More than 60 percent Brits hoping to arrive in Goa during Oct-Nov via charters cancel bookings: Goa Tourism takes a big hit

PANAJI: An unexpected tweak in rules for applying for Indian visas by Britons in the UK has led to thousands of cancellations and several charters which were expected to land in Goa during October-end and November first week could be cancelled, trade analysts and tourism stakeholders told IndyaTv.in.

As per the new regulations, Britons applying for visas will have to physically appear or be present at nine visa processing centers in the UK and due to the rush, the appearance or interview slots are booked till the end of November, with no more interviews possible during the intervening period.

As a result of this bureaucratic or procedural hurdle and the lack of foresight on part of the visa authorities, hundreds, if not thousands of British tourists who were hoping to reach Goa during October-end and November first half will not be able to make it to the coastal state till the end of November or the first half of December.

The visa authorities should have anticipated the rush for visas, looking at figures of visas issued to Britons in earlier corresponding seasons and opened up more interview slots during the October-November period.

Many British tourists are looking at other options or locales and skipping India (and Goa) altogether this year as they are not able to get appointments for the Indian visa processing centers in the UK.

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According to trade analysts in the UK, nearly 60 per cent of British tourists scheduled or hoping to reach Goa during October-end and November via charter flights have either postponed their visit, or all together cancelled their plans to travel to Goa this year.

It’s not just a problem during October or November as some British tourists scheduled to visit Goa during December have also cancelled their plans and have decided to visit other more “visa-friendly” countries.

Several Russian charters have also cancelled their flights to Goa, but this has more to do with the Russian-Ukraine war, the military mobilization and other economic factors than visa issues in Russia.

Hundreds of hotel room bookings in Goa – particularly the medium and budget hotels in the coastal belts, which were a rage with the British tourists are being cancelled everyday.

Since these hotels exclusively catered to the British and their choices and preferences, they are finding it very different to adapt to Indian or domestic tourists, who have different preferences when it comes to room service, décor, interiors and other facilities.

The cost of re-decorating or repurposing rooms for Indian domestic tourists is very high and hotel owners do not have the financial wherewithal to quickly adapt and change their setups, causing a huge loss in business.