AVINASH TAVARES
MARGAO: The current tourist season in Goa is in a crisis situation and by all indications, it is only set to spiral downhill. British tourists, who were much sought after, are now finding the quiet pristine South Goa beaches unaffordable.
One Rob Humper sums up the situation in Agonda in his Facebook post, “Agonda has been awesome. Although I do worry about its direction. We’re backpacking folk and have loved this area over the years as it’s reasonably priced. We’ve struggled a little to a find a room for 1000rs (£11) this time. Foods been really good and well priced. There are some places selling gin at 850rs though. I just see Agonda gearing up for the 2 week idiot market. But the market isn’t coming. It’s dead this season.”
“And next season. I won’t be coming as it’s hard to afford the taxes, visa prices and ever-growing basic room rates and the even harder train availability.I don’t blame Agonda for wanting more profit from a season and a better lifestyle. I just wonder if they’ve shot themselves in the foot ???????”
Another British tourist Penny Stephens replied, “You are not alone.”. Another tourist Lizanne Harris commented “You are so right and it’s terribly sad that it’s so quiet (no tourists) for them. Problem is when it’s quiet they put the prices up for huts rather than down to encourage people to stay. I love Agonda so much too.”
Other tourists who used to come every year to Goa also shared their bad experience.
Barry Oliphant commented, “I used to stay in south goa – Palolem Agonda etc every year for six months but those days have passed now as I’d need to be a millionaire to go back shame really.”
“I have the same opinion if you have white skin, they double or sometimes triple prices. Even though I see so many empty chairs. I doubt that I will return here, rather look at South East Asia. Let the free markets do their work”, said Peter Paesen another tourist.
A Russian tourist Alexey Reznev added, “The Russian-speaking community thinks the same. There are other States in India waiting for us.”
The tourists also discussed the role of the government. One Steve Lockett shared a report on the massive dip in tourism due to inflated food and staying costs and commented, “Seems that Goa’s Tourism Minister is pretty clueless about tourism! Expect plenty of businesses to go bust if he does hand out fines for charging over rs 500 for food.”.
James Beachy Weeks stated “It’s such a shame. The government just don’t have a clue how to promote what they have there and seems that they actually want to destroy tourism. It makes no sense at all”.
Steve Russ commented on his post stating, “Friends of ours aren’t coming back after regularly visiting for 19 years…they booked 2 rooms for 20 days at Rs800/room, which was a 50% increase from last year, at a house they’ve always stayed in. On paying the bill they were told that for 10 of the days they would have to pay double because it was Xmas and New year. No mention of that at all until the last day and hadn’t happened in previous visits. A big argument rapidly followed which isn’t their style. If the Goans treat tourists like that I strongly suspect that tourist numbers will continue to decline rapidly. It’s so sad to see. After 30 years of coming here, I am wondering whether we’ll be coming back as so many of our friends don’t come here anymore and it’s better value for money elsewhere”.
Commenting on the unplanned growth and development, David McGuigan said, “There’s a lot of long termers who won’t go back long term due to the greed and overdevelopment. I’m done long-term after last season. It was empty then. Ten years ago there were about a dozen shack/ restaurant businesses on the beach and road. Now there’s over 90 according to the Goan press”.
