A recent visit to Sri Lanka unearthed potential avenues for implementing modifications and reclaiming the coveted pinnacle position. While it’s true that Goa faces limitations due to its status as a State within India (contrary to Sri Lanka being an independent country), it must still strive for excellence in order to remain competitive and reap the rewards of successful delivery.
The peak season in Goa, which typically occurs between October and January, has recently passed with a significant number of stakeholders expressing dissatisfaction regarding the subpar performance. Several properties reportedly experienced lower occupancy rates while airfare prices remained high despite tickets being readily available. It appears that competition has arisen, causing Goa to lose its status as the Most Favoured Destination (MFD).
The tourism board of Goa has recently issued a press release stating their intention to introduce innovative tourism services that cater to the varied interests of travellers. These novel initiatives strive to provide exceptional and memorable experiences while promoting sustainable practices. Although the specific details remain unclear, one can only hope that some of the following suggestions are included within these commendable endeavours.
Hygiene: This is an aspect where we are significantly deficient. The government has taken steps to address this issue by issuing contracts for the cleaning of beaches and even picking up litter from highways. However, there are two critical factors that remain inadequate, with the most significant being local citizens who exhibit no reluctance in disposing of waste on the roadside as they commute to work. This occurs even in areas where daily door-to-door collection takes place.
The second issue pertains to the absence of any recycling value for glass/alcohol empty bottles, which leads to their indiscriminate disposal. Despite a ban on drinking at the beach, every morning sees beaches strewn with discarded bottles that are prone to shattering and posing a significant safety hazard for regular beachgoers. Regrettably, the government has been lethargic in implementing a bottle deposit scheme, thereby causing considerable harm to Goa’s brand image. In contrast, Sri Lanka excels on both fronts as its inhabitants maintain cleanliness and follow a bottle deposit system. Although some litter may exist there too, one would not come across abandoned glass bottles scattered along the shoreline during dawn hours.
Taxis: Although the price of petrol is nearly identical in Goa and Sri Lanka, there exists a significant disparity between taxi fares. The transportation system in Sri Lanka facilitates seamless travel across the island for tourists who desire to explore various attractions. In Colombo, we found ourselves at 11 pm approximately 50 km away from our homestay. Fortunately, we happened upon a six-seater taxi that agreed to transport us for an astounding equivalent of Rs 1,200. However, our experience was vastly different when we landed in Goa as locating a six-seater proved challenging and resulted in us paying Rs 1,800 for a mere 20 km ride. To put things into perspective, a cab ride covering the distance between Pune station and Mumbai airport spanning over 160 km costs INR 2,500- highlighting how exorbitant taxis are in Goa. In addition, rough behaviour towards tourists which is off-putting. While every group may have its bad apples, most people had positive experiences similar to ours while travelling around Sri Lanka; it would be wonderful if such accessibility could be replicated sooner rather than later in Goa/India as well thereby allowing families to travel more freely without any security concerns. Taxi apps are the need of the hour as an option.
Accommodation: Taxi drivers often question why there are no regulations on hotel pricing. While their argument holds some validity, it’s important to note that individuals have the option to decline booking a hotel if they deem the price too steep – an option not afforded when utilising taxi services. The Y2K situation serves as a stark reminder of our failure to learn from past mistakes; leading up to this event, hotel prices skyrocketed and customers subsequently flocked elsewhere. In terms of competition, neighbouring hotels aren’t necessarily the primary concern – rather, establishments in Thailand or Sri Lanka pose a more formidable threat.
In Sri Lanka you can get lovely homestays for very reasonable prices. This draws the backpacker and family tourist. Registering a homestay can be a long drawn process, but post registration there is not much official reporting requirements. Given that Goa and Sri Lanka share the same kind of topography with the Goan beaches and hinterland very much superior; one would assume that tourists would swarm to Goa. No, but in Sri Lanka, they have managed to draw the younger tourists and families, despite the travel distance. Russians have to fly to Abu Dhabi and then to Colombo, Chinese, South Americans, Australian, Europeans and not just English. Unfortunately, we see to have got stuck in casino tourism and its attended ills. The citizens of Panjim surely curse this tourism every day. Instead of converting fields to build huge hotels, the government must encourage homestays in the hinterland as there is still scope to do so.
Airlines: Tourist influx to Sri Lanka has surged owing to the augmented frequency of flights into the country. Cathay, after a hiatus of four years, and several other airlines has announced additional flights. SriLankan Airlines is optimistic about its prospects in India and intends to increase flight operations by recruiting new agents as Indians account for 20% of tourist arrivals. Furthermore, the government has declared a visa-free travel period of three months in an attempt to boost traffic. Goa now boasts a new international airport under civilian control; hence it falls upon the State administration to advocate for direct international flights that can drive traffic directly towards Goa.
Hinterland: Sri Lanka has capitalised on its inland areas and steered tourists towards them, while Goa boasts stunning coastlines as well as a thriving and undiscovered hinterland complete with spice tourism, cascading waterfalls, and scenic trekking paths.
Activities: Goa boasts a rich cultural heritage, making it an ideal destination for family vacations. The addition of homestays and numerous activities such as climbing walls, zip lining in the hills, river tourism, boating, kayaking and camping in the hinterlands would further enhance its appeal. The region is dotted with picturesque landscapes featuring broad flowing rivers that are sure to captivate visitors’ attention. While animal safaris may not be on offer here, Goa offers ample opportunities for bird watching enthusiasts. Most tourist attractions in SL, require entry fees which ensure proper upkeep and maintenance; Indian nationals are eligible for a 50% discount on these charges. It would be prudent for Goa to follow suit in this regard.
In summary, the inhabitants of Goa ought to recognise the beauty of our surroundings and strive to maintain its cleanliness. The authorities should expedite the implementation of a bottle deposit program while also promoting private investment in homestays, aquatic and terrestrial adventure activities, with an emphasis on family tourism as means of alleviating overcrowding at beach destinations. VIVA GOA.
(The author prefers to write rather than chat in a balcao)
