Weekend jaunts and Goa

Quite contrary to the notion that it was a packed and exhaustive tourist season for Goa the last two months, news reports on this matter would have us believe otherwise.

With tourism stakeholders voicing concerns over the lower-than-expected occupancy rates and reduced crowds, apprehensions over Goa losing its charm among tourists are indeed a matter of great concern for the state.

As the backbone of Goa’s economy, the tourism sector ought to have played a significant role in driving its growth. But has it really!

Notwithstanding the claims made by the government about the season being exceptional with a record number of footfalls, it is the unease among captains in the tourism industry who have emphasised the need for reforms that resonates the simmering discontent within the industry over the hype built up around the ‘marquee’ events which showcases Goa as that state to be in during the festivities.

With news about the starred hotels and the bevy of luxury resorts and tourist homes which thrive in the coastal state stretched to full occupancy the past couple of months, these apprehensions do appear unfounded.

Year-end tourism has generally been a money-spinner for the state with visitors thronging the state to just be a part of the grand celebrations that mark the season.

Moreover, efforts are on to introduce every aspect of Goan life as a tourism charm to attract more footfalls has indeed been innovative with the hinterlands in the state too poised to receive the sort of attention that has hitherto been a neglected feature of Goan tourism.

The promotional strategies that once again catapult the coastal state to the zenith of popularity as the most favoured global destination do not however seem to have taken into account the operational methods and standards which will define the success of the ventures envisaged.

It is difficult to perceive whether the holistic approach to tourism envisaged has been able to identify conditions that affect the industry in Goa.

However, equating the increased footfalls as a sure indicator of an ‘exceptional’ tourism season the state has been experiencing is definitely an error in reasoning.

It is not numbers but the quality of footfalls that matter which can be measured by assessing the number of repeat visitors and the bounce rate.

These days Goa is attracting the attention of visitors for all the wrong reasons. The types of crowds that throng the state further substantiate that belief.

With the arrival of tourists solely intent on having a good time, the very concept of tourism in Goa has undergone a metaphorical change to evolve into something that is clearly an antithesis of whatever the experience it actually held out earlier in terms of exhilaration, cultural engagement, local cuisine, and accessibility.

Today it is ‘weekend’ tourism that has the state’s hotspots packed with people who are here today and gone tomorrow, but invariably leaving a palpable difference with their atrocious mannerisms.

With hill-station destinations in North India going much the same way, it is the topography and the serenity of the places which are falling prey to these examples of unhealthy and unsustainable tourism.

For a state that is heavily dependent on tourism to sustain its economy, it comes as a huge disappointment to have the administration’s insensitiveness to the negative consequences of mass tourism on the quality of life for locals.

The escalation in ‘shack brawls’ is just the tip of the iceberg!  By encouraging these ‘weekend’ jaunts isn’t Goa doing itself a disservice?

If this ‘increase’ in footfalls gives the state something to gloat over, it is apparent that considering the present state of affairs, it has no definite plans in place to augment earnings through a more systematic approach to tourism.

Every region has much more to offer than just its food and drinks. In tapping the available resources which enhance the expanse’s natural attributes which could then be highlighted as its unique features to entice visitors, it is apparent that the state has run out of ideas and finds that Goa is gradually attaining the status of a ‘one-visit wonder’.

If the teeming crowds on the beaches and streets of the cities are any indication of the huge influx of tourists in the state, the sights of vacationers making use of public changing rooms and sleeping in their vehicles should give one an inkling of the type of tourists Goa is attracting.  Has high-end tourism bid adieu to the coastal state? 

Moreover, the obvious fact that people who seek unique and personalized experiences that are comfortable, exclusive, and high quality are shying away from adding Goa to their tour itinerary speaks for the sorry state of tourism in the state.

Does such a situation come of a complacence that the increased footfalls -  which have come in any which way possible - is an indication of a healthy tourist season without really understanding the rudiments of tourism which lay emphasis on a host of factors for its success.

It is time we moved over from crass tourism to welcome a more robust one where class, and not the quantity, would be the criteria for deciding a successful season.

This however does not imply that travel is an expression of privilege!

Budget travelling has its own frills and thrills. Opting for cheaper destinations and travelling during ‘shoulder season’, people have managed to draw good travel programmes to enjoy the hospitability of the places they visit.

In fact such people have made repeated tours of the coastal state to explore every nook-and-corner of the vast expanse of the region and take home pleasant memories of the place.  

Along with the high-end tourism that industry stakeholders are pining for to bolster their businesses, budget travellers will have their own role to play in enhancing the beauty of Goa.

Let us understand that it is this diverse group of travellers visiting Goa which will afford Goa its unique standing in global tourism.