Goa most sought-after honeymoon destination amid Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 danger isn’t over yet and the recent tourist inflow in Goa has left many surprised.

Many travel portals like Make My Trip, Ease My Trip, Go Ibibio, etc are running back-to-back discount offers to attract customers. Portals such as Yatra.com are advertising their specific Goa honeymoon packages right on the home page.

India Today TV hit ground zero in Goa to understand the mood of the young couples, the reason for them choosing Goa as their honeymoon destination and the reason for being so carefree even amid these times when one is expected to take maximum precautions.

A hotelier told India Today TV that the customer confidence was always there. “So, people booked a month in advance and they knew Goa would remain stable, unlike other states. That’s why many pre-wedding functions and small scale weddings were also organised here. There was word of mouth also that helped for people to realise that from safety, pricing, connectivity and destination point of view, Goa was the best choice.”

For Anusha and Anshul, from Mumbai, who got married in the last week of December, Goa was always the first choice for their honeymoon. Anusha says, “We don’t go to crowded places. There are enough beaches and places to spend quality time and most of all entire Goa is safe. Our families also were okay with the idea and so we are here.” Anshul adds, “The fear is always there. But life has to move on. No one can stay at one place and do nothing. We are law-abiding citizens and take all precautions. And I am happy to be here with her.”

For Kartik and Seema from Delhi, the pandemic was a hard time. Kartik says, “There was pressure from the family. We wanted a proper marriage and owing to the pandemic that was not possible. And then when it came to our honeymoon, we knew a foreign location wouldn’t be safe. So, we had two choices. Either visit Goa which came as a natural choice in the present circumstances and second go on our honeymoon later. But there was no point in delaying things and so here we are. It turned out to be a good decision.”

Seema added, “One bag is full of masks, gloves and face shields and sanitisers and what not. It’s crazy I tell you. But after whatever we have been through it’s worth it. Goa makes you forget everything. We will have a second honeymoon when things normalise. Also, we have planned a grander get together with friends once things get normal.”

The honeymooners have brought smiles to the faces of the travel and tourism industry. Nilesh Shah, President Travel and Tourism Goa said that there were a combination of many things that brought the honeymooners to Goa. “In India, Goa was the best option. And if one chose a foreign land there was just Maldives or Dubai which opened later on. Plus, the pricing was 40-50% less than usual times and this led to good bookings in the premium segment as well. Additionally, air connectivity played a vital role as many new north Indian destinations were added. There is connectivity from Lucknow, Chandigarh, Indore and Jaipur as well, so this created natural demand.” Nilesh Shah further adds that this trend is continuing in the state and good connectivity from North, West and South India is being of great help.

Basically, the hotels as they promise will mesmerise you with their offers. As one hotel owner said, “Our endeavour is to make them feel safe and comfortable like there was never a Covid-19 pandemic in Goa.”

Also read: Why Goa government is going big with Liberation Day celebrations | India Today Insight

Also read: Goa CM Pramod Sawant drops plans to establish new IIT campus in Shel-Melauli