Critics paint starkly different picture, highlight issues
PANAJI
Goa’s tourism pitch may boast sunny numbers, but some leading national media outlets are casting long shadows over that glow.
As the State celebrates a 6.23 per cent rise in tourist arrivals this year, a chorus of national critiques has begun painting a starkly different picture — one of inflated costs, chaotic transport, decaying beaches and a fading charm once synonymous with India’s premier holiday destination.
What began as scattered social media rants about Goa’s “taxi mafia,” poor transport, overpriced stays, mounting garbage and erratic hospitality has now snowballed into a national conversation. Within a span of just two days, three such media houses have been critical of Goa Tourism.
Livemint dropped a dispatch titled “What I learnt crisscrossing Goa in an i20 with a notepad” -- a road reporting essay where the writer described Goa as a destination losing its sheen, squeezed between high hotel tariffs, taxi unions, jaded nightlife and a shift in what travellers want.
But it was a viral post highlighted by News18 that struck a far more visceral note. A tourist, recounting his one-day trip, alleged that moving around has become nearly impossible because ride-hailing apps like Uber and Ola remain banned. Instead, visitors must depend on the state-backed Goa Miles app — which he compared to “children playing on an iPad.” He wrote that it often takes 30 minutes to find a cab, and even then, access to certain tourist zones is restricted.
What followed was a full-throated takedown about overpriced restaurants and shacks, scooter rentals linked to “mafias,” beaches turned into “dumping pits,” and parties with “the cringiest DJs on earth.” His conclusion and posted by this mainstream media: “The local government has managed to destroy the party capital of India.”
NDTV’s opinion column this week was less fiery but just as damning. Titled “Just Delhi By The Sea: How Goa Drove Its Tourists Away,” it argued that Goa’s once-effortless charm -- the languid pace, cheap stays, and barefoot culture -- is now overshadowed by rising costs, policing of nightlife, traffic, infrastructure gaps and post-pandemic shifts.
He highlighted that longtime foreign tourists say competitors like Thailand, Vietnam and Bali offer better value, cleaner beaches, and smoother travel experiences -- often at nearly half the cost.
Yet, the story is not one of linear decline, as the columnist, a London-based senior journalist with three decades of experience in the Western media, stated that foreign arrivals are recovering. Besides the new airport capacity is expanding, charters returning and the state is pushing heritage tourism, hinterland travel, wellness stays as well as music culture reboot.
TTAG calls for reality check amid national media glare
PANAJI: The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) stated that the concerns must be acknowledged, not dismissed.
“There is no doubt that Goa has changed and evolved. Some development has happened, but in some areas, it has not been thoughtful planning or design. But these (news) articles should be taken in a positive spirit wherever course correction is needed,” TTAG President Jack Sukhija told The Goan.
The stakeholder added that amid the criticism, there are undeniable strengths, adding that Goa today is also seen as a food capital in its own right. “We however, need to ensure that people have smooth, memorable holidays here. What needs strengthening is traffic management, roads and the best transport and technology,” he said.
