Charter flights to goa - East Europe edges out UK

The United Kingdom played second fiddle to Eastern Europe for the second consecutive year , maintaining its dominance in the number of charter flights to Goa this year. Goa's tourism department recently released the recorded statistics of Charter arrivals in Goa which revealed a total number of 781 charter flights to Goa which carried a total of 1,56,541 tourists to Goa hailing from twelve different international destinations since the start of the tourist season in October.

The international countries include United Kingdom(UK), France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Russia, Poland, Norway, Finland, Iran and Kazakhstan. The records have also pointed out that Goa has continuously seen a positive increase in the flow of tourists for countries in Eastern Europe including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus.

The statistics have recorded over 392 charter flights to Goa arriving from Russia with around 81,437 travelers in comparison to around 216 charter flights arriving in Goa from the United Kingdom with 50,872 English tourists on holiday to Goa. The Following is the detailed list of Charter tourists arriving in Goa from the above countries in the outgoing season

United Kingdom---- 216 Charter Flights
Russia ------------- 392 Charter Flights
Germany ---------- 33 Charter Flights
Netherlands ------- 27 Charter Flights
Finland ----------- 23 Charter Flights
Norway ----------- 21 Charter Flights
Poland ------------ 20 Charter Flights
Kazakhstan- ------- 17 Charter Flights
Denmark ---------- 13 Charter Flights
Switzerland --------- 13 Charter Flights
Iran ---------------- 04 Charter Flights
France ------------- 02 Charter Flights

The tourism industry in Goa believes that the trend is a positive signal about the increasing popularity of Goa across the countries of Eastern Europe with those countries opting for Goa as their holiday destination.

However the charter flights coming to Goa may nor provide an accurate picture about the exact number of tourists arriving to Goa from UK as there are many tourists from the United Kingdom arriving to Goa via Mumbai since the connectivity of these flights is considered to be better. But for tourists arriving from countries like Russia and other such East European countries, the charter route is preferable.

It has also been observed that Russia's new cities have added keen interest in the Goa holiday packages. While traditionally the cities of St Petersburg and Moscow were key markets attracting tourists to Goa, it can be now seen that six or seven more cities in Russia have added themselves to the Goa tourism bug. The trend clearly points out to more Eastern Europeans opting for Goa as their favorite holiday destination and the success of these numbers is attributed to the increasing marketing efforts by the tourism industry in Goa through the state tourism department.

Goa also recorded the highest number of Charter arrivals in the months of January and December with the month of December 2010 accounting for 167 flights and January 2011 aggregating 187 flights to Goa.

Tourist arrivals to Goa have therefore seen a definite increase in the flow of domestic and foreign tourists and the increase in this year 2010 is gauged at around 5% over the previous year of 2009. Over 781 charter flights have arrived in Goa from various countries in Europe in the present tourist season in Goa. the department of tourism in Goa is therefore content to have ended the season on a very healthy note and are very keen to promote more tourism related activities for Goa in the forthcoming tourist season.