The deaths of two British holidaymakers in Goa this week is unlikely to dent the appeal of the destination to British holidaymakers.

Goa’s appeal lies in its beaches, food and cheap resorts, which attract up to 230,000 British package holidaymakers a year, paying as little as £350 for a week-long holiday.

Britain’s largest tour operators, TUI Travel and Thomas Cook, send up to ten charter flights a week to Goa during the winter season, while Cosmos operates four weekly charter flights from Gatwick and Manchester to Goa between October and April.

These seven and 14-night package breaks have become the bread and butter of Goa’s tourism industry, with Britons making up 60 per cent of Goa’s package holiday market, followed by 30 per cent from Russia and Scandinavia.

While the number of Britons visiting India has grown in recent years to around 800,000 a year, the destination still rates below Belgium and Poland for visitors from this country.

It also rates below a number of European countries for its safety record among British tourists - despite figures that suggest up to ten Britons have died this year of natural and unnatural causes while visiting India.

In a report issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office last year, India appeared in the list of top ten countries where British nationals require the most consular assistance, but the most common incidences were the replacement of lost passports and up to 111 deaths, mainly from natural causes.

According to the FCO there were no reported rapes in India in 2005-2006, versus 41 in Spain and 48 in Greece, however the FCO carries this specific warning to female travellers in its India travel advisory section:

“Avoid walking alone in isolated spots in the popular tourist areas after dark. There have been incidents of sexual offences against women in Delhi and Goa. Female travellers are advised to observe and respect local dress and customs and to take particular care.”

The Association of British Travel Agents backs up this advice. A spokesman told Times Online: “People let their guard down on holiday and women in particular should take the same precautions when they’re on holiday anywhere in the world as back in the UK. So avoid walking around on your own and avoid dark streets late at night.”

He added: “Goa is a dual destination with the package holiday crowd and backpackers, and it’s the backpackers who are more at risk because they are often not staying in established resorts and do not have a lockable room.”

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