Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has accused the media of giving "wrong messages" about the state, asking them to come and see the coastal sites full of vehicles and international tourists.
Goa, one of the top destinations of foreigners in India, is reportedly facing a notable drop in tourist arrivals for the past few years. There have been reports suggesting a sharp decline in the number of international tourists in the popular destination in December 2024. A report by Gomantak Times, a Goa-based news portal, attributed the fall in tourist arrivals to the high pricing of flight tickets this season.
The news portal cited General Manager of Trail Blazers India, Orlando Nunes, saying that the two major reasons for the dip in the arrival of tourists are the expensive hotel rooms and the high ticket prices. He also pointed out that tourists have more alternative options, such as Thailand, which offers better facilities at a relatively reasonable price
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Many on social media have also pointed out that the breach paradise has turned more expensive, making it comparatively cheaper to choose foreign destinations even for the domestic tourists. Some have blamed the monopolies of taxi and resort owners, while others have alleged locals’ unwelcoming approach towards the tourists, creating safety concerns for the newcomers.
While it is statistically true that the tourism sector has been increasingly hit since the pandemic, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has accused the media of giving “wrong messages” about the state, asking them to come and see the coastal sites full of vehicles and international tourists.
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Speaking to news agency ANI, the chief minister said he welcomed the people from the entire country to Goa. “The month of December is a very important month for Goa. As always, different festivals, from international festivals to Christmas and 31st December, are celebrated with great fanfare. The months of November, December, and January in Goa are going to be filled with tourists. All the hotels here are full,” the BJP leader said, discarding the claims that the tourists are not coming to Goa and are choosing alternative destinations.
“They are doing the wrong thing; they are giving a wrong message about Goa to the people. I also want to tell them that they should come and see the coastal sites themselves. Today is 31st December, and every road in Goa is full of vehicles; every beach is full; so many international tourists have come here; there is so much crowd on the road, and all the people coming are being welcomed warmly,” the chief minister was heard saying in the video.
#WATCH | Goa CM Pramod Sawant, says “I welcome the people from the entire country to Goa. The month of December is a very important month for Goa. As always, different festivals, from international festivals to Christmas and 31st December are celebrated with great fanfare. The… pic.twitter.com/uearzwllCJ
— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2025
However, the decline in tourist arrivals in Goa, which is heavily reliant on the industry, might pose significant challenges to the economy. Besides the cost of services, including transportation, there are some factors too that lead to the declining business in the popular destination. One such is the safety concern that became evident when some meat shop owners fell victim to the attacks by cow vigilantes. The owners had asserted that they would close the shops due to fear of confrontation, causing a meat shortage amid high demand from the tourists.
Sharing a picture from Goa, journalist, Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj recently took to her X, and wrote, “Goa is almost empty. Hardly any tourists. It should be a wake up call for the government. Hope they do something especially about the transport”
Goa is almost empty. Hardly any tourists. It should be a wake up call for the government. Hope they do something especially about the transport. pic.twitter.com/JGvWFTvn5Y
— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) December 30, 2024
After former Goa unit chief of RSS, Subhash Velingkar, made an alleged derogatory remark against Catholic missionary St. Francis Xavier, the Christian community in Goa had recently held a protest, causing communal division in the coastal city. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had slammed the BJP and Sangh Parivar for stocking communal tensions, highlighting that Goa’s appeal is in its natural beauty and the warmth and hospitality of its diverse and harmonious people. “Unfortunately, under BJP rule, this harmony is under attack. The BJP is deliberately stoking communal tensions,” the Congress lead said in October this year.
In a broad image, the number of foreign tourist arriving India has also faced significant decline since the Covid outbreak due to the restrictions and other various factors.
