That we have to go after high paying, up-market tourists is a common opinion among a lot of our MLAs, our tourism sector and stakeholders, too. Gung-ho! I have no problem with it.
Great. But, tell me, what are we going to do with a high percentage of low paying tourists who visit Goa all through the year, the kind which arrive by small or big car from our neighboring states, and although they own a car find the hotel rates and guest houses much too expensive, and invariably choose to sleep under the open sky but never in a paid space.
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What do we do with them? India is one physical and political entity, and even if these tourists are not popular with most of the local people in the State for a good reason they are Indian citizens and have a right to travel anywhere in India – and will!
The Tourism Minister cannot dig his head and bury it deep in the sands of our beaches; he is in charge, and he has to come up with a solution. It is his job and responsibility. And, worse, the problem is not going away, anytime soon with Corona, our new shadow.
The no drinking and cooking in public places rules intended to prevent tourists is good news for people who live in Goa. But too often the tourists do not keep to the rules much to the disgust of the restaurant owners who have paid the annual fee, and it is also a big investment during Covid time. Hefty fines are sometimes a good way to get a point across!
But what can we do for the tourists who do not want to spend money or as little of it as possible to get a night’s rest? Beggars in Goa, and elsewhere all over India sleep in public places – this is acceptable behaviour – even though they sometimes get beaten up or run over by a car.
And so, we can expect tourists to think they too have a right to sleep anywhere if they cannot find accommodation for the price they are willing to pay!
As this is our culture, and this is our country, we need to discuss this issue threadbare and find a solution to this problem. We have some problems in India which are quintessentially Indian, and in need of Indian solutions.
Maybe Covid time is the right time for camping grounds where people who travel by big and small vehicles can park and sleep on the cheap.
An example of low-budget eco-friendly tourism?
We have to do it since we cannot turn away penny-pinching Indian tourists from neighbouring States without causing an unnecessary and unwelcome mini-revolution. We don’t need any more social upheavals than are already a part of our lives. We have no other choice but to organise camping grounds; otherwise Goa will soon be getting much dirtier. No matter how wonderful the talk and promises.
If we don’t do it, more and more foreign tourists will leave Goa for other cleaner places in India which are as culturally interesting (Goa isn’t the only interesting place) and our tourism coffers will become even more empty than they are now.
