Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Sep 17: Goa’s international charter season for 2026-27 is set to begin earlier than usual, with the first charter flight from Russia scheduled to arrive at Dabolim International Airport in Vasco on September 30 carrying 438 passengers.
Goa is expected to receive around six charter flights a week from Russia during the season. Flights from Russian cities including Moscow and Yekaterinburg are expected to increase in frequency as the season progresses.
Sheikh Ismail, senior vice-president of tour operator Concord Exotic Voyages, said charter flights generally begin arriving from the first week of October, making this year’s early start a positive development for the state’s tourism sector.
The company also handles charter operations from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. Flights from Kazakhstan are expected to begin arriving in Goa from October 23.
Tour operators said the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has had less impact on charter arrivals from post-Soviet countries than initially anticipated. Russian tourists continued to visit Goa during the 2025-26 season, and operators expect a similar trend this year.
Ernest Dias, chief operating officer of TCI and SITA, said Goa’s international charter season, running from October 2026 to April 2027, is expected to see an 8 to 10 per cent increase in flights compared with the previous season.
However, tourism stakeholders said improving connectivity remains important to attract more foreign free independent travellers. Several international and domestic flight cancellations have affected connectivity, while foreign tourists often travel to other destinations in India during their stay.
Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) former president Nilesh Shah said several cancelled domestic flights connecting Goa are likely to be reinstated by IndiGo and other airlines during the upcoming winter schedule.
Goa received around 302 charter flights during the 2025-26 season. The tourism department expects charter arrivals this season from established markets such as the UK, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Poland, besides emerging markets including Belarus, Armenia, Moldova and Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.