Not just Goa

Goa is a vibe — its tropical climes immediately relax you, while its party beats get the pulse racing. An amalgamation of delicious food and warm jovial folk, and a juxtaposition of raucous merrymaking and a susegad life so deeply content that it continues to attract migrants from all over the world to set up home in its idyllic locales. But while the rustic charm inherently remains Goa’s biggest USP, it’s no secret that the state’s tourist infrastructure leaves much to be desired.

Hundreds of hotels and bed-and-breakfasts have mushroomed offering a plethora of experiences and catering to all kinds of budgets. The best of India’s culinary talents compete in Goa’s saturated food and beverage market. But in some other aspects, the state’s development lags behind. Local transport being the most glaring lacuna in the party capital of the country. The state economy is heavily protective of its local taxis disallowing cab aggregators such as Uber and Ola from operating in the state. The solitary Goa Miles, an initiative of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), provides patchy, unreliable service. The state is largely still a safe space for women travellers but not having access to dependable transport at affordable rates, and on-demand, remains a concern for all tourists, especially women.

From October, as the season starts, prices of everything skyrockets. If you visit Goa during “season”, the prices quoted for the given amenities and services, make no sense. I personally prefer Goa in the off-season when the service, though more lethargic, seems more authentic. And south over north Goa any day — for its still perceivable, though fast-losing, Goan allure. But for all things that Goa may lack, its magic is undeniable — strong enough to encourage a lot of Delhi-ites to pick up properties and luxury villas worth crores of rupees. While much of India and the world grappled with the effects and after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Goan real estate market boomed. The already overpriced realty space shot up to unimaginable heights boosted by north India’s deep pockets. When work-from-home became an acceptable workplace dynamic, Goa became home to scores of young professionals who mixed working on laptops with a dip in the ocean and a beer by the sea.

But is the land of sun, sand, and sea finally losing its sheen? Recent chatter on social media spotlighted Goa’s alleged waning charm among foreign tourists. A social media post drew attention to dwindling tourist numbers. The tourism department called it “unverified and false” data causing “significant concern” and reacted by slapping a police complaint on the influencer — a bit extreme to be honest. The truth is that while tourism infrastructure does need strengthening in Goa, the state is not the only one losing out on foreign tourists. In a column that I wrote for this newspaper in April this year, I had highlighted that foreign tourist arrivals have not returned to pre-pandemic levels for India as a whole. Foreign tourists are side-stepping India and making a beeline for Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bali, Cambodia, and Vietnam among others.

Indians may be travelling now more than ever before, both within and outside the country, but not enough foreigners, especially Europeans, are visiting us. One of the leading causes is the perception of lack of safety of women in India. Horrific instances of rape and violence against women don’t remain limited to Indian eyes alone. Foreign tourists resist coming to India because of a fear of violence and rape. And this is not a dramatic statement — they are scared and intrigued in equal measures by India. Earlier, it was only intrigue.

Tourism in India, which could be a major job creator, is not thriving and lacks the attention that it deserves. We don’t feature in the global preferred tourist destinations’ list — according to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Travel & Tourism Development Index comprising 117 countries, the top five spots are taken up by Japan, the United States, Spain, France, and Germany. India hovers woefully at the 54th position, 8 spots lower than we were in 2019. About a year ago, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), consisting of 1,700 in-bound travel operators, wrote to the central government underscoring the decline in foreign tourist arrivals. The IATO stated that the numbers (85.9 lakh in 2022) were “way below” pre-pandemic levels (3.14 crore in 2019) and suggested ways to correct the situation including a 5 per cent incentive on net foreign exchange earnings for in-bound tour operators and a budget devoted to aggressive overseas promotion. Development of tourism infrastructure, competitive package deals for foreign tourists, sops for operators, enhanced safety protocols, and increased people-to-people interactions would further strengthen India’s tourism sector. I’m glad that we are finally talking about low tourism — but make no mistake, this is not a Goa problem, it’s an India one.

The writer is an author and media entrepreneur. Views expressed are personal