Tourism to get a booster as more Russians now opting for Goa
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Goa to cash in on Russia ban on Egypt flights
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Tourism to get a booster as more Russians now opting for Goa
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EGYPT'S LOSS IS GOA'S GAIN
* Tour operators like Pegas and Anex have started an additional flight to Goa bringing in tourists from Russia
* The first such flight arrived in Goa on November 21
* Every week, three such flights expected to bring tourists to Goa, this season
* Russia's ban on flights to Egypt comes close on the heels of a plane crash in Egypt last month
GOOD NEWS: After complaining they weren’t given e-VISA facility by the Indian government last year, statistics show British tourists are now increasingly using the facility
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Experts believe that with the additional flight bringing tourists from Russia and more charters coming in from last week of December, Goa is going to get more foreign tourists in the coming months of tourism season
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PANAJI
Russia's recent ban on flights to Egypt has come as a boon to Goan tourism.
The Russian ban comes close on the heels of a plane crash in Egypt last month following which tourists from Russia have shifted plans to Goa.
Ernest Dias from Sita Travels said, “Tour operators like Pegas and Anex have started an additional flight to Goa, which is bringing tourists from Russia. The first such flight arrived in Goa on November 21. Every week, three such flights are expected to bring tourists to Goa, this season”
In a way, this comes as a breather to Goa tourism trade, which was reeling under the expectations of slowdown when the biggest Russian airline, Transaero, went bankrupt in the first few days of October. That coupled with weak Ruble had sent a deadly blow to tourism industry in Goa as experts were predicting a massive fall in the number of Russian tourists this season. Not anymore. Dias said, “I expect the number of Russian tourists to go up this season now”.
The other good news for Goa tourism is British tourists are using e-VISA facility available to them. Last year, British tourists were complaining as they weren’t given this facility by the Indian government. Dias continued, “A very high number of British tourists are availing of e-VISA facility. Due to this, I think the number of British tourists is also likely to go up this season”
Till now, the tourism season is lukewarm as foreign tourists aren’t seen in Goa in high number. But, experts believe that with the additional flight bringing tourists from Russia and more charters coming in from last week of December, Goa is going to get more foreign tourists in the coming months of tourism season.
