Goa: The first chartered flight of the season will arrive in Goa from the UK on December 13, ending a nearly year-long lull in international tourism since the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a senior official.

Starting in December, four chartered flights will fly to Goa from the UK, two each from Gatwick and Manchester Airports, according to Nilesh Shah, president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG). Following the viral outbreak last year, chartered flight operations were halted, and the 2019-20 season was also cancelled as a result of the pandemic, according to Shah.

The tourism industry was anticipating a positive response from the Russian market, but he warned that due to the COVID-19 outbreak in their country, arrivals could be delayed. According to the official, Goa used to receive around 1,000 chartered flights during the tourist season, which runs from October to April. If at least half of the chartered flights arrive in the coastal state this tourist season, the tourism industry will rebound, Shah said, adding that the current ban on scheduled flights from abroad is also affecting the industry.

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