Goa expects more than 850 chartered flights in the coming tourist season, bringing over two lakh foreign tourists, compared to last year's over 700 flights, which brought around 1.5 lakh tourists. | |
| "The charters would start arriving in the state in mid-October and the first flights to land at the Dabolim airport would bring in tourists from the United Kingdom and Russia," Ernest Dias, vice-president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) told Business Standard. |
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| He further informed that flights from two more countries - Czech Republic and Latvia -will bring in tourists from those countries too. |
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| Dias, who is also the assistant vice-president of SITA, said that his company had handled 38,000 tourists last year, which is expected to rise to 44,000 this year. |
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| He also said that problems with regards to slots for landings were expected to be sorted out before the start of tourism season, following the initiatives taken by Goa Tourism Minister, Wilfred de Souza. |
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| Dias, however, lamented that the state did not have enough accommodation to meet the growing demand of tourists visiting the state, due to which, his company lost over Rs 1.1 crore worth business last year. |
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| The tourism industry has lamented that the restrictions imposed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation restricting the tourists' stay to a maximum of 28 days in the state will affect their business. |
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| A number of hoteliers told Business Standard that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines with regards to encashment of foreign currency was also affecting the tourists. Also, restriction on playing of music beyond 10 pm was also harming the industry. |
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| Among other hurdles faced by the tourism industry is the nuisance caused by taxi operators and cleanliness of the beaches, said the sources in the tourism industry. |
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| The industry also wants the government to reopen the Zuari bridge for bigger buses so that hoteliers in North Goa do not suffer. |
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| From this year on the Condor, which used to operate chartered flights, is expected to run scheduled flights from Frankfurt to Goa, said the sources in the industry. |
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| Sources said that Air Lanka would also operate flights from Colombo to Goa. The state has been receiving tourists from the UK, Germany, Denmark, Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Spain. |
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| Tourism industry officials further said that though Russians tourists were the second-highest to visit Goa, the government did not much participate in the trade fairs held in Russia. |
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| Meanwhile, hoteliers particularly those from the north Goa district incurred losses due to closure of Zuari bridge, as they had to carry passengers via Ponda and pay additional rent to the bus operators. |
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| They added that those tourists who visit the state during the monsoon season were domestic ones, who avail cheap packages, which do not earn the hoteliers' much profit. |
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