Team Herald
CALANGUTE: The state government and the tourism department must take urgent measures to address the decline in tourism, particularly in Calangute, said Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Sequeira highlighted several issues affecting the Calangute-Candolim beach belt, ranging from assaults on tourists by beach shack workers to accidents involving watersports operators. “All these tourism-related activities on the beach, like beach shacks and watersports, are directly under the control of the tourism department. We [the village panchayat] have no control over them,” Sequeira stated.
Sequeira shared that he had proposed measures to the state government to manage the surge of low-budget tourists, which he claimed had created numerous problems for the region. “When tourists enter Goa, they head to Calangute. How can we stop anyone from coming to Calangute? So, everyone comes. I have put a proposal to the state government that all these jeeps that are coming should be checked to see if they have hotel reservations. I suggested setting up four checkposts at the entrance of Calangute. It is still pending. Our government is not interested—it is still under consideration,” he remarked.
He further alleged that the uncontrolled influx of domestic tourists has caused foreign tourists to avoid Calangute. “The number of foreigners has really dropped. It’s very sad that foreign tourists are not coming to Calangute anymore. It’s because of the Indian tourists on the beach who want to take selfies with foreigners and click their photos. That’s why foreign tourists don’t want to stay here,” he added.
Sequeira also criticised the proliferation of cheap and illegal biryani stalls, which he said were harming tourism stakeholders. “A lot of people come in cars and jeeps, park, go to the beach, use public toilets, buy Rs 100 biryanis, sleep on the beach, and leave. Where is the business for the public of Calangute? Where is tourism? Earlier, guests who came to Calangute would spend around Rs 1,000 on food. Now it’s gone from Rs 1,000 to Rs100,” he said, emphasising that such tourists do not contribute to the tourism industry.
Sequeira called for immediate intervention from the government to address these challenges and revive tourism in Calangute, which was once a preferred destination for both domestic and international tourists.