File Photo: Tourists at a popular beach in Goa.
During the forthcoming tourist season, Goa will receive chartered flights of tourists from Latvia, an officially release said in Panaji today.
"The first chartered flight carrying tourists from Latvia will land in Goa on December 10, 2015. In all, there are likely to be six chartered flights from Riga this season, with 180 passengers in each inbound flight," according to a press note released by the Russian Information Centre in Goa.
"Chartered flights from Latvia's capital Riga would be the opening of a new potential market. Chartered flights from Riga to Goa will ferry tourists from Latvia, Lithania as well as Estonia, which have a combined population of 10 million," the press note stated.
"All three countries were part of the former USSR and emerged as independent countries in 1991 after the fall of the USSR. They are now part of Europe with Euro as its currency.
The fact that tourists from these countries speak both Russian and English is a healthy sign for Goa's tourism industry stakeholders," the press note stated.
"The reason why the fresh chartered flight service from Latvia is significant is because it could mean a shot in the arm for Goa's tourism business, which could face a slight decline in foreign tourist arrivals due to the financial crisis in Russia," the press note stated.
Goa receives around five lakh foreign tourists annually.