Long may this forum continue to be about helping me plan our Holiday.

It will Papa, it will

yes i have to agree ... ...

.... and hey

i can enjoy myself anywhere with the right people the right mood and the right place

never a truer word...agree wholeheartedly with that
chilly

Papa: Hear,hear well said.
Split: What are you on?
Squigs: Who are you refering to?...longtermers who come here to blow the winter heating allowance money?
Goa is busy all year round now with domestic tourists even during the monsoon months they are down the beach or out doing a bit of fishing.

http://www.oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=29297&cid=13

Good letter in the herald, thought I would share it with you,

Yes, interesting but true. Shooting themselves in the foot.

Mind you can't complain at £264 for late package!

You get what you pay for though!

Interesting reading!

There are clearly some posters who have reached the end of the line with Goa and instead of just letting it go, want to linger to poison the well. Personally, I wish they'd post somewhere else or get a hobby.

Of course there's a place for negative stories and experiences. There's no doubt that criminality in Goa has increased over the years but this shouldn't blind us to all that is good. Sharon's story about getting her hubby's lost money returned is heartwarming and I have had a similar experience. These are poor people who could have lived for months on the money they found - but they returned it. I've met dozens of lovely people who I would trust.

I've also been ripped off by traders and the police. I've met a small number of people who I wouldn't trust an inch. We should share these experiences to add to the well of information that we Goa visitors have at our disposal with this web site. But we should report it - not mount a crusade against Goa to damn and curse the whole place and its populace. There are good people and there are bad people - what's new?

I've gained loads of invaluable information over the years by using HT and I've met some nice people at the meets. Let's keep it real and help each other to enjoy the best of Goa and avoid the pitfalls - isn't that what this site is about?

Roma
lots of people echo your views (I'm one ) and lots of people have actually voiced what you've said.

But, as you say, a lot of the people who HAVE decided that Goa is no longer for them (and I have no problem with that, everyone has the choice to holiday wherever they please) seem determined for some reason, that everyone else should share their disillusionment with Goa.

Do you consider expats those who live there all the year around - or those who
spend 4 - 6 months?

Referring to the cheap holidays at £246 - how many people would get a visa in
time. This year 18 Russian plans are supposed to land per week. UK - 8

I would consider an expat someone who is permanent...someone who is there 3-6 months a long-term holidaymaker.
Next year there will be less flight from the UK...British tourism in Goa is finnished.

The numbers of charter flights from the UK may be down, but from what I read on HT and other sites, the number of people travelling independently to Goa, on regular airlines, has increased greatly recently.

Your opinion of course Spaldy

The times they are a changing but I can't honestly imagine a year go by without me having my annual Goa fix.

If what you say is true and Tourism in Goa is finished, then it looks like me and the O'H will be there on our own next year!!

I'm not saying no British will vist Goa....but the numbers will have dropped and will continue to do so.
Yes some are using scheduled flights but numbers will be well down.

We are only taking into account British charter flights.Lots of people now come on internal flights via Mumbai.Also Qatar now have I think 4 flights a week into Goa and from what I am reading they are selling well.This gives U.K. based tourists far more options.

The main reason U.K. based charters have cut back is the economic situation at home.I think talk of the end of Goa for British tourists is premature to say the least.

Papa

Numbers to Goa may well fall next year, but they have fallen everywhere. Lets remember the major tour companies have dropped lots of destinations in expectation of such a drop so the fact that Goa remains on the list is much to it's credit. Will the scheduled airlines take up the slack from reduced holidays on package offers ? Some but not all I would imagine, and we have yet to see what prices ( and which airlines will still be operating) will be in place next year, especially as the new long haul taxes will be in effect.
I believe much of the negative attitude towards Goa comes from those who bought property there and now find themselves in a predicament.
The embittered ones are probably hoping that the tourism market does collapse in the hope the government will want them to stay.

Moksha brilliantly put - people must be pointed in the direction of what really is happening - returning next week for 6 months will report back, honestly, how we find things have changed, and take it from there.

Read in to-day 18 flights per week from Russia only 8 per week UK.
surely that says it all.

We want Goa to flourish and the locals to make honest money - I think it is unfair Dave to blame those in the property mess, they too put a lot of money into Goa in the time they spend there. Including employing people,
furnishing, etc. etc.

We want Goa to flourish and the locals to make honest money - I think it is unfair Dave to blame those in the property mess, they too put a lot of money into Goa in the time they spend there. Including employing people,
furnishing, etc. etc.

I have to agree, I would be annoyed if I had found myself in such a situation too, and yes, they have put large amounts of cash into the Indian /Goan economy.

hello
yes, there are more flights from somewhere. yes, there are less flights from somewhere. there are some economical reasons that will not remain the same. life is waves. up and down.
people who travel to Goa because of cheap booze and fake leather ... they have a problem. they possibly choose another destination. which is normal behaviour. people who go there because they have found there something for their soul ... they find a possibility to go there and remain loyal to the place. Untill there is that "something".
I fell in love with India a long ago. Yes, it is more expensive to go there, than it used to be. so what? life is much more expensive at my home as well. if i do not have the money, I am sad. I will not go. If I find that I'm willimg to sacrifice sometning to go there and I do it... I feel happy.
So there is no real problem .. it all depends what is a real value for you.
There were allways problems of some kind, with my travel agent. I did choose to go to Goa on my own. I love the place and I find a way. I go there by regular flight and it will be more expensive than with package. But it is my choice. I want to go there because I cannot manage without.
if there will be too much of them, and too much of them... i go to another place. India is Big, even the Goa is big enaugh to have a choice.
I love this country. I will be there to meet a Christmas and New Year... i do not give s...t what someone says. I know what I want. But for the first-timers.... be careful not to kill a possible addiction. this is a good addiction.
argo

Elephant what a lovely post. It's a post from someone who will visit a country they love, leave it if they fall out of love, but without any gripe, or bad feelings - you'd just move on

DaveWales
I believe much of the negative attitude towards Goa comes from those who bought property there and now find themselves in a predicament.
The embittered ones are probably hoping that the tourism market does collapse in the hope the government will want them to stay.

No I think you will find that quite a lot of the people who bought property here would love to sell up and leave Goa. (and I'm not one of them).