Goa is gradually losing its attraction as a favorite international holiday destination among foreign tourists. It needs to change its basic offering beyond beaches and the blazing hot sun. Foreigners are afraid to come to the world renowned Indian holiday beach destination as it is in controversy for various things like, rape, murder, eves teasing, etc.
Whenever you hear the name Goa, you start imagining long, clean beaches with bikini clad foreigners. But this picture of Goa is changing with time. Very few international tourists are here to spend their quality holiday time. The best international holiday destination of India has been the Taj Mahal for the past few years. Goa has been going down on the graphs of popularity as a tourist destination after the death of a British tourist Scarlett Keeling, whose body was found on the Anjuna beach in Goa on February 18th, 2010.
Goa cannot afford to lose international tourists as tourism is the backbone of the tiny beach state of India. Sun-starved tourists from the European countries take a break from their routine life and escape to Goa for its serene climate. Sipping beer, smoking marijuana, playing beach volley ball or just getting a natural sun tan is what they come here for. The government should make it a point to secure the foreign tourists and give them the best service possible when they visit our country. The hotel industry in Goa is flourishing due to the huge flock of foreigners. The hotels, beach shacks, restaurants, rented tourist vehicle agents earn their daily bread from these tourists. So something substantial should be done to protect our ‘guests’ and make them feel at home.
Indian government has engaged Bollywood stars to endorse the campaigns where foreign tourists are treated as our guest of honour. If we all start taking such steps, India can attract many tourists and Goa can once again become a paradise in real sense.
Sean Tribianni
