Panaji, Oct 9 (IANS): Goa will have a good tourist season this year, especially with international flights to the country scheduled to resume by November 15, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Saturday.

"International flights will resume from November 15. Definitely, the tourist season for Goa will be good this year," Sawant told reporters.

He also said that the Covid situation in the state was "under control" and added that all tourism-related businesses should follow government-related protocols and SOPs to ensure that the industry is revived, after facing a setback during the pandemic.

"Hotels, shacks and other tourism avenues should follow tourism SOPs and start their businesses," Sawant said.

According to Travel and Tourism Association of Goa President Nilesh Shah, the Central government's permission for international flights to arrive in India, would give the twin industries an opportunity to prepare for charter flight arrivals to Goa, from foreign destinations.

"Goa makes up 92 per cent of the charter flight arrivals in the country and the announcement ahead of the season will allow us to plan in advance and allow charter companies to book slots at the Goa airport," Shah said.

International tourists who visit Goa by charter flights especially from Russia, the UK and Germany accounts for the bulk of foreign tourist traffic to Goa.

According to state tourism department statistics, nearly eight million tourists visited Goa in 2019, out of which half a million were foreign travellers.