Candolim may see fewer English tourists this year

PANAJI: With the collapse of 178-year-old tour operator Thomas Cook, the footfalls of English tourists may decline this season and Candolim may lose its coveted position as their preferred destination.


The development will open space for those travelers in Candolim who usually find it difficult to secure hotel bookings due to the regular British visitors.

Abida Kumar, vice-president at Minar Travels Pvt Ltd, said with less Britons coming to Goa this season, others who wish to spend quality time in Candolim but could not get bookings and had to move up north in the Arambol-Morjim belt, would benefit.

“Getting hotel bookings in Candolim during Christmas and New Year was always tough. This time around, things are likely to ease with a 30-35% dip in room tariffs,” Kumar said.

Although Candolim receives tourists of other nationalities besides domestic ones, the number of English tourists had always been on a higher side.

Ralf de Souza, chairman of de Souza group said that small hotels in Candolim will drop their room rent as their regular British clients may not turn up. “However, big hotels with their committed marketing team will hold on trying to fill in the vacuum by absorbing other guests,” he said.

A shack operator in Candolim who is already feeling the pinch over delayed shack allotment process said, “I’m worried that my regular British guests are not coming in. Many local guest house operators are likely to suffer though other European guests and Russians may visit Candolim,” he said.

“Foreign travelers shunned Calangute as it was always crowded and noisy. I’m sure, a dip in the room tariff will draw more domestic crowd,” he said.

He further added they can’t help it, and as and when beach shacks are set up, they will be compelled to accept whatever business comes their way with their usual British guests missing from the scene.