Go Goa Gone: Russia Doesn’t Think India Is A Safe Travel Destination

The incidents of a Russian passenger airline being blown up over Egypt and a Russian fighter jet being shot down by Turkey have resulted in a revised list of safe countries to travel to by Russian authorities, but India, and Goa, particularly, has been hit hard by the new regulations.

The new advisory which bars tourists from travelling to Egypt and Turkey, mentions Cuba, South Vietnam and Southern China as safe destinations, while India has been left out.

This development is not only bad news for Russian tourists who will have to strike off the sunny paradise of their list, but it will be a huge blow to business in Goa where Russians account for 50% of the total tourist population, as reported by The Economic Times .

Although terrorist threats are often seen as unsafe for tourists, the current advisory has been credited to some “ugly incidents in Goa”, which include bad experiences with taxi drivers in Goa.

The declining economy of Russia as well as rising prices in Goa have also been seen as a factor affecting the drop in numbers of Russian tourists, since they are looking for cheaper destinations in Asia.