The tourism industry in Goa could not have asked for a better Diwali gift than the confirmation that the first charter flight of the season will be landing on December 13, 2021. Despite this being two months later than the normal start of the charter season that usually commences in October, it gives hope of normalcy returning and expectations of the industry recovering from the huge losses of the past season. The charter business will also catch the peak tourism week in Goa, from Christmas to the New Year, during which mega events have already been planned. Things are looking up for the industry, but only if the pandemic situation stays the same. Two other events to cheer the industry are the International Film Festival of India that Goa will be hosting this month and the Indian Super League that will begin in the coming days and go on till March next year.
When the charter plane lands on December 13, it will be the first since March 2020 when the charter season abruptly ended due to the COVID pandemic and resultant lockdowns. The charter season restarts after a 21-month hiatus, a time during which the industry faced its worst period ever. The only consolation – if it can be called so – is that Goa was not the only tourism destination to have been facing the pandemic downturn but it was a worldwide phenomenon affecting every corner of the world. The tourism industry, along with aviation and cruise shipping, has taken perhaps more of a beating due to the pandemic than any other industry and Goa was not spared. It went under just like every other destination.
But, as Goa prepares to welcome back charter tourists, the question to be asked is whether the State has taken measures to protect itself from the virus. It cannot be overlooked that for Goa the main charter markets – Russia and the United Kingdom – are reeling under a large number of infections. The first charter flights will be coming from the United Kingdom, and while there is yet no clarity on flights from Russia, they are also expected to start from the coming months. Goa has to be on the alert, screening passengers arriving from these countries. Any lapse in pandemic standard operating procedures could end up setting back the tourism season which depend totally on Goa remains safe for travel. The government and the tourism industry have to appreciate the fact that the season can progress only as long as Goa retains the tag of being a safe destination, any rise in COVID cases could bring a premature end to the season, and that is something Goa does not want.
Goa is very dependent on charter tourism. The State has notified a scheme – ‘International Charter Support (Waiver of Landing Fees) Scheme, 2021’ – that will provide relaxation in landing charges of international charters. This is meant to make it cheaper for charter arrivals thereby attracting a higher number of charters. If it helps in the revival of the season it is good, but it should not remain a permanent fixture. But, Goa’s reliance on charter tourism has to be reduced and the destination must look at new marketing scenarios. In August this year, the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa had petitioned the State government seeking its intervention with the Centre to permit charter landings in the State. According to the association, Goa accounts for 92 per cent of the charter flight movement in the country. This in itself should be a reason for Goa to question why other tourism destinations in India, that attract more foreign tourists than Goa, do not depend on charters. There may be a valuable answer there.
