Readers React To “Goa’s Tourism Woes”

Goa Streets’ story last Friday “Goa’s Tourism Woes – The Real Story Behind The Low Numbers, dosage Empty Hotel Rooms and Overall Slump In Goa’s Tourism Lifeline” elicited a great many comments from both Goans and visitors to Goa. Below is a selection of some of these comments:

Could this be a comeuppance for the arrogance of the hoteliers and the taxi lobby?
Tony De Sa

The demise of the tourism industry in Goa wasn’t hard to foresee. It’s barely bearable for Goans ourselves/themselves.

Joel Dominic Rodrigues

I spent 12 happy years in the land of Goa … (Goa wanted) full wallets and no cheap tourists. But you have to understand what is the motive for Westerners to visit Goa. And that was the simplicity of the way things were. I live in Greece. Here we have worked with tourism for the last 40 years, and years ago we lost a big piece of the pie just the same way as you are now. The big luxurious hotels are now relics and the only places that still have tourists are the ones that are “selling” simplicity and my country’s identity. The Russians will leave soon from India and everybody will ask to come back to the old days of “poor” tourists, abortion who were staying there for more than two months, not spending that much, but giving their small money to the real economy of Goans and not to the big capital that has moved to Goa these last years. Stop looking for rich people. There are so many places for them and you can’t compete with these places (Dubai, Hawaii, Monaco, Capri, Mykonos). Stay simple. It’s the only way

Dimitrios

All valid observations in the article. One more thing I would like to add, especially in regards to Goa as a family holiday destination, is the severe lack of recreational activities. Once you’re done tooling around on a scooter and going to the beach…..that’s basically it. Let’s face it. Goa can get downright boring for families with children. What kid wants to go to a hot flea market during the day, or a loud and crowded late night market? We all had high hopes for the waterpark in Baga, but it is filthy and dangerous. Come on Tourism Department and Goan entrepreneurs, get with the program!! Visit some international holiday destinations to get some inspiration and then implement it!

Jessica Boyd

The real high end tourists will never come to Goa. They do not want to see mountains of garbage or thousands of drunken men pissing all over. Goa can attract middle-class peoples with families if the government starts to put some money in the until now very bad infrastructure like roads, sewerage etc.

Marco Kuhn

The reason Brits don’t come anymore is because of the high visa rates. We as a country have not been included in the visa on arrival scheme. Both my husband and I enjoy India however the high rates for visas has meant us looking us elsewhere for a yearly holiday destination.

Victoria Young

tourms

I am very disappointed at the criticism towards the regular tourists like myself and the plan to attract “high-end tourists.” Myself and my husband have been coming to South Goa for 10+ years. We hire an apartment owned by an Indian family, shop locally for our food, use beach shacks and restaurants owned by Goans, and use local taxis and buses to get around.

Where will these so called “high end tourists” spend their money? In multinational hotel chains I don’t doubt. We love Goa and its people and I am very disappointed that the officials want to get rid of loyal tourists like ourselves.

Jenny

I think that if the government would allow visas on arrival for people like myself and my husband British through and through, you would have no difficulty in filling hotels and beach shacks. We have been coming to Goa for the last 14 years. We love the weather, the people and the food, but the one thing that is an absolute pain, is applying for a visa. It’s time consuming, the website isn’t particularly easy to navigate, then you have to print off 4 x A4 sheets per person and post off to the visa centre, not knowing if you will get it back in time for your holiday, plus the cost was doubled last year. (If things don’t change), I am afraid we will be looking elsewhere for our annual holiday, somewhere where we feel wanted. I say this with a heavy heart because of all the places we have been fortunate to visit Goa, stands out, mainly because of its lovely welcoming citizens, which over the years have become friends. I hope the Goan people get treated better by their government, because they deserve much more, they are so hard working.

Cecilia Barber