Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Oct 22: Goa’s international charter season has begun with slower-than-usual bookings from Russia, Kazakhstan and parts of Europe, as warmer weather in these regions delays travellers’ plans for winter holidays. Tour operators are responding by reducing airfares and offering hotel packages, while airlines are preparing to increase flights as the season progresses.
The 2026–27 charter season opened on October 1 with an Aeroflot flight from Yekaterinburg arriving at Dabolim with 162 passengers. A subsequent charter from Moscow carried more than 285 passengers. Russian charter flights are currently operating five times a week, with the frequency expected to rise to nine flights a week.
Tour operators said the slow start did not necessarily indicate a decline in overall demand. Instead, many travellers appeared to be postponing bookings until temperatures dropped in their home countries. Russian and Kazakh tourists remain among Goa’s key winter visitor groups, making their booking patterns important for airlines, hotels, travel agencies and airport-linked businesses.
“Because of El Nino, it is not very cold in their country. It is warm and pleasant. When it starts snowing, people start moving out and travelling,” Abida Kumar, executive director of Caper Travels, was quoted as saying. She said bookings remained slow, with some international visitors reserving flights only four or five days before departure.
Kazakhstan’s first charter of the season is scheduled to arrive on October 26, carrying 177 passengers from Almaty to Manohar International Airport. Another flight from Nur Sultan is expected to arrive at Goa International Airport with 189 passengers. Operators said additional flights from Kazakhstan were planned for December, as some travellers remained reluctant to visit during October and November.
The booking slowdown has also affected pricing across Goa’s tourism sector. Operators are lowering airfares, while hotels are reducing tariffs and offering packages linked to the initial charter flights through November. The measures are aimed at encouraging early-season visitors and keeping Goa competitive with other holiday destinations.
A tour operator specialising in European and Russian markets said destinations such as China and Vietnam were offering more attractive deals amid the warmer weather. The operator added that October had remained a slow month for several years as warmer conditions persisted longer in Europe.
The report noted that temperatures in parts of western and southern Europe were 8 to 12 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages in some areas. Kazakhstan also recorded temperatures 1 to 2 degrees Celsius above historical climatic norms across most regions, following what was described as the hottest summer in the country’s history.
For Goa’s tourism industry, the key question is whether the delayed bookings will shift the timing of arrivals rather than reduce the overall winter charter flow. Airlines, hotels and tour operators are adjusting fares, packages and capacity amid the uncertainty, with more flights from Kazakhstan expected in December.