“What’s going on here? Where in Goa are they talking about? I was there for the fifth year in November in Palolem and nothing has changed. A hut, two minutes from the beach, for around 20 Euros a night. Hard to pay more than 10 Euros, with drink for a meal,” is a view shared by Elaine Adams.
"A tuk tuk (rickshaw) ride to Patnem costs a Euro or two. I suspect, something sinister is going on to discredit Goa and attract people elsewhere like Vietnam and Thailand,” she adds.
Elaine’s is just one view from among the many foreign tourists who visit Goa frequently.
If we move to North Goa, Robert Hopkins has this to say, “Been here a day, walked from Baga to Candolim along the beach, and I must say, the place is so clean after all the negative vibes lately. It looks far better than it has in many years.”
The success of tourism in any country is measured by the arrival of foreign tourists, and not locals travelling from one state to another, in a country; though, at the end of the day, all arrivals help brighten the picture.
“Tourism is about people from one country visiting another. It is about mobility and assimilation of cultures. People travelling within a country is also part of the tourism circle, but definitely not the crux,” reasons Orlando Nunes, Vice President of Trail Blazers India.
“Go to the Algarve in Portugal,” reasons Nunes. “There are people from Lisbon vacationing in the Algarve and there are the British. The eyes of the locals are on the Brits and not their fellow brethren,” explains Nunes whilst trying to portrait the industry.
Countries find a place on the tourism circuit based on the number of people from the different countries that arrive. The more the countries, the merrier it is, and the more people from more countries, even better. This is a simple matrix.
A few in the industry in Goa panicked after reports – mostly through social media – that the industry was seeing bad days because of its own manifestation but, that is far from the truth because foreign tourists are having a ball in Goa.
“A few individuals from our own country, perhaps to gain extra likes or earn more revenue through social media, decided to play truant, but it has not really worked because those who love Goa, do so because they have assimilated the essence of this place,” reasons travel executive, Franco.
“Goa never became a destination through social media and never needed to because it has always been about its people. I have been coming here for 27 years, and will keep coming as long as I can,” admits Fabrizio from Italy, as he sips his beer at an outlet on Chapora Street.
“The number of foreign tourists has decreased, but the street is vibrant because of the number of Indians that have decided to make this place their second home. It is difficult to call them tourists because they are like us, Indians,” admits Dilip as he serves a guest at his restaurant.
“There were a lot of people from other states and they are still coming to Goa to see the sea and enjoy its waters, and with them, there are many who come to see foreigners too and that is the baggage they bring along with them, and should be no reason to worry,” thinks restaurateur Priya Mendonca from Vagator.
“This is the time of the year when business goes slightly down, but will pick up in a few days. The number of foreign tourists may not have grown in the numbers expected, but that is no reason to worry because the COVID-19 pandemic slapped everyone badly, and many are still recovering,” reasons Mendonca.
The dismay that set in in December due to the unexpected drop in arrivals is ebbing away with the beaches seeing many happy faces – foreign and local – and those in the business reconciling to the fact that it is worth making hay when the sun shines.