Tourists arriving in Goa have been confronted with the complete chaos of unregulated taxi operations, where fares are mindlessly quoted. Taxis are yet to have digital meters with fixed rates, and the charges demanded by the motor cabs are sometimes higher than flight tickets. Taxis are simply exploiting tourists, and for this reason, Goa tourists leave with a bad impression. Coping in Goa is difficult because there are no options like Zoomcar, Ola, or Uber, which has led to a monopoly of local taxis charging very high rates.
Tourism is a part of the Brand Goa initiative, and the focus should be on ensuring that tourists arriving in the state have access to a good and safe transport system. In the past, an incident involving taxi drivers stopping 100 American cruise ship tourists from boarding a tour bus at Mormugao Port, Goa for a sightseeing trip had to be canceled.
Taxis, autos, and 2-wheeler pilot vehicles in Goa do not have a fare meter system in place, and private vehicle drivers are often accused of being aggressive and overpriced when serving outstation tourists. If these issues are not addressed with due diligence and priority, Goa may lose its status as one of the top beach and nightlife tourism destinations in the country.
