Goa’s upcoming tourism season is poised to begin on a positive note, with stakehold ers expressing confidence that 2025–26 will outshine last year despite global uncertainties. The first charter flight is scheduled to land at Manohar Internation al Airport, Mopa, on October 2, marking the start of the season. On the same day, three new week ly services from Novosibirsk, Rus sia, will commence, boosting the tally of Russian charters to nine per week alongside Aeroflot’s ex isting flights from Yekaterinburg and Moscow. Charter operators are cautiously upbeat. While the Rus sia–Ukraine conflict and airline capacity constraints continue to cast a shadow, they believe Goa is better placed this year. “TUI will bring four flights a week from November.
But beyond charters, the free independent traveller (FIT) segment is also growing, with arrivals from the Nether lands, Portugal, Spain, and even high-end UK travellers seeking the Golden Triangle,” said Ernest Dias, Chief Operating Officer Charters, SITA, while speaking to the media. Dias emphasised that the FIT market is helping counter balance concerns about shrinking charter volumes. East ern European operators, he noted, remain nimble, adjust ing schedules to match demand. “If they see that the sales are very good, they can add charters, but they can also stop the flights if other factors are not favourable,” he said. The UK market, however, has been hit by the cancellation of the London Gatwick–Mopa direct service after the Air In dia 171 crash in Ahmedabad. “The charters are bullish, but the UK is going to be hit.
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At the moment, it is too early to say, but the Russian charters are positive,” remarked Trav el and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) president Jack Sukhija. Russian demand, by contrast, remains robust. A major tour operator highlighted that new connections like Novo sibirsk reflect sustained interest. “This season, Goa will get a new flight from a new destination, which is good for the sector. We are expecting nine charter flights per week from Russia, so the season is looking not bad at all. For us, we are getting in more clients this time, more than last year,” he said. Not all markets are expanding, however. Uzbekistan Airways has withdrawn its direct Goa service, while Azur Airlines has scrapped four weekly flights that previous ly brought nearly 20,000 Russian visitors. The airline has shifted capacity to Vietnam, suspending both Goa and Sri Lanka operations for the winter. To soften such setbacks, Goa’s Tourism Department is rolling out incentives for international charters, of fering benefits linked to passenger volumes.
Tourism Director Kedar Naik said the state is also targeting new markets, including Denmark and Norway, through roadshows designed to revive Scandinavian links once strong for Goa. Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has underscored the sec tor’s resilience, telling the Monsoon Assembly that Goa wel comed 57.12 lakh tourists in the first half of 2025—an 8.4% year-on-year increase. Hotel occupancies during this period ranged between 70% and 100%, signalling continued strength. With Russian charters growing, FIT numbers rising, and new markets on the horizon, industry voices agree that Goa is heading into a season that promises to be steadier and stronger than the last.
