Goa To Allow Tourists from Russia and UK From 15th October and Others from November 15

The tourism season will take its post first pandemic boost in Goa from the mid October as the central government has cleared the grounds for the chartered flights from 15th October and for others from 15th November 2021. 

To give a boost to the tourism industry in Goa, the Union Home Ministry made announcement on Thursday saying that it will allow the fresh tourists Visa to the foreigners coming to India  by chartered flights. 

The other foreign tourists will be able to fly down to Goa from 15th November 2021. 

According to the reports, although the government is making all the provisions for the upliftment of tourism in the state, but it will come with the cost of protocols and norms to follow.

Once the tourists and the hoteliers follow all the laid down protocols notified by the health ministry, all types of visas will be made available to the rest of the tourists to travel and stay in India, stated the ministry. 

The sources revealed that the government will place the restrictions on the visa and international travel stand to make things smooth taking the existing COVID-19 situation. 

According to the reports, the decision of the Union home ministry has come as a major relief to all the stakeholders of the tourism industry in Goa who were eagerly waiting for the arrivals foreign charters. 

The TTAG (Travel Tourism Association of Goa) has welcomed the decision of government saying that it has brought the sign of relief to many businesses connected with the tourism industry in the state. 

“It is a good move from the side of Government, but we need to understand the visa process decided by the ministry,” said the TTAG president Nilesh Shah adding that this news has brought the sign of relief to the stakeholders of the tourism. “We can now start marketing abroad. Most of the small hotels, which are still shut, can now open for business along with other traders, who are also by and large dependent on international arrivals.”

Goa, which is one of the most sought after tourist destination in the country had been patronising the domestic tourists since the beginning of the pandemic due to complete ban in flights from other countries will now entering into the full flagged tourism activity from the mid of October. 

The Chartered Flights to Resume From Russia and UK

 With the clearance from the central government to allow the entry of chartered tourists into the state the flights from Russia and UK will resume in the first place followed by the other countries.  

“We expect the peak tourist season in November-December that will boost the economy in the state. It is also expected that entertainment events will resume through this announcement,” another member of the TTAG said.

Although the State is receiving unprecedented domestic tourists, stakeholders had recently petitioned the Centre and the State urging them to resume charter operations.

The decision of the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) gave relief to the many small big businesses dependent on the tourism business. The shack operators have already started setting up structures. 

“It’s a major relief for all of us. We all had been waiting for this day. We welcome the decision and all the tourists to Goa,” All Goa Shack Owners Association president Cruz Cardozo told the media. 

The association has urged visitors to respect the law, State’s culture and tradition while also adhering to the pandemic SOPs.