“You are killing the beaches with too many, dirty shacks, loud music, too many beach beds which spoil the serenity and privacy. Good quality tourists will naturally go away and explore other countries. Mass tourism has killed tourism in Goa. Stop spoiling Goa. Enough of destruction,” says Vikas Dhawan, for whom Goa was once a land worth holidaying in.
Vikas’s warning is an ominous sign of the direction in which tourism is drifting. While he feels the infrastructure is not up to the mark, there are many foreigners who feel getting visas is “still a problem” and an irritant.
“Messing with visas, that is, the number of days and the difficulty in filling them out,” according to Gareth Jones, is a stumbling block that could have been got rid of easily.
“Problems of visas have always been there. Goa used to be a cheap holiday destination. We have just done ten nights in Jamaica, all-inclusive for less than what we now pay for a B&B in Goa. People have found other countries to visit since the lockdown,” admits Martin Waghorne.
Thailand and Vietnam charge nothing for the visa. I paid 140 GBP for a year the last time I came here. Your government is greedy.Andy Clark, Tourist
Martin still thinks Goa is relatively cheap compared to other destinations, but according to him, “The hassles before you even go, puts a lot of people off even looking.”
Andy Clark feels the same. “Thailand and Vietnam charge nothing for the visa. I paid 140 GBP for a year the last time I came here. Your government is greedy.”
If visas are a problem and infrastructure is not the best, the prices are not far behind with foreign as well as domestic tourists complaining of the high prices of drinks and food in Goa.
“Today, foreign alcohol can be accessed in Delhi for the price got in Goa and even cheaper if one has the contacts,” discloses Arun, as he moans the lack of bin tubs on beaches.
“We got drinks from outside and after having drunk them on the beach, need a place where we can dispose of the bottles or glasses and the snacks packets. There are no places around,” he rues.
“Problem is not just local inflation but the flight rates that are surging and which are equal to prices of Thailand and Vietnam flights. Who is to blame?” wonders Roshan Moraj.
The authorities have turned a blind eye to the damage to the environment with trees being cut and construction almost reaching the shores. This prompts tourists such as Lars Greenwall to think the best way forward is to “clean up the place. Goa is like a big garbage dump”.
“It is safe to now say that Goa, once a tourist destination, is turning to be a second home to many tourists – Indian and foreigners – and that could be the problem,” reasons Altaf, a regular visitor.
Years back, foreign tourists were part of local festivals. Recently, not a single foreign tourist could be seen at a well-attended cultural festival.
“Some hotels are charging 100 GBP a night and its crazy. Some restaurant prices are laughable. Don’t get me wrong, you can still get good food at good prices, but they seem to think Goa is some high-end place to be seen when its simply just another part of India,” admits Dean Robertson.
Years back, foreign tourists were part of local festivals. Recently, not a single foreign tourist could be seen at a well-attended cultural festival. “It is getting difficult to find such customers,” admits Shawn.
Goa is still a much sought out destination, but the stakeholders need to have a more proactive approach if tourism is to return to its former profitable state.