PANAJI
Nude beaches, ghost sightings, and tourists being duped. Goa’s reputation is being shredded daily as social media influencers, largely non-Goans, pump out sensational and damaging content.
While most of these videos are clickbait that go viral and ultimately tarnish Goa’s image as a tourism destination, even genuine issues highlighted on various online platforms have contributed to the damage.
The latest flood of videos ranges from the absurd to alarming. In one clip, a woman standing in a shack claimed Goa hides a “Russian beach” where tourists strip naked. She even directed her followers to search Google Maps for this so-called secret strip, promising “you can bathe nude.” The story was instantly amplified online, though many users slammed it as baseless.
Another viral video showed a tourist alleging he was cheated of Rs 3,000 for an alleged illegal service.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte had, during the monsoon session of the Assembly, lashed out at paid influencers for spreading negativity about Goa’s tourism sector, alleging they make videos and statements to show a decline in tourism while sitting in another State.
Local authorities intervened in some cases, including on September 17, when Mopa police arrested Delhi-based vlogger Akshay Vashisht after he uploaded a video alleging that Manohar International Airport was “haunted” and built on a cremation ground. He was charged with spreading false and malicious claims but was released shortly due to lapses in the arrest procedure.
On the other hand, some videos have exposed real cracks in the tourism system. One of the most damaging videos came from a woman who said taxi operators cornered her outside a beach resort in Betalbatim after she booked a cheaper cab online. She accused the hotel of refusing to intervene and said she was forced to walk over five kilometres with her luggage. The outrage led to an arrest and rekindled anger over Goa’s taxi mafia.
Other influencers have gone further, painting Goa as hostile, alleging locals mistreat visitors, restaurants serve substandard food, and bike rental operators demand original Aadhaar cards before handing over white-plated vehicles, although illegal. Drug peddlers, street brawls, and harassment have added to challenges for the State.
“The problem for Goa is not only that social media amplifies grievances, whether it is real or imagined, but that every clip is damaging Goa’s global image as a holiday spot,” a tourism stakeholder admitted.
