Goa losing sheen? Pearl of Orient witnessing downfall

May Indians have recently drawn attention to the exorbitant prices in tourist hotspot Goa. And now, with the hospital sector of the international beach destination down in the dumps, the CEIC Data report confirmed a drastic fall in tourists visiting the place.

It is learned that more Russians and Brits are now opting for Sri Lanka and Phuket which have better infrastructure and easy visa norms than Goa. According to CEIC, only 1.5 million foreign tourists visited Goa in 2023, compared to 8.5 million in 2019. Normally, it is between October and December that Goa witnesses a sea of tourists. However, this year, the numbers have taken a fall. Many are blaming the tax mafias in the state for taking away the old sheen of the pristine beach location.

Some experts cite the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war to have affected tourism in Goa since a lion’s share of tourists in Goa are Eastern Europeans. The conflict in Gaza and Israel is also blamed for the downfall in the number of foreign visitors to Goa.

Some do have a contrarian opinion as they blame the exorbitant food price, and living cost to be a reason for more tourists ditching Goa and heading towards Phuket and Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Vietnam is leveraging Goa’s downfall.

Goans should impose reasonable prices for food and transport to revive back the hospitality sector rather than rolling the red carpet for neighbouring beach destinations. Many Indian tourists have also shared their ordeal after visiting Goa due to the exorbitant prices for food and transportation.