Ashley Noronha
Tourism is the state’s dominant revenue-generating industry, requiring robust marketing and careful balancing. Excessive and unchecked publicity can lead to overexposure, diminishing its appeal and making it harder to sustain against rising global competition.
All stakeholders need to nurture this sector with the utmost care and take corrective action rather than allowing it to spiral into a free fall by indulging in a vicious blame game. We must ensure that gross negligence does not creep into any area of the industry. A marketing strategy should be in place to tackle and prevent the steady decline in the arrival of high-quality, high-end tourists. Low-end tourism is on the rise, which does not bode well for the economy and does not contribute to local businesses or the Goan economy.
Tourism, which was introduced by hippies in the 1970s, was taken over by the state in the 1980s and has since become the mainstay and backbone of the Goan economy, particularly after the closure of mining. It has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry. Following Covid, which caused a slight downturn, tourism gradually picked up, though with an influx of low-end tourists, which has overwhelmed the state.
Exploitation will kill the golden goose before we see any real dividends. Hence, it should be nipped in the bud and curbed in a timely manner. Of course, tourism should be supported by world-class infrastructure, including good roads, a disciplined transport system, affordable hotel tariffs, low taxi fares, clean washrooms, and strict enforcement of rules against drugs, public drinking, open-air cooking, and loud music. Shack activities are sluggish, as the high-end tourist footfall is declining, and many tourists are likely to head to other, more exotic destinations offering better deals. A thorough introspection by all stakeholders is necessary to improve numbers. Heritage sites, for which Goa is famous, need thorough refurbishment and better upkeep. Extra funds should be allocated by the government to maintain deteriorating infrastructure, with a phased approach to improvement. The current infrastructure is poorly maintained, with inadequate scheduled upkeep and supervision.
Cuisine culture should be maintained at high standards, with no compromise on the quality of food served to visitors. High-end visitors are selective and known to change their preferences swiftly, often due to better offers elsewhere. These visitors prefer a clean, garbage-free environment. Tourists should get value for their money; if not, they will move on, as most are on tight budgets and aim to maximise their experience in limited time.
The government should explore ways to attract guests by offering free arrival visas, providing an incentive for them to return. Bureaucratic hurdles in visa processing or currency exchange should be reduced and streamlined. Visitors have reported being accosted by migrants or beggars selling water or robbing them. These individuals should be rounded up and deported, as such actions are necessary to protect the state's reputation. More clean, toll-free toilets with automatic flushes should be installed in cities, market places, and even on beaches to maintain their pristine beauty. Beautiful beaches have been ravaged by open defecation due to the lack of adequate washrooms, which are essential.
The tourism sector has been plagued by ‘fatigue’ and requires adjustments to certain policies, such as offering holiday packages, free visas, and significant improvements in infrastructure and cleanliness. These measures will help address high expenses, counter exorbitant taxi fares, and deter exploitation by taxi operators and touts. This, in turn, will prevent negative reviews on social media or by word of mouth. Tourism is stagnant locally and requires a paradigm shift in its policies to boost the arrival of tourists from both local and international markets.