old man

After years of having their own way, and deliberately taking us all for a granted, tourists are now voting with their feet and moving to other holiday destinations. Will the Goans come to their senses and value the tourists this season?

stevebenaulim

If the tourists are down, why are the charter flights still so expensive??.

hemingway

This changes like the weather & just like the weather, rarely for the better - yesterday, Goan Voice was quoting "charters up but will they land?" - today an article in the Herald (oheraldo - whatever you call it) features the following extract:

Nilesh Shah, chairman, Travel Agents Association of India, Goa chapter: “I believe it’s going to be quite a dull season. As far as the charters go, last year around this time there were around 800 slots. This year there are only 500. There are no bookings happening. In fact bookings have gone down 25–30 per cent.

Now in my book 500 is nearly 40% less than 800 - so, in a day charters have gone from being up on last year to being nearly 40% less . . . . . . . .

Regards

Hemingway

hemingway

Steve, I reckon it's a case these days that rather than sell a seat 'cheap/below cost' - the airlines would sooner have that seat empty & burn less aviation fuel due to the weight saving of there being one less passenger & their luggage! With charters, it's a double edged advantage because My Travel merged with Thomas Cook & First Choice are merging/amalgamating with Thomsons, so all they do (& have done & are doing) is, if bookings are down, cancel one or the other company's flights, add two hours to the journey time & the flight from Manchester lands at Gatwick to pick up passengers, then marvellous, same number of passengers get to Dabolim, but on one plane instead of two AND because the flight is 'full' the prices stay high!! win, win, win all the way for the air lines!

Hemingway

stevebenaulim

Makse sense, but is Goa worth £650, for a flight only, plus an expensive visa, i wouldnt pay it, but my daughter wants to come out, over her holiday from uni.
I thought about £400, but no chance.
Will wait awhile longer.
Bank of Dad, no problem.

noni

Luckily we have a return ticket for Goa, but will be walking back to the UK.
If you read Holiday Truths, and Trip Advisor, you will see how many people have had their flights changed, after booking, with no thought for the customers convenience - and the airlines have had the nerve to say to some, we have changed your flight at no extra cost to you. What if the employers would not allow the staff to change holiday?
Will the airlines compensate those who have booked on connecting flights in the UK? I think not.



p.s. reading the HT site and TA site it seems a lot of people are fed up of the way they have been treated in Goa, duel pricing and also the visa problems and are going elsewhere. So it is not all
airfares that is the problem.

old man

Know the problem only too well Steve, (Dad's/Grand dads Bank at least we paid last year for our four -
thank God!

stevebenaulim

4, i just fell off the chair, 1 is enough, she eats for England,
drinks like a fish.
Only hope she likes fish curry rice, and kings??.

thatman

It's not only the charters that are changing their flight times. Sri Lanka has changed our sons flight twice in as many weeks. Was going late evening then changed it to mid afternoon now it is noon. That means he has to be at the airport at about 9am which is impossible from where he lives - now means an overnight in London and a days pay lost and once again bank of dad is paying. We have had to pay once to change his coach ticket but are not doing it again yet until we get it in writing that SL will pay if they change the flight time again.

noni

Wonder if the indians will appreciate our business this season! I for one will not be spending like other years - have bought all the dross now, and will be using the bus not being ripped off any more.

As long as there is plenty of kingfisher, 'noffi, and a sunbed I will be happy.

Looking forward to the sun though.

thatman

Steve - Virgin - Jet and BA all doing HR to Goa via Mumbai for about £530 middle of Jan. www.southalltravel.co.uk

Noni - we have bought 2 lightweight fold up beach chairs which carry like a rucksack which we are bringing with us - will not be held to ransom by the shacks plus when we get there they will not be open anyway.

noni

We have also got some lightweight camping chairs, but I thought they would be a big too heavy with our other luggage. Somebody on this site says you can buy them for £10 I think they meant in Virani's panjim, but if he gets a lot of "whities" going in for chairs, no doubt the price will go up.

wheatsheaf

A total boycott of Goa would be better. A Peaceful, impactful and recognisable message?. It is already obvious that Goans believe they deserve everything you worked hard for, and just by showing up on their shores you are confirming this.

hemingway

I am an employed person, so I get certain holiday allowances, if I did not need to work, or if I were retired, I wouldn't work - THEN, I would be going to Goa for the season - out early November, back early April - but, I'd be darn sarf, no protest from me, cos I don't fell the need to protest, however, if you are a Northerner & you feel the need to protest, then go ahead, do so, it's a free country & you are over 18 etc etc etc.

Personally, I'm looking at 99 days until I go to Goa & that for me is 99 x 3 mile treadmill runs, cos I've got a significant birthday coming up this year & I'd prefer not to be a fat f**ker, like I am now for said birthday! so, giving it my best shot on the diet front until 30/11/08 - & then all bets are off!

Best wishes all B.E. members. . . . . . . . . . you Noni. . . . . .

bloody hell, Gordons dry gin again. . . . . . . . . .

Hemingway!

Blue_Max

Looking at the bright side, all this is good news for people already living in Goa or going for a long period.

Some years back there was a lot of scare mongering about Kashmir and tourist numbers dropped.
We went to Srinagar and had a great time. Temporary unpopularity meant lower hotel prices and fewer crowds.

Contrarian thinking works.