not be directly impacted immediately since the international tourist season is already over,” he said.
Sukhija, however, said Goa could emerge as a preferred domestic holiday destination, particularly among affluent travellers opting to avoid overseas trips.
“We could see growth in luxury tourism and high-end travellers, as Goa becomes a default holiday destination for the domestic market, much like during the COVID-19 period when international travel restrictions were in place,” he added.
But along with this, he cautioned that hotels catering to the budget and mid-range segments may face pressure due to rising operational costs linked to higher fuel prices.
Travel operators, meanwhile, warned that outbound tourism from Goa could witness a significant downturn in the coming months.
Chairman of the Tourism & Hospitality Committee of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nilesh Shah, said sustainability remains a major challenge for the sector in view of the present crisis.
“Goa has more than 100 travel agencies involved in ticketing operations, while around 25-30 agencies specialise in international tour packages, making the sector particularly vulnerable to global disruptions,” he said, speaking to The Goan.
Shah further added that the strengthening dollar and euro had already begun impacting international travel demand, while some Gulf routes became unavailable for bookings. So also, several international sectors are witnessing lengthy re-routing schedules and steep fare hikes.
“Outbound international travel from Goa is likely to witness a sharp decline. The number of Goans travelling abroad, currently around 2,000-3,000, could fall by nearly 50 percent because of soaring and erratic airfares,” he said.
“During geopolitical crises, travel is often the first expense people cut globally because of concerns over safety and rising costs,” he quickly explained.
At the same time, Shah noted that the stronger dollar could work in Goa’s favour by making India a comparatively attractive destination for inbound tourists, although elevated airfares may continue to remain a challenge.
Sukhija said the industry remains hopeful of improved tourist inflow from November onwards, depending on how the global situation unfolds.
“Currently, it is the off-season and tourist inflow is low. We are hopeful of seeing a surge from November onwards, though much will depend on how the global war situation develops,” he added.
Shah also stated that domestic tourism, particularly during the monsoon season, could see Goa benefiting from its value-for-money appeal among Indian travellers.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) has urged the Centre to simultaneously focus on attracting more foreign tourists into India to strengthen foreign exchange earnings.
FAITH secretary general Rajiv Mehra said that while reducing outbound travel may help conserve foreign exchange, equal emphasis must be placed on increasing inbound tourism into the country.
The industry body also called for easing visa restrictions, improving international connectivity and strengthening India’s tourism promotion efforts abroad to boost foreign tourist arrivals.
