There have reportedly been mixed signals on tourist turnout in Goa in December 2024. But one thing is for sure while there has been a rise in the number of local tourists, there has been a notable shortfall in the arrival of high-spending foreign tourists. It must be said that the local tourists do not bring much in terms of revenue for the state. According to the stakeholders, business has been down by 15 to 30 per cent depending on the category of the hotels. Obviously foreign tourists are opting for other tourist destinations like Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka and other East Asian countries. Southeast Asia has invested heavily in tourism infrastructure, streamlined visa policies, and launched aggressive marketing campaigns that promote their destinations as accessible and affordable. Key issues like high taxi rates and cleanliness concerns at beaches do not augur well for Goa. Greenery is getting destroyed in a hurry as ugly concrete structures are coming up everywhere. Improper planning, lack of affordable transport choices has been the bane of tourism. It is time that the government retrospect on what has gone wrong and take necessary remedial steps.
