Charter flights hit, but Russians love Goa

Mumbai: It's that time of the year when charter aircraft like Falcon 2000, Challenger 604 and King Air C-90-filled with French and British tourists-criss-cross the sky between airports of Goa, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Varanasi, Cochin, Agra etc, linking all those tourist hotspots that are not directly connected by airlines. This winter though, there are hardly any charter flights on these routes as the heat from the global meltdown continues to singe the India-bound tourist industry.
But what is interesting is that despite the drop in the number of French and Britons arriving in the country, Goa has managed to get past the effects of recession as it has seen an increase in tourist arrivals from Russia. The foreign tourist market sees forward bookings, so charter flights are finalised months before the October-April arrival season begins. However, this year, phones are not really ringing off the hook with international calls.
"There are no foreign bookings. Usually in November and December, we get enquiries for flights between Goa, Rajasthan, Agra etc. But there has not been a single enquiry yet,'' said Pradip Thampi, director, Executive Airways, a charter company based in Mumbai.
The scene is equally bad in charter industry's capital, Delhi, where there are hardly any takers for flights to the nearby tourist destinations.
At the Goa airport though, nothing much seems to have changed as compared to last year. The Boeing 747s and Airbus 330 charter flights continue to land in the wee hours of morning loaded with tourists from the West.
The Centre's decision to relax visa norms for tourists from Russia seems to have whipped up the tourist arrivals to this sunny tourist destination.
16/11/09 Manju V/Times of India

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Categories: Foreign Nov 2009, Indian Aviation- In General Nov 2009