The Goa Department of Tourism has reportedly been awarded the Chanakya Award 2025 by the Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) for its campaign, ‘Redefining Goa Tourism through Goa Beyond Beaches’. Goa is well-known worldwide as a preferred tourist destination. Despite the hospitality shown by Goans towards visitors, tourist misbehaviour has brought ill repute to the state. This includes littering, public intoxication, reckless driving, disregarding rules at beaches and heritage sites, and damaging the environment. In response, Goa has strengthened its tourism laws to impose higher fines for offences like littering and public nuisance. Tourists engage in alcohol consumption in prohibited areas, perform stunts and reckless driving, wear inappropriate attire at religious sites, and disrupt heritage locations. The Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Amendment Bill, 2025, has expanded the definition of “nuisance” to cover a wider range of disruptive behaviour. The amended law introduces stricter penalties, with fines now ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 1 lakh. However, the perception of Goa as a “free-for-all” destination makes some tourists disregard local rules and norms they follow elsewhere. Strict enforcement of the law is key to ensuring responsible tourist behaviour.
