Team Goemkarponn
DABOLIM: Goa’s winter tourism season has begun with the arrival of Russian charter passengers, even as health authorities and airport officials remain watchful over reports of a suspected illness cluster in Siberia.
Dabolim International Airport has kept its passenger health-screening infrastructure operational, allowing officials to respond quickly if any fresh instructions are issued by the central health authorities.
The first major Russian arrivals of the season included an Aeroflot flight from Yekaterinburg carrying 162 passengers. A subsequent charter service from Moscow brought more than 285 tourists to the state.
The arrivals are significant for Goa’s tourism industry, with hotels, beach shacks, taxi operators and other businesses expecting increased activity during the peak winter season.
Goa is also preparing for additional international connectivity. SCAT Airlines is expected to commence services from Kazakhstan on October 23, while Air Astana is scheduled to connect Kazakhstan with Mopa later in December. The state government has also introduced a Rs 2 crore incentive scheme for charter operations.
However, concerns over developments in Russia have added a health-monitoring dimension to the start of the season.
Reports from Irkutsk in Siberia say a laboratory technician associated with the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute died after suffering from pneumonia of unknown cause. Around 200 people who had contact with the individual have reportedly been placed under medical observation.
Russian authorities have not confirmed a community outbreak, but the situation is being monitored amid international health concerns.
