There is visible satisfaction seen in the smiles of Goa’s tourism stakeholders with the season having taken off without a stutter. In the first week itself the shacks were up and many already running, the charters had landed, and along with them, a number of Foreign Individual Tourists (FIT) too arrived.
It is evening and the sun has just set. Santan, who runs a bar mostly frequented by locals, has a large smile.
“My friend (a taxi driver) came along with his guests for a drink and everyone left happy. The guests were first timers but appeared to be guys who knew how to spend,” says Santan, as he wipes the table awaiting more business.
“A good season for me is when I not only make enough money for me to have a decent living during the offseason but also have fun working. There is no point of working without enjoying,” he says.
“It is not just Russians. I have had customers who have arrived from Ireland and England, and they have assured me more from their country will be coming to spend the New Year.”
Shalini
A few metres from his shack, adjacent to the beach, sits Shalini, also with a huge grin. After having seen some hard days, she is happy to meet “customers from Russia interested in handicrafts I sell”.
“It is not just Russians. I have had customers who have arrived from Ireland and England, and they have assured me more from their country will be coming to spend the New Year,” she grins again.
Despite the retreating monsoon rain in the evenings, the mood hasn’t dampened with people hopping into local bars and lacing their conversations with beer instead of vodka.
“Our first time in Goa. Good hotel and nice people. We still have jetlag, but the beach is beautiful, clean and safe,” says Shevenko through his translator app. “How far is Arambol from here?” he asks.
A visit to Mapusa and to Arambol is part of a pre-planned itinerary for many first-time Russian tourists. “We have friends who do business in Arambol, and we go there to spend some time,” says his friend.
“A lot of families have been part of the first charter. It is their first visit, but they have come tanked with information about the destination and ask us how to get to a particular place,” discloses Steven, who represents a resort housing guests from the first charter.
A van carrying traditional Goan folk dancers stops outside the gangway of a resort, and Xavier happily sings a song that marks the start of his season.
“We do traditional dances and most of the guests enjoy it. We normally have one show a day, but when the season picks up, we end up entertaining at two places a day,” says Delano convincingly.
The arrival of foreign tourists is being enthusiastically welcomed by Indian guests for whom Goa is now a second home. “I saw two busloads of foreigners being ferried. From their chatter, they appeared to be Russians, and they all seemed to be happy,” observes Devika, waiting for her snack outside a food van.
Juliet, who is serving her, says, “Since these people are here for short time, I don’t expect them to move around much in the village, and therefore do not expect many foreigners. Our food is tailored for the palate of locals and Indians.”
The season has started, the cash is rolling in and, most importantly, the hospitality is genuine.