Russia’s ban on its citizens travelling to Turkey and Egypt as tourists has turned out to be a blessing for Goa, State Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said here on Friday.
Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of a function, Mr. Parulekar said hotels, both small and luxury establishments, in Goa had run out of rooms for tourists, dispelling fears that the inflow of Russians would decline.
Maintaining that minor irritants and isolated incidents involving some Russian tourists on beaches would not affect the tourist arrival, the Minister said, “Goa is selling in the international tourism market like hot cakes.”
He said Russian national airlines Aeroflot was soon expected to commence chartered flights to Goa, adding that Honorary Consul of Russia in the State, Victor M. Albuquerque, had confirmed the same.
