Panaji: Goa’s tourism industry is fearing largescale cancellations and almost fifty per cent reduction in the chartered tourists arrivals from the UK after collapse of 178-year-old holiday firm, Thomas Cook.
Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has feared that there would be dampened tourist arrivals from the UK as Thomas Cook was flying almost every day of the week during the tourism season in the coastal state.
TTAG President Savio Messiah said that around 30,000 Britons had arrived during the last season through chartered flights, majority of which were flown by Thomas Cook.
“Thomas Cook was flying seven days a week with 300 seats travelling in every flight. Another UK-based chartered company Thomas was flying only two flights a week,” he said.
British tourists are known for their long holidays, as they spent an average 14 nights in the coastal state, he said adding that the collapse of Thomas Cook will result in more than 50 per cent reduction in their arrivals.
“Many have booked their tickets and even has visas in place. They will be in trouble now as the other airlines will not be able to accommodate them,” he said.
The collapse of the holiday firm is also likely to delay the chartered flight arrivals from the UK. Messiah said that while chartered flights from Russia arrive in first week of October, they arrive from the UK in the month of November.
He said that the first chartered flight from the UK is ideally of Thomas Cook, which might be now delayed after closure of the company.
