Team Herald
CANACONA: When Goa grapples with steep dip in tourists, Palolem too records lowest of foot falls in last two decades that eventually led to the disappearance of beggars, stray animals as well as other nuisance makers.
Endearingly, nicknamed ‘Queen’ of beaches, in South Goa being close to the Canacona railway station and the NH66, it had been a quick-pick destination for foreign tourists since Palolem beach got the worldwide recognition since early nineties. The whopping influx of thousands of foreign tourist every year, made once a sleepy village Canacona, a buzzing nook in Goa. The close vicinity to Canacona too made fortune out of it.
This turn of fate worries the business operators around the beach and they have lost their wits seeing the dramatic decline in the footfall of both foreign and local tourists.
Palolem ward Councillor Dayanand Pagi, expressing concern about the present situation, said that with domestic tourists arriving in hordes at Palolem beach it’s losing its essence and becoming as public as Colva beach.
“The domestic tourists irritate the foreign tourists especially women with their behavior; the authorities have to put a stop to this; otherwise it would be difficult to turn the tide in favour of tourism,” Pagi warned.
Earlier, even though the tourists exceeded the carrying and holding capacity of Palolem beach, still tourists flocked in to experience the extraordinary hospitality of the locals as well as to explore the 1.6 km pristine beach and its surroundings.
It is also observed that the stray dogs and cows, even other supposed ‘nuisance makers’ in the form of domestic tourists have discarded the Palolem beach, leaving the beach for a handful of tourists to enjoy the bliss.
