hi Alan
we`re off to goa again this year,and have booked with thomson as usual.i booked as soon as we got back (was still on a high)in february and am still kicking myself,doing it independantly didn`t cross my mind,we are going for 3 weeks and have paid £800 more than friends going for 4 weeks,i would never use thomson again.i know it`s my own fault,but still like to have a little moan 6months later

Hi Gramps,

Simple answer to your question.Not sure.The big tour operators are cutting capacity and raising prices to maintain margin.

They will hold out I think to get as many people to book early as they can and then maybe cut prices if demand is not met.Do not be suprised if lots of flights just get chopped this year as the big tour operators will not want to keep unprofitable routes going.They will have no compunction about just chopping a flight and refunding anyone who was on it.

This is where all the big Mid-East carriers come in.They are far less likely to change scheduled flights and most of them are backed by sovereign wealth funds so big they give Gordon Brown nightmares.Not saying they never do it but I think you have a much better chance of actually getting to Goa if you book scheduled.

As I have said before we live in turbulent times.

BTW have stayed in The Dusit Pattaya many times.The Indians could learn a lot I think.Giving it a miss this September trying Sri Lanka.

Papa

Hi Gramps
I looked at prices a few months back, both online and on the High Street, all were offering silly prices, over £3000 for 4 weeks.I don't know if prices have come down since I stopped looking.
I booked independently, a Thomson flight for two at £1000, I thought this was good as last year we went with Sri Lanka at the same price but then had to fly to and stopover at Heathrow. This time straight to Manchester and no extra costs and no extra hassle changing flights etc.

The hotel costs, we go all inclusive are the same as last year and the year before.I booked direct with the hotel.

In total about £2400 for 4 weeks. Maybe expensive to some but a hotel we really like and the food is excellent .At £300 a person per week I think its pretty good onsidering you pay £600 a week for a caravan in Wooler??

Certainly I would agree with you that the big holiday compnies are over pricing and offering less, and I am sure it will have an effect on Goa.
It would be nice to see prices come down but in the present financial climate no chance. I 've decided I am coming back as a Member of Parliament or a Banker, AS THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WITH MONEY AND EXPENSES???

Regardless I will still go back.I get my bus pass this october , will I get any discount?

I've booked for 3 weeks in Candolim this November & next February (with Cosmos) after missing out on last season because of a China trip and family health issues.
We've paid more than we have in previous years but we've booked the Santana because it sounded really nice (hope it is).

I did look at this hotel some time ago but couldn't find any availability for Nov but then it became available.
We booked it on 17th July and it's still showing the same price that we paid for November but there's no availabilty from Jan to early March, so I think we made the right decision.

We could have waited to see if we could get a deal in Prazeres or Valentine's Retreat but at least we've got our preferrred non-stop Gatwick flights and dates - and hopefully a better quality hotel.

I think after this season we may look for somewhere different, I was looking at flights/accommodation to Bali for this Sept/Oct but missed a good deal on Malaysia flights as I'd not researched hotels - I won't make thast same mistake again.
We are thinking about Cambodia/Vietnam for Feb 2011 anyway.

I was just wondering how much my 'holiday' costs, I am there for a whole year and my flight (return kingfisher), accommodation, electricity and water comes to less than £1000 (FOR A YEAR! )

Sorry just had to add that....

I was just wondering how much my 'holiday' costs, I am there for a whole year and my flight (return kingfisher), accommodation, electricity and water comes to less than £1000 (FOR A YEAR! )

Sorry just had to add that....

Thanks for rubbing that in Rob.

Papa

Yeah Papa, I think the same.

I always thought that Rob was a nice guy too.

Hope things are going well with you, Rob.

hi prettypollycat
i've been going to goa for the last 9 years, lots of times, only been to thailand once during this time but this year (for lots of reasons) andi know i'll miss it loads! am going to thailand, cambodia,laos and vietnam for a month, then hopefully if the charter prices drop down from absolutelystupid ill be back in march for3 weeks! but.... i do remember and love the goa i went to the first couple of times!!!!!!

Hey, sorry guys... I just wanted to put things in perspective! It is very possible to stay in Goa by the beach for possibly double that for the year! (as long as you get a cheap flight). If you hunt for good accomodation it can be found for 6000 to 8000 Rs per month (which is about £1200 per YEAR!) , it might take 3 or 4 days to find somewhere but when you have you'll be glad you took the time to walk around (then next year it's all sorted! - Even better all the places you find that are too expensive say - no thanks, too much already got one for 9000 but not wanting to spend more than 7,000, if enough people do it, they'll start to think about their prices.. Although many I fear will just put up their prices to fill the gap (they just don't seem to understand economics)....

i paid 354 for qatar flight (going for 2 week in nov) and paid 280 pound for a great little place in calangute which only opened last year, (we spent 2 nights in there in march and loved it,jacuzzi bath,lcd on wall,safe in room,aircon),so deals can be got,although i beleive qatars prices have gone up to 540 now!

I think (as has been said on earlier posts) its all down to supply & demand. It looks like the charter companies have deciced to cut back on the number of Flights/Accomodation that they book for this season, and that seems to be why there are so many Date/Time changes to peoples bookings.There outlook seems to be we would rather take Less full planes than more half empty ones and maybe thats why a lot of flights last year went Manchester/Heathrow/Goa. I know a lot of people commented on how quiet it was last year (mainly due to the events in Mumbai) and maybe the visa application saga,and I must admit it seemed a bit eerie seeing the most popular restaurants & bars half empty and the streets so quiet of a night.As for it being dearer last year I dont think that most prices went up I think it was down to the low exchange rate we were getting as the £ was so weak.
.........Keith......

We are going DIY for the first time but I do wonder what would be the difference between having the support of a package tour rep and not if say for example you went down with swine flu ?

I've been ill over there and had to stay for another week - just sorted it out with my insurance.

We are going DIY for the first time but I do wonder what would be the difference between having the support of a package tour rep and not if say for example you went down with swine flu ?

I've only met two good holiday Reps in my life , and both were in Goa.Call a Doctor, usually about five pound a visit and you know the cost of drugs is very cheap.If you are ill there's many good private hospitals and in the end its your insurance company that pays.

If I had to rely on support from a holiday firm I would stop at home, most have cut back so much there is only a telephone call service if things go wrong.

the worry over no Reps is normally what most folks are concerned with when they plan their first DIY. But soon enough, you realise you can holiday without a rep. When I had the accident where I decided to try to get rid of my little finger( ) I found the hotels I stayed in during my holiday always had someone who could check it and rebandage and of course Stanley from Kingstork forced me to go to hospital.
I dont think Goa is pricing itself out of the market- its the TOs doing that

My concerns about simply falling ill wasn't a good example. I guess what I meant was what would happen if there was a mass outbreak or you were ordered into quarantine by the government. In extreme weather conditions, fire flood, civil unrest etc I guess it's handy to have the security of a big travel company to make sure you get out. As a DIY traveller you are more on your own. I'm not expecting any of these things to happen but they do. Take the Tsunami for example.

As for Goa pricing itself out of the market, the answer is both yes and no ! Some of the better hotels are charging, or trying to charge prices that have little bearing on the average wage or cost of living in India. However, if they can fill them then they have no reason to bring them down as long as they get tourists from somewhere. They don't have to be foreign either, and certainly not British. However, for those prepared to stay in a guesthouse there is still and good supply at, by British standards, very cheap prices.

"My concerns about simply falling ill wasn't a good example. I guess what I meant was what would happen if there was a mass outbreak or you were ordered into quarantine by the government. In extreme weather conditions, fire flood, civil unrest etc I guess it's handy to have the security of a big travel company to make sure you get out. As a DIY traveller you are more on your own. I'm not expecting any of these things to happen but they do. Take the Tsunami for example."

Regarding the above comments.Everyone who travels abroad should inform the British High commission through it's on line system locate,whereby they will know exactly where you are in the case of emergencies in that particular country.There is a link here :

http://www.brstrnc.com/Gov%20&%20BHC%20Info/BHC%20Locate%20System%20Link%20Page.htm

John

Thats a brilliant link John, one everyone should be aware of.

but I registered with that last year as I was going alone ...peace of mind for my children.