Over the years, over past decades, numbers have been growing, new streams in activities developing, a product grown out of curated events like nowhere else in the country. It has become the holiday capital to go to, for all reasons, as a wedding destination, as fun and frolic capital, for culinary destination for its amazing restaurants and bars, for the locally crafted gins and whiskies that have given its local entrepreneurs new avenues for business. It has all the ingredients needed for a memorable holiday, not for a lifetime but for repeated experiences making the city the number one favourite for second homes. In fact, over time, made it their adopted home by choice.
There is good quality infection in the air, that you breathe the moment you land! It is contagious and wants you to come back again and again. What then has happened? Too much of a good thing leads often to its abuse. To a small section of the overall basket, the lure of liquor, partying and also drugs. It is inescapable. It is there, for those who want it. Cheap liquor is a big attraction, primarily meant to service the state’s local population, but which attracts the lower end of travellers and tourists. Booze is cheaper in Goa than in neighbouring states.
This segment has grown steadily as they too find it fun, come in groups in buses and vans, stay inside them, cook their own food, contribute nothing to the local economy. What can the state do with them? Charge a visitor tax, whatever be that amount, collect a few crores and plough it back into increasing safety and security around every tourist area. Goa’s beaches need their sand back, shacks are critical but must be ensured safe, patrolling through high tech is increasingly important. It will cost money – more deployment of security, CCTV controlled.
What of the advent of the outsider? An erroneous charge made recklessly without deep thought. It is the same outsider who has pumped money into holidays at upper class hotels, getting more and more expensive by the day, bought into land and built fancy villas contributing in taxes, registration of sale deeds and putting huge money into the hands of locals from whom the land was bought. Who drinks all the fancy liquor distilled in the state? Only the outsider? Like in every successful city, the locals learn to live with outsiders, like in all big cities like in Delhi and Mumbai, a city evolves, lives with change. So, we in Delhi have a class called the original Chandni Chowk wallas, while the ‘others’ came as outsiders and settled in. Invariably, as in Delhi as well, the original settlers get lost in the increasing influx, become complacent or are somewhat lacking the spirit and enterprise of the outsider. But without the outsider, the city would just not be.
Goa has not made peace with this influx, and often even the powers that be, launch attacks on outsiders, often called the north or still more critical, the Delhiites! Which evades the central question and defies a solution. Today, seriousness of purpose in finding solutions is missing. If the powers that be, have recognised the problems, they have preferred not to act. For reasons of playing to local politics and galleries.
In all this endeavour our national malaise has also settled into the local psyche. Corruption, that is getting worse. In the current narrative there is money to be made – both formal and some less so. Hotels have made hay, the sun has been shining, though it it is now a bit cloudy. In the last few years, buoyed by its own successes, the tourism sector began charging whatever they could think of, astronomical numbers that defied logic. Soon, the tourist realised he was being shortchanged. He saw he had options to cheaper and more quality experiences. Now this was one area where Goa also saw slackening in its effort – ensuring quality! Public transport is non-existent, taxis are run under a deeply entrenched mafia and the politician has been quick in clearing more hotels and residential proposals. Goa needs more quality things to do, like beach safaris, high end camps on beaches, distinctly unique experiences built around the rich and varied topography of the state.
Numbers may not be down, overall, but quality numbers are. If the earlier ratio was 60 for well-heeled and 40 for the lower end, it has now become 30 for the well-heeled. Tourists are also finding holiday homes more affordable, where a four-bedroom villa can take unlimited numbers, you order in your food, and don’t pay any extra for liquor.
So, we do have a problem. It needs solutions. A serious intent has been missing! It would take honest introspection and some ten years ahead to rectify the ground reality. The sooner we start the better.