Former G20 Sherpa and former NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant has flagged high costs and regulatory complexity in Goa’s tourism sector, placing the State at the centre of a broader debate on competitiveness and infrastructure.
In a post on social media platform X, Kant said tourism is a major driver of job creation with a strong multiplier effect on the economy, but warned that excessive regulation has made India’s tourism sector uncompetitive. Citing Goa as an example, he noted that a four-star hotel room in the State costs nearly twice as much as comparable accommodation in destinations such as Phuket or Da Nang.
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Calling for urgent reforms, Kant said State governments must simplify procedures and scrap redundant processes to restore competitiveness and strengthen tourism-led growth.
Although his remarks referred to India’s tourism ecosystem as a whole, the specific reference to Goa drew sharp local attention, particularly amid ongoing concerns over rising accommodation costs, congestion and strain on civic infrastructure during peak tourist seasons.
In the past, criticism of Goa’s tourism model has often been countered by the State government and its supporters by questioning the timing and intent of such comments, especially when raised during the tourist season. Comparisons with international destinations have also been dismissed, with officials maintaining that Goa, as a small State, should not be benchmarked against larger countries.
That position has frequently been reinforced by the argument that visitors should not expect “Thailand-style tourism” in Goa. Responding to this, author and commentator Siddharth Singh said Thailand’s advantage lies not in culture but in basic infrastructure, public transport, affordable taxis, safety and planning. He argued that Goa receives only a fraction of its tourism potential yet becomes overwhelmed due to governance and capacity constraints.
Meanwhile, incidents such as the Arpora fire and the sealing of clubs have dominated social media discourse in recent days, casting a shadow over Goa’s tourism just as the peak season begins.
“Tourism is a major driver of job creation. It has a huge multiplier impact on the economy. Regulatory complexity has made India’s tourism uncompetitive, a four-star room in Goa costs almost twice as much as in Phuket or Da Nang
