MAPUSA
The harassment of foreign tourists by Indian visitors on Goa’s beaches continues unabated, exposing a disturbing pattern of voyeurism, indiscipline and administrative apathy that threatens the State’s tourism image.
In a disturbing incident reported from Vagator beach, a young Indian male tourist was caught secretly filming foreign tourists who were sunbathing.
The man lay on the beach pretending to be on a phone call while covertly recording the women nearby.
Local journalist Ramesh Bhovi, who operates an independent media platform, noticed the act and recorded the incident while at the beach.
The video also shows the foreign tourist challenging the Indian tourist for filming them.
Bhovi confronted the tourist and questioned him about the unethical and invasive behaviour.
Although the tourist denied filming the foreigners, Bhovi checked the mobile phone, which clearly showed videos of the foreign tourists.
The journalist then forced the tourist to leave the area. No police complaint was filed, underscoring the absence of any visible enforcement presence on the beach.
In the same video, Bhovi is also seen confronting domestic tourists openly drinking beer on the beach and littering the shoreline with empty bottles, despite wearing T-shirts proclaiming “I Love Goa.”
The journalist questioned their behaviour and compelled them to pick up the bottles and dispose of them in a dustbin.
Both incidents are captured in a 70-second video recorded by Bhovi, which starkly documents the growing nuisance, lack of civic sense and aggressive entitlement displayed by sections of domestic tourists on Goa’s beaches.
Vagator beach was packed with visitors on New Year’s Eve, yet there was little to no visible deployment of government staff, police or beach management personnel to regulate crowds or prevent such misconduct.
Bhovi stressed that the government must urgently deploy more enforcement staff during peak tourist periods to curb harassment, public drinking and littering.
The repeated targeting and filming of foreign tourists, particularly women, not only violates their privacy but also raises serious safety concerns. Despite frequent complaints and viral videos, the government’s response has remained largely cosmetic.
With unruly behaviour going unchecked, Goa’s global reputation as a safe and welcoming destination is steadily eroding, tarnished by the actions of irresponsible domestic tourists and the State’s failure to act decisively.
The slogan “Atithi Devo Bhava” appears to have been reduced to a hollow phrase, as the State watches silently while its guests are harassed and its beaches abused.
