Reading the bit about foreign airlines being allowed directly to Goa, I had an email the other week from Sri Lankan announcing a Columbo - Goa service from 30th October. Tried to book it and they had nothing on their systems however....

more here:

http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=081710

Do you think these changes could rapidly change Goa as we know it

Do you really think it could? After all those who wanted to stay longer only had to take a scheduled flight to Mumbai.
I suppose when scheduled flights start to use Goa it may well draw more people's attention to Goa. For instance if BA took it on a whole host of people may pick Goa for their redemption flights as somewhere different to try.

I think the proposed international scheduled flights into Goa along with 24 hour airport operations will lead to more tourists with more hotels being built to accomodate them. In my oppinion, this will lead to pressure on the infastructure and enviroment in Goa. such as water and power shortages, treatment of sewage, rubbish disposal, crowding of roads etc.
The extra revenue generated won't necessarily be spent in the right areas and, whilst some locals will benifit, the majority of the population will not.

Any word of making visas easier to get?

These changes have come at the right time for me.Had just booked my wife on a Thompson charter flight from Birmingham and we are planning to stay for 6 months.

john

I thought it was mentioned about a month ago that the Goan gov wanted only 2 week holiday makers in Goa.. Or was I just imagining that?

a month ago that the Goan gov wanted only 2 week holiday makers in Goa.. Or was I just imagining that?

No Rob you were not imagining it......
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2006/08/05/pgoa05.xml&page=1
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2006/08/05/pgoa105.xml
be careful

Scheduled airlines will only come into Goa if they think there is a realistic demand for it. I cant see there being huge scope for airlines to fly daily from u.k. to Goa as outwith the peak two months aroud xmas the passenger numbers will not be there. Emirates have been talking about it for some years but in never came to anything. The Goan Goverment talks a lot but when push comes to shove not much happens, think River Princess and the beach that used to be at Sinquerm. They have changed their mind re the four week nonsense re charter flights and most likely that will be the only change for the short to medium term, anything else is just talk. We will likely see the new super airport up north being quoted again next week when some other m.p. want's some headlines Alan

I asked the question on a BA forum I am a member of and it went down like a lead balloon! BA needs premium traffic not tourists. How many people going to Goa will choose Club or business?

With regard to the question of more tourists, I think that it is inevitable anyway, and nothing will stop it. Many Goans work in the Gulf though, and if direct flights from the Gulf states are permitted this will make a difference for people from the north of the UK. We can fly from Glasgow to Dubai with Emirates already, and if we could pick up a Goa flight at Dubai, this would be great. Dubai is also a nice place to stop for a couple of nights.

Does this mean that they have given up on the idea of a new airport then, it would certainly seem so. Or will all this change when the Goan Government changes again?

Exactly what i was thinking Sandyboy. Can't imagine any scheduled airline would be interested in the UK > Goa route, but I think Emirates have opened 3 new Indian routes this year alone. There are an awful lot of Indians building in the Middle East.