Tourists may flock to Goa as room tariffs tumble

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Mumbai, Nov 14: The economic slowdown might be pinching the pocket of the common man, but an affordable vacation is still possible. That too in Goa.

The ‘tourist paradise’, as it is often referred to, has witnessed a 15-18% drop in room rentals across the board this winter. This could be owed, largely, to a forecast of a 30-35% dip in overall tourist arrivals this season. The drop in room rentals, consequently, has put the destination within the reach of many domestic tourists.

So much so that the inflow of domestic travellers is expected to rise by 15%-20%. According to Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), the 2007-08 tourist season recorded around 25 lakh domestic tourists in the state. International tourist arrivals during the period were recorded at three lakh.

“Typically, at this time, it is difficult to find rooms in Goa. But that is not the case this year,” said Sandeep Srivastava, head, domestic travel, Thomas Cook. He added that lower-end hotels have seen a substantial drop in rates compared to high-end properties.

Noel Swain, vice president-marketing, Cleartrip.com said that more and more travellers are opting for budget and standalone properties this year, as compared to five-star properties. Further, visitors are travelling by road and rail, rather than airlines.

Noting that the overall mood is sombre, Pradeep Kalra, senior vice-president, sales and marketing, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, said, “We have tried to safeguard ourselves with contracted booking and charters. However cancellations cannot be ruled out.” The hotel chain is targeting an occupancy of 85-90% for its Goa property for the season.

However, Pascal Dupuis, general manager, The Leela Kempinski Goa, is upbeat. He said, “It’s true that some markets have shown a slight slowdown, but other markets are performing well. Therefore, overall, the occupancy is looking healthy. It is only a question of not putting all eggs in the same basket. Room rates are showing the normal increase year-on-year and there is no reason to reduce rates as it will only devalue the product.”