Panaji, Sep 28 (IANS): Even as the closure of the leading travel tourism firm, Thomas Cook, has caused anxiety among the travel and tourism industry in Goa, twin industry stakeholders in the coastal state on Saturday announced the arrival of the season's first charter flight from Russia.

"The first charter flight from Russia to Goa will arrive here on October 4," said a spokesperson for the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, the state's oldest travel and tourism stakeholder body.

The chartered flight is being facilitated by Russia-based charter airline 'Royal Flight' in association with Gurugram-based Caper Travel Company.

Russians top the list of international tourists to the coastal state, which is known for beach and nightlife tourism. In 2018 over three lakh Russians visited Goa, followed by 1.3 lakh tourists from the United Kingdom.

Goa's conventional tourism season begins from October and winds up in late March.

Last year, the state saw the arrival of nearly eight million tourists out of which half a million were foreigners.