EDITORIAL
Goa cannot ignore moves by Karnataka to develop beach tourism
News coming from our neighbouring state in the south should make us stand up and introspect. It is not about the Mhadei water diversion, an issue Goa has been battling over with Karnataka for more than two decades.
Union Minister of Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat recently said that Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada districts have been identified as focus tourism destinations. He also said that the development of beach and coastal tourism in Karnataka is a priority. In October 2024, the Karnataka government cleared its new tourism policy, with the government eyeing investments to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore in the sector.
Karnataka has a long coastline of around 320 km. Goa’s is around 120 km long. Karnataka’s tourism department, which has been active lately, has shown the state’s eagerness to promote tourism in a big way by way of its tourism policy. Their Om and Devbagh beaches are already popular with foreign tourists. There are many more, though they are not big names to the outside world, unlike Goa’s sandy shores, but they hold huge potential. Hampi has been a popular destination for foreign and domestic tourists for decades. Foreigners who would sunbathe on Goan beaches used to visit Hampi, among other places in the neighbouring state. If new circuits connecting beaches to such destinations are announced, they could be an attraction.
Brand Goa has evolved over the decades, and it is mainly due to the efforts of the private enterprise. Lately, Goa has rightly tried to move to the hinterlands. However, beach tourism still remains visitors’ focus. On this front, Goa is far ahead, as our shack allottees have also added charm to the beach tourism. Beach resorts continue to host ‘destination weddings,’ and the aura they create is mystical.
Over the years, Karnataka has not developed its beach tourism much. However, lately it seems to have understood the revenue potential the industry holds for boosting its economy. Director of Karnataka Tourism, Rajendra K V, recently emphasised that changes are necessary to attract tourists. He has spoken of formulating guidelines for beach tourism under the tourism policy. Tent tourism is one of the things they are considering on some beaches. The state has several proposals to give beach tourism a big push. Private enterprise has already shown interest in investing in the tourism sector there. What the entrepreneurs need are some major decisions or relaxations to the existing laws in force. These include the sale of alcohol on the beaches, like that seen in Goa.
What better time for Karnataka to push its tourism than when Goa has received flak from outside Goa at the hands of social media influencers?
False propaganda has to be challenged. Keeping quiet doesn’t help. We have to counter not only figures but also what we have on offer and where the tourist will have a hassle-free and a reasonably priced holiday. The stakeholders know the ground reality. The Goa government announced that in 2024 Goa received over 1 crore tourists. But what is our carrying capacity? We need to put systems in place. The government has proposed to have designated zones to allow music beyond 10 pm. Goa cannot ignore the tourism-related developments in Karnataka. Just like the Mhadei, we could be finding ourselves wanting. Goa needs amusement parks, efficient public transport, including waterways, timely clampdowns on illegalities, better roads, etc., to compete with new tourism destinations in our neighbourhood.
