: Goa’s tourism department expects a rise in charter tourist arrivals this year as veteran operators return ahead of the upcoming tourist season, the department said in a statement.
The statement said Goa has retained long-standing charter operators from markets such as the United Kingdom, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Poland and that discussions were underway to introduce new charter operations from Belarus, Armenia, Moldova and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).
Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said his department was encouraged by the emergence of new source markets which present significant opportunities to expand Goa’s global tourism footprint.
On average, international visitors arriving on charter services stay in Goa for 10 to 14 nights, while an Indian tourist stays for 3-4 nights per visit.
The statement said Concord Exotic Voyages, one of Goa’s longest-serving international charter operators, expected to bring over 45,000 international tourists during the 2026–27 season through its charter operations from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.
The company has pledged to operate daily flights from Russia alongside two weekly flights from Kazakhstan. Additional frequencies are planned during the peak winter months.
In 2025, Goa received 189 charter flights, bringing in a cumulative 40,336 foreign tourists, with operations split between Dabolim and Mopa airports. In 2024, charter arrivals stood at 266 flights and 58,680 tourists.
Kedar Naik, director of the tourism department, said the government would continue to work closely with airlines, charter operators, travel trade partners and tourism stakeholders to further strengthen connectivity, enhance visitor experiences and promote Goa across key global markets.
“Our objective is not only to increase arrivals but also to encourage longer stays and greater exploration of Goa’s diverse tourism offerings,” said Naik.
But the figures over the last few years pale in comparison to the situation in the pre-COVID years. In 2017, Goa received 1,024 charter flights carrying 2,49,374 foreign tourists, which declined to 799 flights and 2,16,738 tourists in 2019.
