Goa is set to mark the beginning of the new tourist season from Thursday, with the arrival of the first international flight from Novosibirsk, Russia, in the early hours at the Manohar International Airport in North Goa. State Tourism Department will be welcoming the international traveller at Manohar International Airport at 1.30 am on Thursday, a senior official informed.
The arrival of the flight from Novosibirsk will herald the international tourist season in the state, which has already set up its beach shacks to welcome the guests. Novosibirsk is the most populous city in Siberia and the third-most populous city in Russia after Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
Ernest Dias, Vice President, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, said that the international tourist season looks brighter this time. He said that besides the scheduled flights, which originate from places like Novosibirsk, there will also be chartered flights arriving in the state. Meanwhile, Goa is all set to usher in the season with the tourism department allocating licences for putting up shacks on the beaches.
Cruz Cardoso, President, Shack Owners Welfare Society, said that Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has already given licences to the majority of shacks, so that they can be ready for welcoming tourists before time. He said that last year, 355 licences were allotted at various beaches across the state. As per Goa tourism data, a total of 1.04 crore tourists arrived during the calendar year 2024, of which 4.67 lakh were international arrivals.
