The peak tourist season in Goa has been thrown into disarray following major operational disruptions by IndiGo, India's largest airline. The crisis culminated on Friday with the cancellation of a staggering 59 flights at Goa's two airports, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and triggering widespread anxiety within the state's vital tourism sector.
Stranded Tourists and Immediate Fallout
Passengers faced hours of uncertainty at both Dabolim and Manohar International Airport as schedules collapsed. The timing could not be worse, with the coastal state in the midst of its most lucrative period for visitor arrivals. Industry representatives immediately voiced deep concerns about the potential ripple effects on year-end tourism numbers if the cancellations and delays persist.
Jack Sukhija, President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, confirmed the adverse impact is already being felt. "It is being reported that the situation is likely to stabilise by next week. But, in the short term, there will definitely be an adverse impact on tourist footfall in the coming days," Sukhija stated. He specifically highlighted that the Free Independent Traveller (FIT) segment, a key demographic, is particularly vulnerable to such disruptions.
A Perception Battle and Precarious Recovery
This operational meltdown strikes as Goa is already engaged in a delicate perception battle to attract tourists, especially international visitors, following a barrage of social media criticism over the past year. Official data reveals a worrying gap in the recovery of foreign tourist numbers compared to pre-pandemic levels.
In 2019, Goa welcomed 71.27 lakh domestic and 9.37 lakh international tourists. While domestic arrivals have surged, crossing 99.41 lakh in 2024, foreign tourist footfall remains sluggish. For the first half of 2025 (January to June), the state recorded 51.83 lakh domestic tourists but only 2.71 lakh foreign tourists. This incident threatens to further deter international travel plans.
Compounding the problem, stakeholders accuse airlines of "price gouging" amid the chaos, with fares skyrocketing as desperate passengers scramble for scarce seats. In response, the Ministry of Civil Aviation stepped in on Saturday, imposing fare caps on non-business class tickets across all airlines to curb opportunistic pricing and protect consumers.
Weddings, Elections, and a Cascading Crisis
The disruption extends beyond leisure travel, threatening a key revenue stream: destination weddings. Santosh Sangam Divkar, President of the Small and Medium Hoteliers Association, Goa, reported direct cancellations. "We are getting reports of guests cancelling trips due to uncertainty regarding flight schedules and skyrocketing fares," Divkar said.
He painted a grim picture of converging challenges: "These disruptions are coinciding with the peak tourist season, when a lot of people also travel to Goa for weddings. Some events and weddings may face cancellations. In the coming days, there will be restrictions on music and liquor due to the upcoming zila panchayat elections. So, all this may have a ripple effect."
While the state's Director of Tourism, Kedar Naik, suggested it is too early to gauge the full fallout, he acknowledged the risk. "If flight operations stabilise in two-three days, I don't think there will be a major impact on tourism. Only if the delays continue, there could be an impact," Naik commented. The tourism industry now watches anxiously, hoping for a swift resolution before the peak season suffers irreversible damage.
