A little bit of something for everybody in Goa

It’s early October, the retreating monsoon has sent a thunderous warning of its departure and Goa carries on as usual, coping with another tourism season that has got underway.

The tourists are back, doing what tourists usually do in Goa – enjoying the sun and the sand and the surf, gawking at heritage sites, touring the markets, eating and drinking of the best.

So, what’s new this season – other than the fact that the beach shacks were up at the start of the season and that the charters came in right at the beginning of the month?

That definitely makes for a bright start to the season, but is Goa offering anything new or different to the tourists who have started coming in large numbers?

Goa Tourism is on the path of tourism. Its website, as it refers to this, admits that ‘tourism has long been a double-edged sword, contributing to economic development while often causing environmental degradation and cultural erosion.’ Most Goans would agree with that.

So, what’s new this season – other than the fact that the beach shacks were up at the start of the season and that the charters came in right at the beginning of the month? That definitely makes for a bright start to the season, but is Goa offering anything new or different to the tourists who have started coming in large numbers?

The website goes on to say that, ‘In recent years, a paradigm shift towards more sustainable practices has emerged, and one such approach gaining prominence is regenerative tourism. Unlike conventional tourism, which may exploit natural resources and local cultures, tourism seeks to restore and revitalize destinations, leaving them better off than before.’

We would like to see that, too.

As Goa looks forward to regenerative tourism playing a major role in giving Goa a chance at staying atop the favoured destination list, this is perhaps the best time to bring in some changes in the tourism sector on these lines.

Currently, tourists appear to be more drawn to places that give them the best moments. So, you have them riding on their rented two-wheelers and four-wheelers to the coconut-tree lined roads for that enviable picture, or video, that can be posted online, and draw likes and shares aplenty.

Currently, tourists appear to be more drawn to places that give them the best Instagrammable moments. So, you have them riding on their rented two-wheelers and four-wheelers to the coconut-tree lined roads for that enviable picture, or video, that can be posted online, and draw likes and shares aplenty.

Or, they take those same vehicles to the heritage areas of Panjim in particular, for pictures against the backdrop of colonial buildings, painted in vibrant colours and whose architectural designs set them apart from the others.

It can be safely concluded that Goa’s -fringed roads and heritage areas are a big draw to tourists. If we are discussing sustainable and regenerative tourism, what is it that the coconut farmer and the resident of the heritage house are getting from the disturbance caused by tourists seeking pictures?

Why not, then, turn this into a learning experience to the tourists and an earning experience to the residents?

Shouldn’t tourists also learn of the – the tree, the nut and its uses? Can’t farmers be engaged to give tourists a short talk on all this for a small fee?

It’s a thought and if that may not be completely feasible, shouldn’t the tourists learn of the heritage houses they photograph and contribute to their upkeep?

People’s houses in the and Sao Tome areas of Panjim have become a free backdrop for pictures and videos, that are uploaded, and ‘influencers’ actually earn from these online posts. Is that fair? Surely not to the people living in those houses.

It is quite a different matter when one stands on the road and clicks a picture, from when one leans against a window or on a door, or dances in front of either of these for a video.

If a resident is not comfortable having tourists on their doorstep, then they have the right to say so, and Goa Tourism should respect these wishes.

Goa Tourism should consider these issues in its policy of regenerative tourism. The policy has to be all encompassing giving all an opportunity to regenerate – here, the coconut farmer as well as the owner of the heritage house whose coconut tree or residence is a tourist .

The same Goa Tourism webpage on regenerative tourism, referring to benefits and under the head Environmental Conservation states, ‘Through sustainable practices and a commitment to conservation, regenerative tourism helps protect ecosystems and biodiversity.

This is exactly what this column is suggesting – keeping intact natural resource that draw tourists, benefits for the local community and a richer experience for the tourists.

This ensures that the natural attractions that draw tourists remain intact for future generations.’

And under Cultural Enrichment states, ‘Regenerative tourism supports cultural preservation, fostering pride and a sense of identity among local communities. This not only benefits residents, but also provides a richer and more authentic experience for tourists.’

This is exactly what this column is suggesting – keeping intact natural resource that tourists, benefits for the local community and a richer experience for the tourists.