Some foreign tourists are expected to arrive in April, flying in on a new charter, bringing in holidayers from Iran, but in reality, the tourist season starts folding this month, and the effects can be felt.
Restaurants have already announced that they will be closing from April 1, and many hotels have started shutdown preparations for the offseason.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, it appeared that the concept of tourist season was illusionary, and that Goa had turned into an all-year destination.
Now that the industry has got its teeth back, it appears that the idea of an all-year season was just a mirage, and the truth is that Goa is best during the time earmarked because everything needs a break, and so does tourism.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, it appeared that the concept of tourist season was illusionary, and that Goa had turned into an all-year destination.
People worked, or tried to keep their businesses ticking, through the year because it took time for the post-pandemic effect to disappear, and for many, it was the case of making hay whilst the sun shone.
As long as there was the smell of business, and the tills kept jingling, the clock kept ticking, irrespective of the profits. In the bargain, there was a drop in standards, though not noticeable in the panic let loose by the pandemic.
Most in the industry are happy with the way the season has meandered through, and are happy that the good times have returned, and have dispensed with the cloak of anxiety.
This time, the cry for foreign tourists was heard less as many international tourists returned, and those who came for the first time, opted to come back, thus keeping the aviation fuel burning.
There were guest from across the country, too, though some of those who could afford it preferred to try some other countries, and that is part and parcel of the industry package. Man wants to see more.
Most in the industry are happy with the way the season has meandered through, and are happy that the good times have returned, and have dispensed with the cloak of anxiety.
There was a time when Goa had turned into a wedding destination, and it is still, but the rich are heading elsewhere, and the upper middle class has been bitten by the Goa wedding destination bug.
There are still many rent-back facilities that appear to be locked or not as full as they should have been during the season, but there is not much worry because, as they say in the industry, once the bug bites, it spreads fast.
One clear trend this season is that tourists who used to come to the north of Goa have started shifting to the south, and most seem happy with this choice. The noise pollution in the north has taken its toll on elderly tourists whilst the youngsters prefer to stay where the noise is.
The South has remained cool, whilst those in the north have had to live, not just with noise, but also with a bit of bad blood arising from nasty behaviour.
The season is ending with some sour occasions that have sullied the image of the industry – though not far and wide – but it could have been best avoided, and stakeholders do have reason to smile because they seem to be having the best of both worlds.
Anxiety creates ripples with no direction and that is what the industry went through from the start of the pandemic. Now that more understanding has surfaced, waters appear to be flowing on normal course and for this, the stakeholders must be happy.