Despite the recent Omicron scare resulting in “at least 5-8%” cancellations, Goa Tourism looks to end the year on a strong note as hotel occupancy leading up to New Year’s Eve has been, in some cases, reported to be “better than pre-Covid levels”, people aware of the matter said.

New Year’s Eve, considered the high point of Goa’s tourism season in which the young travellers from metros such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi flock to party hotspots along the state’s coastal belt, saw a minor revival last year as cases began to decrease after the initial wave that peaked in September-October 2020 and showed signs of getting back to pre-Covid levels this year.

However, the onset of the Omicron and uptick in cases has seen a raft of cancellations but not enough to dampen the sentiment across the state.

“We have seen room occupancy of up to 60-70% of pre covid levels. Others have reported that they are seeing their best season ever. So, the sentiments in the industry has been positive,” said Jack Sukhija, who runs a heritage hotel in the capital city.

The ongoing Covid night curfews in cities such as Bengaluru and Delhi was initially expected to drive more tourists to Goa given that venues back home will be closed. But the logistics of reaching Goa, and the uncertainty around air travel if infections soar, have created problems. Last minute bookings have not seen an uptick either.

“Planning a last-minute trip to Goa was difficult even in normal times. It is all the more difficult during this time,” Sukhija added. For a different set of reasons.

He is, however, sceptical how things will pan out over January, saying much will depend on how the new wave of infections pans out.

Despite the cancellations, Goa’s popular beaches including the Calangute-Candolim stretch as well as the Morjim-Arambol stretch further north have seen milling crowds with holidayers almost shoulder to shoulder as they soak in the sun and sea breeze.

“It is increasingly apparent that the Omicron variant is more of a scare than an actual threat and that we have to learn to live with the virus,” Nilesh Shah, the president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, an industry body that lobbies on behalf of the hospitality industry, said, referring to reports that patients infected with the Omicron patients mostly have mild symptoms. So far.

To be sure, scientists and the government have urged caution, but not panic, over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus diease, and have underlined that it has a much higher transmission rate. And a large number getting infected means a large number could end up in hospital.

Shah said: “Most hotels are taking adequate precautions and necessarily so. The industry recognises that most verticals are still only in survival mode and the numbers have been a welcome relief.”

Goa’s tourism industry initially expected a healthy season with the arrival of European charter tourists for the first time in two years. But with the Omicron variant sweeping across Europe, a majority of the planned charter flights from the UK and Western Europe have been cancelled.

Goa has to date only received four charter flights from Kazakhstan with charters from Russia that were initially scheduled to land prior to Christmas and will now arrive only on December 30 onwards leaving Goa dependent on domestic tourists to keep the industry afloat during the new year weekend.

Charters from the UK are now tentatively scheduled only from the end of January onwards.

Goa’s tourism season usually begins with the receding monsoon and as winter sets in across the northern hemisphere, those seeking to escape the biting cold climes choose to spend time in warmer parts of the world and Goa is among the preferred destinations for those seeking to travel.

Goa’s tourism sector is a big source of revenue for the state with the industry directly contributing 16.43% towards the state Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and also provides employment to nearly 35% of the state’s population that is dependent on the sector, according to official estimates.

Source: Hindustan Times ( https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/omicron-prompts-5-8-cancellations-but-goa-remains-booked-this-new-year-s-eve-101640684459114.html )