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News18 spoke to various stakeholders and government officials to uncover the reasons behind Goa being labeled a ‘not so popular’ destination this year.
While some social media posts have painted a picture of Goa’s famous beaches becoming barren and travelers headed to Southeast Asia, the government and tourism professionals are calling these claims a blatant distortion of facts. (File image: PTI)
Despite claims of decline in tourism on social media, destination Goa remains firmly on the itinerary for both domestic and international tourists. The Goa government and stakeholders have rejected such claims as baseless. Recent conversations have pointed to empty beaches and deserted roads and blamed high hotel and flight prices for the decline in tourism. But the reality tells a different story.
While some social media posts have painted a picture of Goa’s famous beaches becoming barren and travelers headed to Southeast Asia, the government and tourism professionals are calling these claims a blatant distortion of facts. Goa continues to receive a steady influx of domestic and international tourists, contributing significantly to the state’s economy. Still, challenges remain, especially with high pricing for hotels and flights. Another factor cited is the increasing trend of people owning second homes in Goa.
‘Goa’s tourism has surpassed last year’s numbers’
“Let’s get this straight: Tourism numbers in Goa have surpassed last year’s numbers,” state tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said. He attributed this negative portrayal to some “paid” social media influencers who are trying to tarnish the image of the state. Khaunte criticized the “irresponsible” actions of some social media influencers. “I condemn these acts. Hats off to the influential people of Goa who try to present the real picture by showcasing the bustling tourist destinations across the state,” he said.
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“We plan to expose these influencers who are spreading false stories. There has been no impact on Goa’s tourism. “We are working closely with stakeholders to address the concerns, be it airlines, hotels or rates of taxi services,” Khaunte said.
Khaunte also reminded people of the unique appeal of Goa. “The beauty and creativity of Goa cannot be compared with Thailand or any other destination. We want Goa to remain Goa and not copy any other place. The current season has been good and we hope next year will be even better.”
According to unofficial data from the Tourism Ministry, Goa has surpassed last year’s domestic and international tourist numbers. Khaunte also pointed to hotel occupancy trends. While high-end hotels are showing 100 per cent occupancy, mid-range and budget accommodations have reported 60-70 per cent bookings.
As Goa continues to attract tourists, the state government and stakeholders are optimistic about overcoming these challenges and maintaining Goa’s position as a major travel destination.
‘Experiential tourism is growing, challenges remain’
News18 spoke to various stakeholders and government officials to uncover the reasons behind Goa being labeled a ‘not so popular’ destination this year. Tourism insiders said that instead of booking hotels, many people now come to Goa to stay at their homes or with friends and this has led to a decline in numbers.
Varun Hegde, founder of Soul Travelling, an experiential tourist trail company, said that in the last two years, he has only seen a rise in the demand for experiential tourism, which has continued to grow, as evidenced by the rising numbers. The number of visitors engaging in such activities has increased over the past year, especially in December. “This trend highlights a change in travelers’ preferences, with more people looking for experiences beyond beaches and parties. Visitors are increasingly drawn to exploring local culture, trying regional foods and beverages, and immersing themselves in unique activities. Hegde said, when compared to last year’s figures, 2024 has emerged as our most successful year so far.
He said that the hospitality sector still faces challenges. Some hotel owners noticed a discrepancy during peak times such as New Year’s Eve. Many hotels reported empty rooms on December 31, highlighting the need for better demand-supply alignment.
He pointed out that Goa’s tourism situation should serve as a wake-up call for the state to embrace technological advancements and modern transportation. “The absence of app-based transport services and dominance of traditional taxis creates problems for commuters,” Hegde said.
The absence of app-powered transport services and the dominance of traditional taxi operators have created hurdles for commuters. Disputes over fare differentials between yellow-board taxis and private vehicles and harassment from officials have further complicated the experience, Hegde said. He said, “For many tourists, transportation costs in Goa can sometimes exceed the cost of activities, as seen in instances where the cost of reaching a trail destination is higher than the actual trail we set for them.” it occurs.”
‘Not recession, change in pattern’
Jack Sukhija, president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), disagrees that there has been a decline in tourist numbers, insisting that there has been a change in the pattern.
Recalling that the years 2022 and 2023 have been great years for tourism for Goa, due to the pandemic tourists had to look at domestic options as foreign destinations were largely not allowed. He felt that this time, due to hotel fares and airline fares being quite high, tourists had to think twice before considering Goa as an option, but this has not brought down the numbers.
“With the opening up of places like Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Thailand, it has become easier for Indian tourists to travel visa-free, this has also attracted a part of the regular crowd to explore new places as they have been many times before. Must have been to Goa several times. I think January and February will be a good market for inbound tourism. This is generally the season of arrivals. If you look at the footfall of both Russian charters, UK charters, Polish charters, charters from CIS countries, they have increased, these are very good signs,” he said.
Sukhija also pointed to another important factor – that many affluent Indians or affluent Indians found second or third homes in Goa. “A lot of them stay there during this period, but that only affects the occupancy capacity of hotels, not restaurants and other businesses,” he said.
Sukhija also pointed out that luxury upscale hotels closed at around 80-90 per cent occupancy and mid-scale hotels closed at around 65-70 per cent, which means there was no sharp decline in tourists as social media messaging had indicated. .
Vivek Menezes is a widely published author and co-founder/co-curator of the Goa Arts and Literature Festival. He also believes that there has been more tourist movement towards South East Asian countries after the pandemic, but not at the expense of Goa. “Places like Vietnam or Thailand have a huge tourism infrastructure. They are open to tourists from all over the world. And now there is much more access for Indians. I have noticed that the number of Indians visiting places like Vietnam has increased dramatically over the last few years. Is it at the expense of Goa, I seriously doubt it,” he said.
He believes that the ground reality is that there is an unstoppable demand for Goa from the rest of India, and while some sections are criticizing it for certain reasons which can be addressed, it does not mean that tourism is affected. Is. “From where I am in Panaji, I went south to Goa for family holidays. The roads are very packed with people. There is no question of any part of the state being vacant or anything like that. I think, you know, those who provide good value and quality for money in Goa are having a very good season,” he said.
Menezes explains that taxis are expensive in Goa and there is a reason for that. “I don’t think app-based taxis are going to make it easy. You know, Goa probably shouldn’t naturally be a super affordable, mass-market tourist destination where everything is easy. It is those kind of people who are bargaining in Goa who have pushed the market down,” he says.
He believes that the idea that Goa needs to change in some way to attract some kind of tourist – some imaginary tourist who is being turned away from Goa right now – is a dubious argument and the reality is that Goa right now is also at the top of people’s minds. Every passenger.
‘The real Goa and its hospitality has been lost’
Tejas Pandit, another cultural and heritage lover from Goa, believes that Goa needs to move forward a little. “The Goa that was known for it, that our ancestors left behind, is lost today. This is because very few locals are stepping into local businesses, and many immigrants have taken over the business,” he said.
“The Goa we are showcasing to tourists today is not the Goa that our ancestors left for us. “There are so many aspects and opportunities of culture to see and experience in Goa beyond the beaches and parties,” he said.
“There has definitely been a decline in foreign tourists because the crowd, the population that was visible earlier is no longer there. If the government wants to promote tourism in Goa then they should pay attention to the suggestions and feedback given by the tourists and act on them.”
- Place :
Panaji (Panaji, India).
