Panaji: Goa’s international charter season has started earlier than usual, but tour operators say foreign arrivals are coming in with an unhurried mood. With unusually warm conditions lingering across parts of Europe, Kazakhstan, and other source markets, many travellers seem less compelled by the usual urge to escape a harsh winter.Operators believe the warmth is likely to change booking behaviour rather than shrink overall demand. Russian and Kazakh tourists — among Goa’s most dependable winter visitors — may simply postpone their trips if temperatures at home stay mild.“Because of El Nino, it is not very cold in their country. It is warm and pleasant. When it starts snowing, people start moving out and travelling,” said Abida Kumar, executive director of Caper Travels. “The footfall for flight bookings is very slow, with many foreigners waiting till the last minute to book.”Charter operators report that many tourists are booking tickets just four to five days before departure.The 2026–27 season opened on Oct 1 with an Aeroflot charter from Yekaterinburg landing at Dabolim with 162 passengers, followed by a Moscow flight carrying more than 285 passengers. Russian charters have been operating five times a week and are expected to increase to nine weekly flights.Kazakhstan’s first charter is scheduled for Oct 26, bringing 177 passengers from Almaty to Manohar International Airport. A second Kazakhstan charter will arrive from Nur Sultan at Goa International Airport with 189 passengers. With travellers showing reluctance to fly in Oct and Nov, operators said additional Kazakhstan flights will be added in Dec.In parts of Europe, unseasonably warm Oct weather — linked to a late-season heat dome — pushed temperatures 8°C to 12°C above seasonal averages in several western and southern regions, although conditions varied with cooler pockets and incoming cold fronts. Kazakhstan has also been warmer than usual, with average air temperatures across most regions running 1°C to 2°C above the historical climatic norm, following a record-breaking summer documented as the hottest in the country’s history.Price cuts are being used to keep Goa competitive. “Operators are dropping flight prices, and even hotels in Goa are dropping tariffs to make it attractive,” Kumar said. Hotels are offering attractive packages for the first few charter flights through Nov, trying to draw tourists early and compete with other destinations.A tour operator focusing on Europe and Russia said rival markets are also leveraging the warm spell with aggressive deals. “Because of the warm weather running through Europe, China and Vietnam are offering better deals, and this is making it lucrative to fly to those destinations. Oct has always been a slow start for the last few years as Europe has started staying warm much longer because of El Nino,” the operator said.
