Goa succeeds in wooing Russian tourists

Goa appeared to be reaping the fruits of the persistent efforts by the tourism department and the tourism industry in wooing the Russians to the state. The authorities did everything to convince the Russians to come to the state and enjoy its beauty in a much safer atmosphere. Though Russians are "newer" travelers in that respect having started venturing out of the country after the breakup of communist regime, they are very choosy and concerned about safety and the comforts during their travel and don't like to be hoodwinked because of the language barrier. They also prefer hassle-free travel and lesser checks.

However, the Russian tour agents and their representatives together with the tourists have sounded a note of caution for the local tourism industry that the authorities should do everything to ensure the safety of the tourists and prevent any harm to them from any quarter. The promotion of Goa as a tourist destination has gone well with a number of Russians who have come down here. A few of the tourists to whom this paper contacted said that Goa has a lot to offer to them and was an ideal place for relaxing, as its climate was very good and its culture was something that was akin to other tourist destinations liked by the Russians.

Mr Boris, who identified himself as a tourist from Moscow, said the beauty of Goa and its beaches overwhelmed him. He said that there was no need for the tourist to go on sightseeing unless one wants to. He also said that he liked the hospitality of the hotel staff and the approach of the Goan traders to whom he visited. Another young Russian lady said the churches, temples and other places were beautiful. She said that she was really satisfied having chosen to come to Goa and that she would come again next year on extended holidays and also tour Delhi, Agra, etc where she could not go this year.

Taking note of the problems created by the taxi operators midway into the season last year after having agreed to a formula, a couple of senior Russian representatives here said that such incidents send wrong signals as the tourists prefer a safe travel and would not like to be harmed in anyway and as such the government should prevent occurrence of such incidents or else they could scare away the tourists and cause harm to Goa's image.
Ms Shafranskaya Alena, chief guide of Pegas Touristik said that while the number of tourists have increased manifold over the last eight years since the Russians started coming here, the infrastructure (especially roads) have remained the same though the traffic too has increased in large numbers. She also said the roads have become dangerous and difficult to negotiate in view of increased traffic and were accident-prone.

Another drawback that the Russians Tourists feel is the illegal operation of businesses by some Russians, who attempt to lure Russian tourists offering them local packages, which was against the terms and conditions that the Russian tourists enter into with the tour operators while embarking on tour to Goa, said some of the Russian guides. Stating that in case of any incident if the Russian tourists choose to fall prey to the illegal operations they could lose the insurance cover, they said the local authorities should come down heavily on the illegal operations, by some of the Russians.

Before bringing Russian tourists in larger number, the travel agents from there were flown down to check the type and status of accommodation and the amenities offered by the Goan hotel industry, as well as the security aspects, and only on satisfying themselves did they start promoting Goa as a destination. For Russians, till Goa became a major destination, Egypt, Thailand, Turkey, etc were the major tourist destinations, which are still preferred but the charm that Goa offered together with the hotel accommodation of various categories (from one star to five star) has prompted the Russian tour operators to promote the state vigorously and bring in a large number of tourists.