INDIA: Goa Removed From Russia’s ‘safe’ Travel Destinations List

After a Russian plane passenger was brought down by Islamic State in Egypt, the country has removed Goa from the list of ‘safe’ travel destinations for their citizens. Goa which popular for foreign visitors is already facing reductions in arrivals of Russians due to the devaluation of rouble (Russian currency).

Interfax, the news agency of Russia, on Saturday stated the proximate causes of declaring the city unsafe for its citizens, mentioning there have been several incidents in which locals in Goa had clashed with the Russian citizens.

The statement by the Russian information centre in Goa was issued after a revised travel advisory had been issued by Russian authorities following the blacklisting of Egypt and Turkey.

On October 31, a Russian passenger plane was brought down by Islamic State militants and a jet was shot down by Turkey, following which President Vladimir Putin had cancelled all flights to Egypt and Turkey. Russian had also called their citizens from Turkey and Egypt as they had declared it an unsafe zone.

Meanwhile the Russian government clarified their stand on Goa’s demotion, stating that, “Goa has been declared as unsafe not due to terrorism threats but due to a range of factors including local security problems”.

Holday destinations that are now considered by Russia include China, Cuba and Vietnam. Russian tourists make up nearly 50% of all foreign tourists visiting Goa with nearly 250,000 Russian tourists visiting Goa in 2013.