'Goa needs to focus on Russians'
PTI, PANAJI | 20 May 2013 17:45 IST
Goa should consolidate on Russian tourist arrivals in the state amid the shrinking number of visitors from the UK to this beach destination, says honourary Consul of Russia in Goa.
“The Russian tourist arrivals is really helping Goa tourism industry in the backdrop of sagging number of arrivals from European destinations like the UK,” Victor M Albuquerque, honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in Goa, told reporters here today.
“We need to consolidate on the arrivals from Russia which has touched 1.25 lakh mark this tourist season, upsetting the monopoly of the UK in Goa tourism market,” he said.
Around 1.5 lakh Russian tourists are projected to visit Goa in the forthcoming tourist season, October 2013-May 2014, he said.
For the next five years, Goa tourism will have to depend a lot on the arrivals from Russia as the European market is lacklustre, he said.
“The Russian tourists are a saving grace for the chartered tourism industry,” Albuquerque said.
Tourist arrivals from Russia will continue in Goa because the travelling time and cost to come here from Moscow is lesser as compared to from the European countries.
As a consul, he will also have a task to dispel the negative image of Russians created in Goa, the Consul said.
This does not mean that tourists from other countries will get less attention.
We cannot ignore tourists from the western nations who have been visiting Goa all these years.
We should never lay all eggs in one basket. All are welcome and are our honoured guests.