PANAJI
Lights of Diwali sparkled across Goa, but the cash registers in its tourism sector barely flickered. What was expected to be a booming festive weekend turned out to be a sobering reality check for Goa’s travel and hospitality industry, as footfalls dropped noticeably compared to the past two Diwalis.
Despite packed flights and a long holiday stretch, the crowds did not translate into business. Stakeholders even claimed the Dussehra holidays saw a better turnout.
“Many of those arrivals are people with second homes here. They come but don’t contribute to the tourism economy. Moreover, there is a steady shift of Indian travellers to Southeast Asian countries, and this pattern is not new anymore,” said the President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, Jack Sukhija.
Sukhija added that the Dussehra holidays brought stronger numbers — a view shared by the Traditional Shack Owners Association President, Manuel Cardozo.
“The footfalls are really bad. There are not as many tourists as there were during Dussehra. The beaches are empty and it’s not just the rains but several factors that have led to this ever-declining tourism. The industry is just not picking up,” Cardozo lamented.
The hospitality sector echoed the same concern, with Goa Hotels & Restaurant Association President Gaurish Dhond stating that hotel occupancy hovered between 60-70 percent. “The first two days of the Diwali long weekend were good, but then it began to decline. The unexpected rains have also played a spoilsport,” he added.
To attract the few tourists still coming in, several starred hotels have quietly dropped their tariffs by as much as Rs 10,000. “Room rates are now fluctuating depending on the market. If the response is good, prices rise. If not, they drop. It’s a market trick,” Dhond explained, indicating the dip in prices is a sign of low arrivals.
Sukhija added about the growing competition, reiterating that Goa is no longer seen as an affordable, easy-going beach destination. “Travellers prefer places where the infrastructure is better, roads are smooth, and beachside shacks are well managed,” he said.
Both Sukhija and Dhond agreed that Goa’s tourism sector is undergoing a “course correction.” “This year is a year of significant correction,” Sukhija said, with stakeholders keeping their fingers crossed for the upcoming peak season.
Cardozo, however, blamed the government for the downturn, alleging misplaced priorities. “The government is only promoting casinos and alcohol. Goa is no longer a tourist destination. It’s just a picnic spot where people come to drink and leave without any real contribution to the tourism economy,” he said.
