Goa tourism may not be affected this winter despite higher hotel rates and expensive taxis

There is also fierce competition from overseas destinations with easy and fast visa options such as Thailand and Vietnam, which are only a short flight away, prompting many domestic tourists to abandon Goa this time around. However, as Christmas and New Year’s Eve approach, hoteliers remain on the sidelines and are optimistic about more bookings.

For Radisson Hotel Group, business in North Goa remained stable in October and November, with growth levels broadly at the same level as last year. Encouragingly, though, business has not declined. South Goa, on the other hand, has seen an increase in average daily room rates and occupancy rates, with travelers paying significantly more per night.

“Weddings in south Goa in December are helping business grow here and this part of the state is showing more promise than last year. The growth is around 8-10 per cent. Nonetheless, some international charter flights are also returning. North Goa continues to maintain its status quo with a slight growth of 2-3% compared to last year,” Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director and Regional Senior Vice President, Radisson told usMint.

The Ronil-JDV by Hyatt hotel in North Goa, which is in its first year of operation, has seen a rapid increase in inquiries and bookings are expected to be completed by serious travelers in the coming week. Most group and individual travelers are in their 30s and 40s.

‘Hotel Shopping’

“While travelers are still ‘hotel shopping’, we do expect them to complete their bookings soon. We are seeing a lot of repeat guests, friends who had been here earlier in the year, booking for New Year dates,” Pratiti Raj Parr, general manager of the hotel. “Both Christmas and the New Year are looking promising…travelers coming in are traveling frequently and want to enjoy hotel experiences and spend a lot of time in hotels rather than just going out. Many of these travelers are traveling at least once a year Come once, it’s a must-do for them.”

Goa attracted 10 million tourists between March and December last year, 30% higher than the pre-pandemic level of 8.1 million tourists in 2019.Mint Reported in December 2023.Mint We contacted the Department of Tourism for statistics for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025, but had not received any information as of press time.

Some overseas destinations are taking a more strategic approach and are successfully attracting more tourists by offering affordable and convenient visa options, lower hotel prices and enhanced flight connections. Considering flights and travel times from New Delhi to Goa typically take around three hours, plus the extra time to reach the hotel, travelers feel like they could be in Thailand or Vietnam in the same amount of time.

“We have not seen a drop in bookings at any hotel, but we have not seen an increase compared to last year either,” said Jatin Khanna, CEO of Sarovar Hotels and Resorts. “There was growth in several hotels. Flat, while a few hotels are growing. We do expect two of our hotels to have double-digit growth over last year, but primarily room rate growth, not necessarily occupancy growth, when you have lower occupancy rates. Unable to take advantage of higher interest rates.”

Average hotel room rates in Goa fell by 5% in October, with occupancy rates down 2 percentage points from the same period in 2023, according to hotel consultancy HVS. However, in September, occupancy rates increased by 2-4 percentage points, while average rates fell by 2-4%.

More discounts in December

MintIt is understood that some hotel companies that insist on making the dinner mandatory will abandon the idea this year. The deal usually adds thousands of rupees to the cost per person per night and is binding on hotel guests.

Also, unlike previous years, flights to Goa are not expensive. Most airlines from big cities charge $Flights during the two-week holiday period at the end of the month cost $13,000-$15,000.

said Rajiv Mehra of the Tour Operators Association of India, who is also a director of Uday Tours and Travel Pvt. Ltd. Ltd., it will be business as usual in Goa this Christmas and New Year.

“Taxi and last-mile connectivity may present some issues in the state due to the lack of ride-hailing services, but this has been the case for several years and repeat customers have now found a way around it,” he said.

Subhash Goyal, chairman, STIC Travel Group, added that while international travel packages to Goa have declined, domestic travel will grow in the low double digits during the quarter.

“Many domestic tourists have now been to Goa and are very familiar with how to reach their hotels, albeit with taxi lobbies. Generally, we like to promote all-inclusive tour packages to ensure the safety of tourists,” he said.