Goa's Dabolim International Airport welcomed its first international passengers for the season on Wednesday, as a charter flight carrying 159 passengers from Almaty in Kazakhstan landed in the tourist state. This signifies a revitalisation of international tourism in Goa, which had been greatly reduced for the past two years due to the pandemic.

More flights to come soon

[rebelmouse-image 28232249 is_animated_gif=false crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rbl.ms/28232249/origin.jpg%22%2C%20%22thumbnails%22%3A%20%7B%22origin%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rbl.ms/28232249/origin.jpg%22%2C%20%222000x1500%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D2000%26coordinates%3D249%252C0%252C250%252C0%26height%3D1500%22%2C%20%22600x200%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%26coordinates%3D0%252C97%252C0%252C97%26height%3D200%22%2C%20%2235x35%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D35%26height%3D35%22%2C%20%22600x600%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%26coordinates%3D358%252C0%252C358%252C0%26height%3D600%22%2C%20%22980x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D980%22%2C%20%22700x1245%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D700%26coordinates%3D500%252C0%252C500%252C0%26height%3D1245%22%2C%20%221000x750%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1000%26coordinates%3D249%252C0%252C250%252C0%26height%3D750%22%2C%20%221500x2000%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1500%26coordinates%3D439%252C0%252C439%252C0%26height%3D2000%22%2C%20%22600x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%22%2C%20%221200x400%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26coordinates%3D0%252C97%252C0%252C97%26height%3D400%22%2C%20%22600x400%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%26coordinates%3D195%252C0%252C196%252C0%26height%3D400%22%2C%20%221200x800%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26coordinates%3D195%252C0%252C196%252C0%26height%3D800%22%2C%20%22600x300%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%26coordinates%3D33%252C0%252C33%252C0%26height%3D300%22%2C%20%22210x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D210%22%2C%20%22300x300%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D300%26coordinates%3D358%252C0%252C358%252C0%26height%3D300%22%2C%20%221245x700%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1245%26coordinates%3D105%252C0%252C105%252C0%26height%3D700%22%2C%20%22750x1000%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D750%26coordinates%3D439%252C0%252C439%252C0%26height%3D1000%22%2C%20%22300x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D300%22%2C%20%221200x600%22%3A%20%22https%3A//www.knocksense.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yODIzMjI0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDU5NzI4NX0.fU1cMjcyr7xrIcBWfObcPvT1LN_Cej1reTV_Af8a_yQ/image.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26coordinates%3D33%252C0%252C33%252C0%26height%3D600%22%7D%2C%20%22manual_image_crops%22%3A%20%7B%223x1%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201366%2C%20%22top%22%3A%2097%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20456%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x400%22%2C%20%22600x200%22%5D%7D%2C%20%223x2%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%20975%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20650%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20195%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x800%22%2C%20%22600x400%22%5D%7D%2C%20%221x1%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%20650%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20650%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20358%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22600x600%22%2C%20%22300x300%22%5D%7D%2C%20%223x4%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%20488%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20650%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20439%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221500x2000%22%2C%20%22750x1000%22%5D%7D%2C%20%2216x9%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201156%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20650%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20105%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221245x700%22%5D%7D%2C%20%229x16%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%20366%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20650%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20500%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22700x1245%22%5D%7D%2C%20%224x3%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%20867%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20650%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20249%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%222000x1500%22%2C%20%221000x750%22%5D%7D%2C%20%22600x300%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201300%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20650%2C%20%22left%22%3A%2033%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22600x300%22%5D%7D%2C%20%222x1%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201300%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20650%2C%20%22left%22%3A%2033%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x600%22%2C%20%22600x300%22%5D%7D%7D%7D" dam="1" site_id=20074994 pin_description="" original_size="1366x650" expand=1]

The first charter flight belongs to Air Astana. Slots have also been given to SCAT airlines, from Almaty and Rossiya, from Russia. A total of 40 slots have already been given to these three airlines, and the airport officials are optimistic about more to come, as confidence in global travel grows. Authorities say that more international flights can be expected to operate from Goa from as early as the end of December.

Domestic travel already on the mend

Meanwhile, domestic tourism is booming in Goa, as travel restrictions have been eased and people are getting vaccinated. In fact, the number of domestic departures from the airport have already exceeded pre-covid levels, reaching 75 last Sunday. Goa had never witnessed such a staggering number before. It seems that people want to unwind after the lockdown, and Goa is the ideal destination for it. While travel is back to normal, no laxity can be shown by citizens as well as the authorities, which is why strict vigilance should be kept and COVID protocols must be adhered to.