The influx of Russian tourists to the Indian state of Goa is increasing every year. It is expected that at the peak of the next holiday season, from November 2012 to the end of April 2013, about 150 thousand Russians will visit Goa.
Many here become downshifters and, instead of two or three weeks of vacation, spend months or even years in Goa. Expired visas are becoming almost a mass phenomenon, and there are already cases when Russians have served prison sentences for these violations. The number of travelers from Russia who remain in the state for permanent residence is constantly growing. Many have started their own business here: Russian yoga centers, cafes, guesthouses are growing every year.
The state authorities considered this development to be a problem. The fact is that entire Russian colonies with their own way of life and infrastructure began to develop along the coast. Hotels and restaurants appeared only for their own people. Instead of spicy rice, you can get okroshka, dumplings or borscht in them without any problems. In such enclaves, all signs are either in Russian or in Hebrew, because Israeli citizens also settle here in colonies.
The head of the Goa government, Manohar Parrikar, said that the Indians no longer want to put up with the dominance of Israelis and Russians in their paradise. With the beginning of the new season, it is prescribed to make all the signs in English or one of the local languages. Violation of these rules threatens the loss of a trade license or other entrepreneurial activity. Aleksey Mzareulov, the representative of the Russian Consulate General in Mumbai, promised that Russian diplomats would demand from Manohar Parrikar to explain his position in relation to Russian citizens in more detail. At the same time, Alexei Mzareulov assessed the statements of the head of the state government, calling them pre-election PR.
Meanwhile, many experts believe that the business that the citizens of Russia and Israel conduct in Goa has a beneficial effect on the Indian economy. For the vast majority of residents of the state, foreign tourists are the main source of income. Therefore, the majority agree that loud statements will not entail strong administrative pressure on business.
