Toward a long-term tourism policy
YATISH A NAIK
An integrated Goa-centric policy approach strategized through a holistic tourism master plan driven by merit, sensitivity and passion is long overdue. The State’s unique blend of eastern and western culture and its natural beauty have made Goa an unbeatable brand across the globe. While Goa’s potential as a prime tourist destination owes it to these factors, the impetus to boost tourism appears to be a low priority with State authorities. As a result, brand Kerala for instance, is giving us stiff competition.
While promotion through Bollywood films like the Amir Khan starrer Dil Chahata Hai did prompt domestic tourists to visit Goa, the lack of innovative approaches has meant opportunities lost. These economic pitfalls overall reflect a poor governance regime at work.
According to the Forbes report published in March 17, 2010, Goa used to get one of every five tourists coming to India. But this rate has now dropped. While it might be argued that this is the result of the increase in the number of domestic tourists, the fall in the number of international tourists is certainly a worrisome trend and a matter of grave concern.
In relation to tourism, the Goan population can be broadly categorized into three: Those directly or indirectly connected to tourism, who are largely concentrated in the coastal belt and are dependent on the tourism industry. Those who have nothing to do with the trade and believe that tourism in Goa has earned a notorious image for the State, characterized by deteriorating values in Goan society and destruction of the environment by the promotion of projects in ecologically fragile and sensitive areas. This group also holds tourism responsible for inflation in prices of essential commodities. The third category is the aam admi who is basically indifferent because he is too involved earning a living from other means and has no stake in tourism.
Rather than deliberating on capitalizing our strengths and formulating a state-centric tourism vision though a comprehensive policy, our elected representatives at the helm appear to hold the view that we need to adopt a Singapore or a Hong Kong model without analyzing the character of our strength. Possibly ignorance and lack of vision is propelling them to announce copy-paste ideas such as the 35 storey viewing tower at Baga.
We need persons who have the capacity to think and the ability to translate healthy vision into reality at the helm. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar must ensure that serious persons from society come to the forefront in the policy-making process so that a reasoned and Goa centric tourism policy is envisaged, ensured, adopted and implemented.
Our Government must ensure that monuments of historical and archaeological significance like forts and caves are restored and maintained. These marvels of architectural splendour can independently serve as an attraction for quality tourists visiting the State.
While film shootings and promotions have enticed Bollywood fans from across the country to Goa, it has also opened our State to those who want to own second and third homes which has led to the huge spike in land prices, making housing unaffordable to Goans themselves.
While more and more tracts of fragile and eco-sensitive land is being taken over by land sharks from across the borders, thereby creating a land bank operated and held by such persons and companies, the State government is unable to take any action to prevent the catastrophe of an identity crisis which is staring at us in the face. The issue is being discussed even by some constituents in the government, but the manner in which the whole affair is being managed seems to have no sense of direction.
Concerns over the dilution of Goa’s culture and social values due to heavy migration coupled with the strain on Goa’s resources owing to poor planning and random and unsystematic growth have also added the burden of an unorganized tourism sector. While many of these genuine concerns have been continuously voiced by Goans for years, the absence of corrective action is leading to continuous destruction of the land.
There is no doubt that we need tourism. There is also no doubt that we need optimum levels of tourism. However, we need a mechanism to create an atmosphere where tourism promotion and activities do not cause inflation in the economy, decline of the traditional occupational base, destruction of sand dunes through the proliferation of beach activities and the dilution of traditional culture.
Cases of hotels and business activities being run by foreigners along the coast have been often exposed. There have been cases in which foreigners running restaurants and shacks have shown utter contempt for locals in as much as even entry to these restaurants is forbidden to Goans. Apart from a social catastrophe on the anvil, this sort of unscrupulous activity obviously means profits slip out of the local economy.
It is imperative that the government provide quality infrastructure in the nature of clean and hygienic toilets and changing rooms at the beaches. It must aid and facilitate a mechanism by which water, noise and air pollution are kept in check, while solid waste management and sewage disposal are taken care off. This must be a priority for the government. While much is being said by those who have been elected, citizens are still waiting for them to act.
(To be concluded)
