THE GOAN
PANAJI
Picture two scenarios while planning for a trip ” one, you visit a Google-recommended place on a whim, and leave with a few Instagrammable pictures. Two, you do some online research, register with a verified tour company, and ultimately discover a side to your destination that you wouldn't have without the guide.
Narrating stories that make a place visit-worthy, is a form of immersive and experiential tourism that is rapidly gaining popularity with the trend of exploring offbeat places. This form of tourism not only offers a refreshing break from the ‘beach-and-party’ scene propagated as ‘Goa’, but also invites visitors to delve deeper into the state’s rich history and culture.
A prime example of this emerging trend is found at the Aguad Port and Jail Complex, along the picturesque Sinquerim coast. Once a colonial prison, this historical site is now a storytelling hub, where ‘Make It Happen,’ an experiential travel agency, offers immersive heritage walkthroughs.
Maria Victor, founder, Make It Happen, underlines the significance of tour guides in providing authentic insights into Goan history and culture, especially at Aguad: “Pop culture depictions of Goa leave visitors with the impression that Goa is nothing more than its beaches and nightlife. However, curated walkthroughs, such as those given by our storytellers, give them a new, broadened perspective of Goan culture, enabling them to meaningfully connect with the land.”
A critical part of our childhoods, the magic of stories forever remains lodged somewhere in our psyche. With their finger on this magical pulse, Soul Travelling, a Goa-based organisation founded by Kedar Borkar and Varun Hegde specialising in immersive travel, has curated several successful, fun experiences for tourists across various culturally-rich Goan sites.
“The younger generation of travellers seeks to go beyond the mainstream, understanding culture through local stories and heritage. We present these narratives immersively and are seeing rising interest in historically-rich sites like the Rachol Fort Gate, Chandor and St. Augustine Tower at Old Goa,” said Borkar.
Goa-based ‘hands-on historian’ Sanjeev Sardesai stresses the importance of narrating history in an engaging manner: “In Sanskrit, there’s a saying, 'parampara vanshanu bandhati' ” ‘heritage binds generations’. Our ancestors left behind stories woven into our cultural fabric. When these stories are retold passionately and accurately, they capture the imagination of visitors and deepen their connection to the destination.”
The success of heritage tours like those at Aguad underscores a broader trend in tourism. As Jack Sukhija, president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, points out, “Any monument should not be left as is; it needs to be maintained and made relevant for younger generations,” he said.
As immersive tourism continues to gain traction, the importance of such initiatives becomes increasingly clear. They offer a counterpoint to the sun-sand-sea-party image of Goa and provide a richer, more nuanced understanding of the region. So, the next time you visit any site that has cultural value take that tour, strike a conversation with that guide and have an unforgettable experience “ one story at a time.
