Goa government steps in amid social media flak on state's tourism

GOA'S tourism industry is drawing flak on social media, with users complaining about expensive cabs and hotels, and deteriorating tourism infrastructure.

Many have put up angry posts recounting their bitter experience in Goa, and argue that going to Sri Lanka, Vietnam or Thailand is much cheaper and their experience was much better.

The chatter on social media has become so loud that the government has decided to step in, as tourism happens to be the mainstay of Goan economy.

The Goa government on Wednesday issued a statement arguing that comparing a state in India to another country like Sri Lanka was an “inaccurate perspective”.

In a statement, the Department of Tourism said it wishes to provide an “accurate” update since recent discussions have “raised questions about the health of the state’s tourism sector”.

The statement acknowledged that Goa does face challenges of “limited scheduled international air connectivity”, and the state government is working closely with the central government to improve them.

“Goa, like any other tourist destination, is governed by market forces and at times the air and hotel components make Goa expensive, leaving the potential tourist seeking alternate options. However, Goa has and will always continue to rise to challenge to solidify its position as a top holiday destination for a diverse range of travellers,” the department said.

It also pointed out that the focus was no longer on tourist numbers, and state was moving towards sustainable tourism. “Our goal is to prioritise quality over quantity, ensuring that tourism in Goa benefits both the local ecosystem and its people,” the department noted.

Fewer foreign tourists

After the Covid 19 pandemic, Goa has witnessed a drastic fall in foreign tourist arrivals, while the domestic tourist segment has crossed pre-pandemic levels.

This decline has left a big hole in the tourism revenue - as international visitors and chartered flights bring contribute substantially to the state's coffers.

According to data shared by the Ministry of Tourism last year, when the Covid 19 pandemic hit in 2020, 303,000 foreign tourists visited Goa.

In 2021, during the second Covid wave, it dwindled to 22,000. Ever since the numbers have seen a steady rises with 175,000 foreign tourists visiting the state in 2022, and last year it crossed 400,000.

However, these numbers are way below the pre-pandemic years when over 934,000 foreign tourists visited Goa in 2018, and 937,000 in 2019.

On the other hand domestic tourism has seen a sharp rise and last year it was over 8 million, and higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Drawbacks

One of the most frequently heard grievance of tourists visiting Goa is the presence of 'taxi mafias'.

These powerful groups control the majority of taxi services across the state and have earned notoriety for exploiting both tourists and local residents.

Taxi operators charge exorbitant fares, lack metered services, and disregard government regulations. And this is more so while ferrying foreign tourists.

Surprisingly, Goa lacks online taxi services like Ola and Uber, which are now common in most Indian cities.

This leaves tourists at the mercy of local taxi operators.

Fewer flights from Russia, Israel

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and Israel's war in Gaza have impacted the flow of tourists from these regions.

Goa has been a favourite destination for tourists from these two countries.

The number of chartered flights from these countries has come down drastically.

On the positive side, there has been some interest among tourists from emerging markets such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.