Goa tourism patronised by new Russian tourists

While recession all over the world has spared no one, tourism in Goa has been in for a strange surprise.With the heavy fall in tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom biting into Goa's tourism capacities, the Russians however continued to patronise sun kissed Goa to the same extent as last year thereby negating any drop from their side.

With tourists from Russia maintaining the same influx figure in March this year as they did last year, the news has kept the tourism industry absolutely abuzz. In comparison, Goa's major market of tourists the United Kingdom, has seen many a tourist from there giving their favourite holiday destination a reluctant miss.

Recession hitting the United Kingdom is pinpointed to be the major factor which prompted a change in plans for most of such tourists who had originally planned to visit Goa this time around. The figure of over 91,000 achieved upto March 2008 was holding only around 65,000 till March 17 2009 which has been considered a drastic fall.

Russia is estimated to be affected least by the recession although the Russian rouble crashing in December 2008 did cause a drop of tourists to Goa in early 2009. Also the central bank in Russia devaluating the currency did have some effects. However while there was a drop in tourists to Goa from Moscow, the flow from the rest of Russia made up for the deficit.

While Goa had been witnessing tourists from Russian cities of Moscow and St Petersburg, this season however had new visitors arriving from new regions of Russia such as Ufa and Samara.