GLOBAL RECESSION Decline in tourist arrivals spells bad news for Goa
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Apart from British tourists, there has also been a decline in the number of Russian tourists arriving in the state this year.
Sources at Dabolim airport revealed that Ural airlines, a charter flight operating from Russia, has discontinued its operations to the state.
The first Ural charter landed in Goa on November 9 with just 28 passengers, though it had a seating capacity of about 200 passengers. They were slotted to arrive again on November 23, but have cancelled the flight.
“Global recession and a decrease in people’s spending power has affected the Russian market and led to a drop in 25% to 30% Russian tourists this season,” said Goa advocate for the consul general of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, Vikram Varma.
The trend doesn’t spell good news for the state of Goa, which had seen a steady increase in foreign tourists from 2.5 lakh in 1997 to about 4 lakh in 2007, a majority of who travel to Goa on charter flights.
November 20, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
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