Panaji: Pegas Touristik, a major tour operator in Russia, has told TOI that Goa can expect just 500 charters from Russia this season. Of the total 1,128 charter flights that landed in Goa last season, 895 were from Russia alone.
Abdullah Cankaya, director, Asia-Pacific Countries, Pegas Touristik, explained that while the weakening Rouble coupled with tour operators in Russia shutting shop is one factor, Egypt is another. Last season, Goa gained from the Afro-Asiatic country's hospitality industry lying in tatters following the uprisings there. "With Egypt returning to normalcy, Goa will have to compete hard," warned Cankaya.
He said Goa will also have to compete hard with other favourite Russian tourist destinations—Turkey, Thailand and Europe—which receive bigger volumes of Russian tourists than Goa and which are also expecting the dip in travellers from Russia and are therefore competing to keep their markets intact.
24/10/14 Bindiya Chari/Times of India
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Abdullah Cankaya, director, Asia-Pacific Countries, Pegas Touristik, explained that while the weakening Rouble coupled with tour operators in Russia shutting shop is one factor, Egypt is another. Last season, Goa gained from the Afro-Asiatic country's hospitality industry lying in tatters following the uprisings there. "With Egypt returning to normalcy, Goa will have to compete hard," warned Cankaya.
He said Goa will also have to compete hard with other favourite Russian tourist destinations—Turkey, Thailand and Europe—which receive bigger volumes of Russian tourists than Goa and which are also expecting the dip in travellers from Russia and are therefore competing to keep their markets intact.
24/10/14 Bindiya Chari/Times of India
