Goa’s peak tourist season is faltering this year, with stakeholders across the hospitality and trans port sectors reporting a marked decline in foreign arrivals and a sharp drop in spending by domestic tourists, raising serious concerns about the sustain ability of the State’s tour ism-driven economy. Industry representatives say that while footfalls ap pear reasonable in some pockets, revenues tell a very different story. Com pared to last year’s strong performance, businesses say earnings have fallen sig nificantly, exposing deeper structural issues in Goa’s tourism model. Jack Sukhija, President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), described the season as underwhelming. “Five-star properties are seeing oc cupancies of around 70–75 per cent, but lower-ranked hotels have suffered badly. It is a season where no one is really happy. Everyone needs to introspect on what went wrong and how to take corrective action,” he said. The decline is particu larly stark in the foreign tourist segment, tradi tionally the backbone of Goa’s high-spending win ter season. Shack owners and transport operators say the number of interna tional visitors is noticeably lower, with the absence of big-spending Europe an and charter tourists hurting revenues. Cruz Cardozo, President of the Shack Owners Wel fare Society, said the season has been average at best and is being driven largely by domestic tourists with numbers bolstered by lower spending tourists.
“There are more domestic tourists and fewer foreigners. Russians and some Europeans have come, but not the big spenders. December was very bad, though Christmas was better. We hope things improve in the New Year,” he said. Cardozo added that basic issues such as garbage accu mulation, parking chaos on beaches, and frequent vehicle breakdowns are eroding the overall tourist experience and discouraging repeat visits and longer stays. Luxury transport operators say the impact has been se vere. A Vasco-based operator dealing in luxury vehicles said business has collapsed to less than 20 per cent of last year’s levels. “Last year, we were sold out before Christmas. This year is very poor. Government restrictions, the closure of clubs, and the absence of the Sunburn music festival have af fected business badly. Earlier, tourists would stay for a week until New Year. Now, hardly anyone is booking,” he said. Luxury cars, typically rented at Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per day, are now lying idle even during the Christmas–New Year window, traditionally the most lucrative period of the year. Anthony, a luxury car rental operator based in Dabolim, said the premium tourism segment has taken the biggest hit. “Last year was awesome, but this year people are not coming. Parties are not happening, and even small inci dents reported on social media are affecting us,” he said. He pointed out that viral videos of reckless driving and the extensive coverage of the Arpora nightclub fire have had a chilling effect on tourist sentiment. “Cancellations have increased, and many tourists who usually stay in five star properties are cutting down their travel plans,” he add ed. Even in the budget and mid-range segments, operators say domestic tourists are spending far less than in previ ous years. Paresh Naik, a self-drive car rental operator, said his business is down by nearly 40 per cent. “I have 25 cars. Last year, all of them were out. This year, many guests are coming with their own cars, mostly tourists from Delhi and Mumbai. This time, there is not even a single foreign tourist taking our vehicles,” he said. Naik said demand is largely limited to hatchbacks, SUVs, and automatic cars, with rentals ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000 per day. “We do not keep premium cars and only deal in self-drive vehicles with valid permits,” he added. Tourism stakeholders warn that the combination of few er foreign tourists, reduced average spending by domestic visitors, shorter stays, and reputational damage caused by safety concerns is taking a serious toll on the industry. Many argue that unless governance gaps, infrastructure failures, and destination management issues are addressed urgently, Goa risks losing its position as a premium tourism destination rather than merely enduring a bad season
