Team Herald
PANJIM: Here’s a piece of good news for tourists planning to fly into Goa to usher in the new year. Goa is a hot favourite and tourist footfall witnesses manifold leap. The state comes alive with a lot of activities and people involved in the tourism buisness look forward to make hay during this time of the year.
Flight rates are surprisingly cheaper unlike in the past seasons when year-end fares scale exorbitant heights. But one is sure to feel the pinch while booking return tickets as the fares get costlier.
The Mumbai-Goa flight rate is pegged at Rs 2,111 and is considerably cheaper than expected on the New Year’s eve while during December 28-30 the tickets are priced between Rs 3,949 and Rs 5,173. The first two weeks of January 2016 does not cost more than Rs 2,499 with the lowest airfare recorded at Rs 1,899.
Similarly, last-minute booking from Bangalore to Goa will not cost more than Rs 5,415 during the remaining four days of 2015. While the fare was Rs 2,998 on Sunday, the charges will further drop in the first few days of January 2016 wherein Rs 1,661 is the cheapest.
Flight tickets from Delhi cost a little more than the off-season but definitely cheaper compared to the peak tourist season when a large number of tourists throng the State. While a ticket on December 28 will cost nearly Rs 11,000, it comes down to around Rs 9,800 the following day. A ticket to Goa on December 31 will cost you Rs 7,436.
Nevertheless, leaving Goa after the new year celebrations will burn a hole in your pocket. A return ticket to Mumbai may cost you anything between Rs 6,600 and Rs 8,800 approx during the first three days of January 2016, while a return trip to Bangalore is pegged between Rs 5,300 and 10,000. Whereas a flight to Delhi is nothing less than Rs 11,000 approx on January 1, 2016 and Rs 16,862 on January 2 and 3, 2016.
Besides international tourists, the State sees a huge influx of domestic tourists during this period as they arrive through various modes of transport. On the other hand, the trend of self-drive holidays is also catching up in a bid to cut down on flight costs. A large bunch of tourists from the neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra opt for Goa and prefer to come in their own vehicles.
