Social media exploded over the weekend after an X (Twitter) user shared data claiming that Goa Tourism was down in the dumps and pointed to data shared by a Chinese think-tank to suggest that the number of foreign tourist arrivals had failed to reach pre-Covid levels and was not even a fraction of the numbers. The numbers posted by the user are wildly inaccurate and as such there is no point referring to them. However, the larger points and trends that the data might point to are likely to be true and indicative of the general direction in which Goa is going.
More than that, however, it is the barrage of hate and negative experiences that people share is what made the whole thing an issue in the first place. The Goa Tourism Department responded with a police complaint against the X user for allegedly causing public mischief and inducing fear or alarm within the local community.
Like every story, there are two sides to this. The behaviour of tourists visiting the state has deteriorated significantly and as a consequence, Goans who were once known for hospitality too have begun to return rude behaviour with rude behaviour. Clashes between tourists and locals, instances of irresponsible driving by tourists, and public nuisance by tourists have all grown over the years.
But the heart of the matter is simply this. Goa has crossed its carrying capacity for tourists. The carrying capacity of a place is defined as the point beyond which, if the number of arrivals continues to increase it results in a progressively worse experience for both arrivals and residents. It starts to deteriorate. It is not without reason that the state Tourism Department has begun to unleash terms like regenerative tourism, responsible tourism, environmental restoration, community empowerment, and cultural preservation.
The Goa Tourism Department must acknowledge the limits of Goa's capacity and the limitations of the residents’ patience. Instead, however, the department has decided to file a case against the Twitter user fearing that his tweets will hamper the State's appeal as a beach tourism destination and dampen its growth prospects.
It might be true, as some have suggested, that the tweet is part of a larger conspiracy to defame Goa deliberately released at a time when the World Travel Mart is underway in London. While not discounting that possibility, it reflects poorly on the state that it is publicly trying to shoot down criticism on social media. Goa certainly does not deserve all the hate it is getting, and frankly, the state's people don't owe visiting tourists the self-effacing hospitality they expect of a hotel bellboy.
Tourism is a crucial factor in Goa's economy and though Goa survived the Covid pandemic and shutdown, the experience also taught locals what it was like to reclaim their state. Goa's enduring appeal has been the slow pace of life, and the hospitality of its people, and is different from other cities grappling with traffic jams, poor air quality and claustrophobic living spaces.
The tourism department needs to recognize Goa's problems for what they are and also recognize the risks the State faces if it mindlessly seeks growth of arrivals at all costs. Filing a case against the Twitter user solves nobody's problems.
