Goa – Looking ahead??

Goa is one of the few states in India where there has been a never ending stream of inbound visitors for over four decades, much before tourism left its mark in other parts of India. Kashmir, Rajasthan, Delhi, Goa & Agra were the undisputed leaders in the sixties, seventies, eighties, much before other states stepped in. The movement of charters to Goa began in the eighties, first with arrivals from United Kingdom, Scaninavia & Germany. It was difficult to procure a room during season time, especially Xmas & New Year, when the `full-up' notice was put two months prior. Charters meant a lot for Goa, the lean season were the monsoon & hot summer months.

Large tour charter services brought in citizens from across Western Europe, the surf, large stretches of isolated beaches, languid lifestyles, clean waters, & low all inclusive air plus land prices managed to lure them. Over the past decade focus shifted to Eastern Europe with many Russian based tour operators dominating the charter market. While charters meant mega bucks for service providers, the beaches in Goa wore the East European look with a majority of hotels, beach shacks, restaurants, souvenir & curio shops having their signboards & menu cards printed in Russian & other East European languages. Two trends were being followed, which ultimately proved detrimental. Overdependence on charters & on one region to bring in the business. In fact, for the winter season beginning October 2014 to February 2015, 450 charters were being planned with a likelihood of more being added. This is not to deny that leisure groups, backpackers, incentives & domestic tourists made a sizable contribution to tourism in Goa.

For all its advantages charter tourism is a different economic model with the accent on bulk bookings at low prices, be it for air tickets, hotel rooms or for transportation. FIT travelers form yet another business model with spending styles which are more local centric. For example local restaurants will be patronized to a larger scale for evening meals as compared to charters, which are all inclusive. The second disadvantage was relying on one singular `group of nations' to fulfill the arrival numbers & the aspirations of the tourism industry.

This proved to be Goa's greatest nemesis as the Russian Rouble crashed bringing it almost on par with the Indian Rupee (currently 1 Russian ruble equals 1.25 Rs; no thanks to the embargo imposed on Russia by western nations & its challenging economic condition). Along with the crash in the value of their currency it also brought the curtains down on arrivals from Russia (Goa's biggest inbound partner) & its neighboring countries in 2014-15. Close to 75% of the charters were cancelled, hoteliers & tour operators were shell-shocked, while restaurants still managed to run to decent capacities, largely due to unabated domestic tourism movement. Many souvenir & gift shops in South Goa downed their shutters. Much like a Tsunami it left the hospitality industry dumb-struck. For someone who's been visiting this region for the past twenty five years, it came as no surprise.

While there is no denying the unending surge of domestic tourists will keep cash registers ringing in the Goan hospitality industry, Goa will seek to regain its lost glory of the eighties & nineties, where spending a week lazing on its golden sands was deemed natural for most international visitors. Backpackers too enjoyed the feel of the place: be it the endless stretch of narrow roads bisecting paddy fields, verdant coconut groves, white-washed churches with the main cross `reaching' for the skies, hills looming in the distance & the endless sound of the ocean. Easy availability of alcohol at dirt cheap prices, delectable local cuisine added to the increasing numbers.

The uppermost question in one's mind is how does Goa go about fixing this humungous task? What should its marketing strategy be? Should it once again concentrate its efforts on one nationality or should it learn from previous experiences. Should charters once again be its main focus or should it seek small group & individual clients? Easy as it may seem, destination management & awareness has changed dramatically over the past one decade, as compared to the twentieth century when destinations were promoted by word of mouth & the print media. In this time & age it's social media & experiential visits that do most of the `talking.'

At moments like these, the state needs to introspect. Granted, it will spend huge amounts of money marketing its destination in different parts of the world & at various international exhibitions & platforms to garner footfalls. And it will. It's the introspection & acting upon (the challenges) that will reap long term rewards. Like some other parts of India, meandering rivers bring in pollutants & discharge them into the oceans, rendering both the river & the beach front unsuitable for human habitation. River Mandovi & Miramar beach is a classic example, which needs to be set right at the earliest. International tourists take their vacations seriously, & are willing to pay the price. There is the issue of fast depleting water tables in some areas of Northern Goa, like Baga & Candolim for instance. Consumption of alcohol in the open needs to be put to an end soon, quiet often tourists consume beer on open roads & in public places creating a nuisance for one & all. The state also needs to understand the culture of installing footpaths for people to walk on busy roads, especially those entering beach areas. Not all visitors like to drive, many like to walk, most important it's the `feel-safe' factor that's important for international visitors. Today's visitors clamor for fresh air & food, clean water, good sanitation, uninterrupted power supply, garbage-free zones & tourist friendly locations (staring is considered intrusive by many nationalities).

And finally Goa needs to promote its classical village tours, cashew picking programs, day visits to goan villages, backwater tourism, its rock art, plantation tours, heritage walks in the old quarters, visits to museums, & a number of other initiatives involving & benefitting locals. Cozily ensconced between the scenic Western Ghats (mountains) & the translucent waters of the Arabian Sea, Goa has enough surprises & touristic wonders to enthrall the discerning visitor. The modern day wanderer having discovered new experiences will return for more.

- Hector Dsouza