EDITORIAL
Goa’s tourism success must translate into sustainable benefits for local enterprises
The peak tourism season may be over, but Goa continues to attract visitors during the monsoon months. Since the late 1980s, the state government has promoted what came to be known as ‘raindrop tourism’, a concept that gathered momentum in the 1990s. The idea was to showcase a quieter, greener side of Goa and attract travellers, particularly from the Gulf region, seeking respite from the intense summer heat in their countries. Despite conducting costly roadshows in Gulf markets over the years, Goa has not succeeded in attracting Arab tourists in significant numbers, even though many regularly visit Mumbai.
Over the past two decades, Goa has gradually opened up its hinterland areas to tourism. Spice plantations became attractions in their own right, drawing foreign visitors. White-water rafting, introduced more than a decade ago, has also attracted large numbers of tourists, particularly younger travellers. For more than a decade now, Goa has witnessed what is often described as mass tourism. While there is pride in the increasing number of tourist arrivals, managing the consequences has become increasingly challenging.
The Tourism Department’s proactive approach is a positive development. For many years, beach shacks routinely opened late, but that issue appears to have been addressed. Recently, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte announced that the Goa State Shack Policy would be extended by another year. As a result, shack operators who have been running shacks over the past three years will be allowed to continue for one more year. The Minister has also promised to begin the renewal process at the earliest so that shacks can be erected well before the season begins. He further stated that drones have been proposed for beach surveillance across the state to
monitor illegal activities.
If drones prove to be an effective mechanism for detecting violations by seasonal shacks, the government should consider deploying the same technology to identify other CRZ violations as well. Shacks, among the few tourism-related businesses run by locals, have remained under government scrutiny for a long time. In contrast, other entrepreneurs who operate clandestinely, sometimes even encroaching on government land, rivulets and saltpans, often come under the spotlight only after a tragedy occurs. The Birch nightclub tragedy, in which 25 innocent people lost their lives, is a classic example.
According to the department, hotel owners highlighted the increasing number of tourist accommodations being operated from unlicensed residential flats and apartments, particularly within gated complexes. These establishments, they said, are often owned by investors residing outside Goa and managed locally through caretakers without obtaining the necessary registrations, safety certifications and approvals. Such unregulated operations, they said, are creating unfair competition for licensed operators. Many compliant C and D category accommodation have reportedly been forced to substantially reduce room tariffs, even during peak tourist periods, affecting their financial sustainability and long-term viability.
The hotel owners collectively recommended a temporary moratorium on the issuance of new tourism licences until a comprehensive audit of existing registered properties is undertaken, according to the department. C and D category enterprises are largely run by locals, and it is important that they are not adversely affected by government policies. On the contrary, the government must ensure that such local entrepreneurs and Swayampurna Goenkars are among the biggest beneficiaries of the tourism ecosystem.
