Russian tourist charter operators have expressed interest in flight landing slots at Goa’s Dabolim International Airport for the upcoming tourism season, Ports Minister Michael Lobo said on 08th October.

Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat after a meeting with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Lobo said that no new offshore casino vessel was expected to anchor in the State’s Mandovi river for the next two years, on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has punctured travel and leisure tourism activity.

“We are expecting chartered flights from the rest of Europe too. However, Russian (charter operators) has asked for slots for landing in Goa. We welcome this interest, but we need a green signal from the Centre,” Lobo said.

Russian travelers account for the largest chunk of foreign tourists to Goa, a famous beach and nightlife tourism destination, followed by the UK. More than 92,000 Russian tourists landed in Goa during the 2018-19 tourism season (from October 2018 to March 2019), out of the half-million foreigners who visited the coastal State. In Goa, nearly eight lakh tourists (both international and domestic) visited the State in 2019.

Lobo said that the resumption of international charter flights required a nod from the Union Civil Aviation Ministry and the state government.