The rising tide of harassment faced by foreign tourists, especially women, along Goa’s beaches has not only become an embarrassment to stakeholders and the State as a whole, but also blemished our reputation as a premier holiday destination. Goa is known as a vibrant tourism destination, boasting a vast coastline and a warm, hospitable environment. The State has been hosting tourists from across the world, let alone our own desi visitors.
In recent times, there has been an increasing number of female foreigners being harassed, photographed and put to discomfort while on the beach. Reels of local tourists crowding foreigners and posing for photos, jostling them for selfies or invading their personal space, have been unsettling. In one such clip shot at the Calangute beach last week, two foreign women bathing in the sea were surrounded by at least half a dozen men who repeatedly touched them, ignoring their discomfort and pleas to be left alone.
A few days prior, another video was doing the rounds of a domestic tourist reaching out to a foreigner woman for a forced handshake, followed by selfies despite her apparent displeasure. On Thursday, two men were held by police for clicking photos of foreigners without consent at Baga. Such cases have become increasingly common along buzzing Calangute–Baga and Anjuna–Vagator belts. The irony is that policing has failed to detect such nuisance-creating tourists and has reacted only when footage goes viral.
The irony is that the Tourism Department has been consistently talking about boosting foreign tourist arrivals with a focus on quality over quantity. Where does such a rowdy environment take that ambition? Goa has recorded a massive decline in foreign tourists over the years, with arrivals dropping by over 40 per cent in 2025 in comparison to 2017. The charter flight schedule, which has been the focus of every tourism season, has taken a pullback from over 1,000 charter flights in 2017 to only 189 in 2025. Foreigners have been opting for competing destinations like Thailand and Sri Lanka. Overcrowding has been a major drawback for Goa, leading to a lack of privacy, let alone other factors like garbage.
It baffles the mind when foreigners are exposed to such insecurities on one hand, while the Tourism Department speaks of trying to get more foreign tourists. The department has been actively taking part in international road shows and trade fairs in Uzbekistan, Malaysia, and Dubai. It has plans to promote Goa in countries like Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Poland to woo international tourists. A lot of public money has gone into these promos.
The sad irony is that Goa will cut out a sorry picture in these countries if foreigners share their horrible experiences in the State. Our enforcement is failing miserably to give a sense of security to foreigners, and the government has not taken initiatives to stem this rot. In such a situation, there is a grave risk of situations escalating into something terribly ugly.
The authorities must adopt a more proactive strategy with increased beach patrols with well-trained, visible tourist police who can intervene immediately when harassment is detected. Goa is assumed to be a free-for-all holiday destination, and hence there is a greater need to instil discipline through awareness and signages informing tourists of their rights. Helplines and quick response teams should be on standby. Rowdy behaviour and any nuisance must be dealt with firmly.
What is happening currently is “irresponsible tourism”. The State needs to take responsibility, act decisively, and at least make an effort to ensure that foreigners are respected. Arresting the culprits or detaining them momentarily is not the solution.
