Rupee Free Fall All Set to Lure Foreign Tourists in India

Where on one side the falling rupee is seen as a problem by most, it is going to turn out as a blessing in disguise for the tourism industry of India in concern with the inflow of foreign traffic. Every year an estimate of 6.5 million foreign tourists visit India. This huge traffic comprises of travelers from Bangkok, USA, Myanmar, Europe, Vietnam and Middle East etc. If the Indian Association of Tour Operators comprising of more than 1600 members is to believed the tourism in India is going seen a hike of at least 25%. The present situation in India might not be best from several angles but its surely going to benefit the tourism industry in large. Starting from September and continuing till March is the key tourism period of India. During this period about 60% of the total foreign traffic visits India. 

 The freefall of rupee has already started affecting the tourism industry since the foreign travelers have started extending their stay in the country as they can now buy things at a lot cheaper rate. On 23 August Indian currency rupee, fall to an all time low of 61.10 and presently it has settled to as low as 68.8. 

The depreciating value of the rupee in comparison to the other foreign currency has no doubt created dark clouds over the outbound travel sector. But the wonderful side effect of the same has brought India as a travel destination into limelight as the tour packages now are more affordable for foreign tourist which can be seen as a striking silver lining out breaking from the same dark clouds.  

The luxury hoteliers are rumbling the same trumpet, but it is to be noted that of the leisure sector will be showing an upward movement, as Business travel doesn’t happen out of Impulse. The leading tour operators have started seeing a rise in inquiries from Europe, Russia and Britain as the travelers from these countries want to exploit and take advantage of the rupee breaching 100 against the pound.  The news is now being equally rejoiced by domestic travelers as they can enjoy an enchanting trip within the country by spending less of their hard earned fortune. 

 

The most popular tourist destinations of Goa, Jaipur, Kerala and Agra stand to benefit the most from the surge in domestic and foreign tourism. Goa tourism is very much popular with the foreign travelers for its beautiful and serene beaches. In present times when the value of rupee is constantly depreciating the luxury hotels in Goa are wooing the travelers withgreat discount deals. This strategy is being put to work to promote Goa Tourism. The leading tour operators have gone further by designing itineraries and packages which are affordable and allow one to explore all the prime attraction present in Goa at the same time.  

Seeking to the trends it is most likely that as the tourist season reaches its peak the leading hotels and tour operators come up with attractive discount packages. 

With the dramatic free fall of rupee traveling to India has become a lot cheaper since the same things which use to cost you somewhere around 10 pounds will now be a available to you at much lesser price. So don’t wait just bag your bag and baggage to explore ultimate India at a luring price. 

Get Ready To Celebrate Krishna Janmashtami With More Enthusiasm In Goa

According to the Hindu calendar, Janmashtami is one of the most significant festivals. This festival marks the celebration of birth of Lord Krishna. The eighth day, following the full moon, is considered auspicious for the celebration.

Lord Krishna was the 8th son, born to Vasudev and Devaki. Devaki’s brother, Kans, was foretold by a wise man about his demise by the 8th son of Vasudev and Devaki. With his fear of demise, Kans imprisoned Krishna’s parents the day he was born in Mathura. But, Vasudev successfully took Krishna to Gokul gave him to Nand and Yashodha.

The Celebration of Gokulashtami in Goa represents great zeal and enthusiasm amongst the locals. There are other names like Ashtami Rohini, Sree Jayanthi, Krishna Jayanthi, Sri Krishna Jayanthi, or Gokulashtami, used in different parts of India for Krishna Janmashtami.

Goa, being a land of multiple cultures, showcases celebration of Krishna Janmashtami in different ways. One can witness women decorating their houses, making beautiful Rangoli designs, preparing sumptuous snacks and a lot more. People also draw footprints of a child entering the house. This signifies Lord Krishna entering the house. The favorite dish of the Lord Krishna, butter and other milk products are offered in every house.

In Goa, people prepare dishes of parched rice to offer to the Lord, along with sweets, payasam and fruits. People fast for the entire day till midnight. Midnight is the time when Lord Krishna was born. Thus, for tourists wanting to see Goa in full fun and frolic mood, Janmashtami festival is the best time. Program of Dahi Handi is also organized here.

 
There are travel agents and tour operators, who offerspecial Goa tour packages during Janmashtami Festival. The Janmashtami tour packages are designed to make the tourists enjoy the mood of festivity in Goa. The ambiance is filled with the element of tranquility and enthusiasm during the Janmashtami festival in Goa. 

Enjoy The Festivity Of Novidade Festival In Goa

When it comes to enjoyment Goans live up to the most. The celebrations in Goa are praiseworthy because the festivals here are celebrated irrespective of religious or caste barriers. Panjim and Margao are biggest celebration destinations in Goa. Apart from the traditional festivals and events in Goa, there are numerous feasts that are colorful, quaint, and enchanting local events. There is a patron saint of each Goa village and has his own feast day.

Amongst the prominent festivals in Goa, Novidade is celebrated with equal jauntiness and enthusiasm by both Christians and Hindus in Goa. The festival sets the start of the harvesting season. The Christian and Christian farmers offer their first rice crop to the church. Thereafter, the farmers proceed with further harvesting.

Celebrations

At the time of Novidade festival, the parish priest plays the harvester’s role and offers the harvested bunch of rice before the altar of the Almighty. This ritual is considered very auspicious amidst the farmers in Goa and thus, they wait for the Novidade traditional ceremony prior to start the further harvesting of their respective fields.

The church’s priest is followed from the fields, on his way back to the church. During the auspicious procession, the locals enjoy and also excitedly sing melodious songs and hymns in unison. Later, during the carnival, one can witness sparkling fireworks in the sky.

The women of earliest tribal settlers of Goa perform ‘Bhandup’ folk dance. This elegant dance is performed in the month’s second half.

Time for Celebration

The Novidade festival is celebrated with religious permissiveness and integrity in the months of August and September. As per the Hindu calendar, the Novidade festival in Goa is celebrated in the month of Bhadra-Pada.

Flea Markets in Goa-Shopping and More

It is a known fact that the tiny emerald state of Goa is a popular beach destination. However, during holiday in Goa, shopping here is an equally popular activity undertaken by both local and international tourists.

If this is your first visit to Goa, do not just visit a popular beach in South Goa or an attraction in North Goa, but also shop at the popular flea markets while enjoying the delightful atmosphere too. Following are some of the popular flea markets which are a heaven for an avid shopper:

Anjuna Flea Market

Arranged each Wednesday, from 9 am to sunset, Anjuna flea market is the best place to shop for souvenirs. Starting from October and on all throughout the peak season, it should not be missed.  This market on Anjuna beach’s southern end attracts a large number of tourists. The 500 stalls offer a huge variety of amazing stuff including beach wear, handicrafts, clothes, footwear, accessories, imitation jewelry etc. You can bargain heavily in this market famous as Shopaholic’s Disneyland for wall hangings, wooden carvings, Tibetan and Kashmiri curios, Goa Trance music CDs and silver jewelry. After shopping, you can satisfy your hunger by relishing Indian, Spanish and Chinese delicacies.

Mapusa Market

Walking around the Mapusa market, a weekly village market organized on Fridays, will let you take Goa’s real flavor to your home. You can purchase sausages, textiles, fruits, Goan pottery, spices, homemade pickles, traditional handicrafts and antiques from here. Though Mapusa town does not have much of sightseeing options but you can shop for an entire day at this market that shuts down before the sunset. The main road is dotted with small restaurants that serve some lip-smacking food and drinks. The rates of the product are quite reasonable but you can still bargain in this market, famous for fresh farm products amidst farmers and traders.

Calangute Market Square

An extremely popular Goa beach, Calangute is always full with tourists and hawkers. The street is dotted with shops offering a variety of stuff such as clothes, jewelry, leather products and metal handicrafts. There is also a street stretching around 4 miles that plays host to a Tibetan market that sells carpets, textiles, accessories, metal and leather products. Some other interesting stuff that you can get here includes gems, beautiful sarongs, silverware, wooden statues of Buddha and other Hindu Gods and sea shell knick-knacks. Relish some fried prawns with beer while shopping. This market is also an attraction for Kashmiri merchants selling carpets and fabrics with beautiful embroidery.

Ingo’s Saturday Night Market at Arpora

If you think shopping along with music and dance would be fun then you must-visit Ingo’s Saturday Night Market at Arpora during a tour to Goa. Set-up every Saturday, between November and April, this market attracts traders from not only Rajasthan and Kashmir but from all around the globe.  Shop for knick-knacks, apparels, accessories, handicrafts and much more, while enjoying great live music and multi-cuisine dishes to go with exotic cocktails.  Musicians, jugglers and magicians from all around the world are the market’s major crowd pullers.

Mackie’s Saturday Night Bazaar

During the peak season of Goa (November-April), the Arpora- Baga strip plays host to Mackie’s Saturday Night Bazaar. A nice place to enjoy a lively nightlife with musical performances by the local bands, this place also sells some interesting gift items and antiques. Held on Saturdays, the market is set-up at 6 pm and goes on till around 1 am, at night. You can shop, relax by the Baga River, dance on the dance floor, gorge on multi-cuisine delicacies at the eating joints, and do much more. Indian and International performers showcase their talents like acrobats, fire acts, belly dancing and juggling.

Written by Geetika Handa

How to Stay Alert and Safe When Traveling to Goa the First Time

There is no trip that is ever perfect. There are numerous little things that make a trip memorable and cherished for lifelong. There are numerous places to visit in Goa. Thus, to make the best of it, book hotels in Goa online and avoid all last minute hassles. So, here are a few simple tips that you could bring into practice and make your vacation in Goa memorable and pleasant.

1. Always carry your travel credentials and money along with you, wrapped in plastic that would prevent Money from damage. Carrying traveler’s cheques is one of the safest ways to carry money along. This is also negotiable at most of the places. ATMs are also the safest way out instead of carrying huge cash in hand. In Panjim, there are numerous ATMs at different locations that can access maximum cards.

2. The peak tourist season in Goa is between October and January. It is a time when Goa is crammed full, more cheerful than any other instance of the year. The hours of daylight temperatures are moderately not too hot and the nights are pleasing. It is also less moist than the rest of the year.

3. Do not give attention to more of the well-known beaches such as Baga and Calangute. Goa has a number of relatively less busy beaches which will give you more space to yourself and even more content. Apart from this, there are many other fascinating places to visit in and around Goa.

4. If you wish to travel on the train, don't leave your baggage and bags unattended. The best way is to snip them with a chain and attach them to the seat. This will prevent your baggage from thieves.

5. Do not accept eatables from unknowns. As the food items offered may lull you into deep sleep and providing opportunity to the strangers to take away all your belongings.

6. In terms of cuisines, the list is not just restricted to Goan cuisine; there are varieties of cuisines available that include Indonesian, Continental, Tibetan, Mexican, Chinese, Portuguese, etc. Do not miss to taste fresh and sumptuous seafood.

7. If beggars approach you, do not encourage them by handing out some money to them.

8. Please Make sure that you do not get involved in any transaction of drugs as trading of drugs in Goa is totally illegal. If you get caught in any such illegal activity, then Goa will gift you an imprisonment in jail for 10 years and a fine of Rs. 10,000.

9. Even if you have a thing for artifacts, make sure you don’t buy artifacts made from the bodies of endangered animals from any shop or roadside seller as these commodities are strictly banned in Goa.

My Goa Beach Holiday Plans for the Long Weekends in Summer

The much awaited long weekend of August is finally approaching and many of us have made plans well in advance. Even I was doing the same but then my concern is about the destination. I thought of many destinations and the first destination that hit my mind is Goa. The month of August is considered as an off-season but my only idea is to relax and unwind. Also, hotels in Goa are the best places to spend an ideal holiday. The charm of Goa will never end in any season whether it is its pristine beaches, mouthwatering cuisine, a happening nightlife or its beautiful churches. These sparkling attractions will continue to allure you no matter what the season is. Goa’s long weekend summer deals serves as a perfect icing on the cake.

Beaches of Goa have always remained the top tourist attraction. These beaches are hot pick not just for national but for international tourists as well. These beaches are ideal for both honeymooners and leisure travelers. The charisma of these beaches lies in its palm fringed shores, swaying coconut trees, silvery sand and azure sea that enthralls tourists completely. Apart from their natural beauty, beaches of Goa are renowned for their adventure water activities like jet-skiing, windsurfing, snorkeling, surfing, parasailing and water-skiing. Some of the most favored beaches that I wish to visit are Anjuna Beach, Dona Paula Beach, Vagator Beach and Calangute Beach.

All the mentioned beaches are unique in their own way and offering plenty of fun-filled activities. Anjuna Beach is primarily famous for its beauty and entertainment activities. This beach magnetizes tourists of all temperaments, whether peace seekers or adventure lovers. The rocking nightlife is another attractive feature of this beach that provides enough opportunities for tourists to enjoy the electrifying culture of Goa. The world famous beach parties of Goa are known for their gourmet cuisine, music, drinks and dances.

Dona Paula is second on my list as it is considered as the most happening amongst all the beaches in Goa. It enables one to savor its scenic and serene ambiances. This beach is also famous for its various sport activities that include kayaking, parasailing, windsurfing and snorkeling to name a few. Its incredible surroundings will force tourists to visit it again and again.

Vagator Beach is next on my list as it is renowned for the black lava rocks on the white sand, the scattered charm of the sea and red laterite cliffs. One of the striking attractions of this beach is its 500-years old Portuguese Fort on its shore that draws a large number of tourists.

The busiest beaches in Goa, Calangute Beach is also on my wish list. This beach is popularly referred to as the ‘Queen of Beaches’. Located between the Candolim and Baga Beach, Calangute Beach is a four mile long beach. The prime highlight of this beach is its restaurants, water sports activities and rocking nightlife. This beach is a one stop destination for those who want to who want to expose themselves to excitement, fun and thrill of Goa.