Commentary
 

Ensuring Sustainability of Goa’s Tourism by Nandkumar Kamat http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=092427 TOURISM and mining are backbones of Goa’s economy. Small and highly urbanized states like Goa need to plan their tourism sector carefully to ensure the sustainability of the industry, safeguard the economic assets of the investors and the direct and indirect employment opportunities created by tourism dependent economic activities. Despite a five year old tourism policy and a master plan, the basic structural, administrative, infrastructural reforms in tourism sector have not still taken off. The industry is surviving almost on its’ own. Although tourism is a year round activity in Goa-the industry and the government recognizes the October to May season as the official tourist season. This is considered the best period to visit and experience Goa. After celebrating the boom last year, the local tourism industry is gearing up for another promising tourist season. The tourists visiting Goa spent Rs 2,600 crore during 2006. The trade provided direct employment to more than one lakh people and indirect employment to almost the same number. For domestic tourists Goa has become a window to Europe. Some recent Hindi films have also made Goa more popular as a destination. Just 20 years ago only eight lakh tourists from different states had visited Goa. This figure crossed two million mark in 2004 and may reach close to three million by end of May 2008. A domestic tourist spends on average five to seven days in Goa and contributes three to five thousand rupees per capita. For international tourists, Goa still offers a peaceful, terrorism and violence free, enjoyable destination. The international tourist arrivals have tripled in the past 15 years and may reach half a million mark in 2010. A foreign tourist stays for 12 to 21 days in Goa and may spend a minimum Rs 50,000. If states were to receive awards for their per capita foreign exchange earning capacity then the first award would have been bagged by Goa. The tourism sector in Goa contributes close to Rs 3,000 crore to country’s foreign exchange. The state and the central government have no machinery to collect the tourism related trade statistics at micro level. There are hundreds of small, mini and microenterprises in the tourism areas which may not be still registered with state sales tax authorities. For sales of goods and services the tourism entrepreneurs in non organized sector do not issue any kind of cash memos or receipts. It is difficult to keep a track of such trade turnover. An operator of water sports facility earns more than ten thousand rupees per day during peak season. A good masseur would earn a few thousand rupees every day. The weekly flea market at Anjuna sees a trade of crores of rupees during the season. It is generally seen that both the domestic and foreign tourists are willing to pay better prices for better and efficient services. Tourists are Goa’s honored guests. They do not visit Goa to encounter ugliness, congestion, traffic snarls, overflowing sewage, heaps of stinking garbage, contaminated water, power breakdowns, rude Police officers, extortionist touts and the local mafias with strong political loyalties. Tourists visit Goa to seek novelty, enjoy fun, taste the food, experience peace or Nirvana and get a taste of a tropical Mediterranean ambience. But the present picture of Goa’s core tourism areas- the beaches ( from Keri to Siridao and Bogmalo to Palolem ) and the hinterland does not offer a picture of environmentally, ecologically, socially, culturally and economically sustainable tourism. There is progressive deterioration of the natural beauty and aesthetics of the coastline. Palolem beach has become an ugly replica of Calangute. The serenity of Ashwem and Morajim has disappeared. Vagator is beyond recognition. Baga is heavily congested. The Baga cliff is sinking into the sea as per local reports. The Baga estuary has become an open gutter. Calangute is a nightmare and Candolim still sports the River Princess ship as a surrealistic marine installation. Bambolim beach faces the threat of total private control and Siridao beach has turned absolutely ugly. Instead of solving the accumulated problems, it is seen that with the conclusion of every tourist season more problems are added. This is not an approach suitable for planning sustainable tourism. Even late entrants on tourism horizon-orthodox, multiethnic countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have managed to create a world class ambience for the tourists. They are constantly learning from deficiencies in their infrastructure and tourist services. But Goa lacks this kind of vision, commitment and professional leadership. Goa could be certainly the flagship of tourist destinations in southeast Asia provided there is a fundamental paradigm shift in the approach of the government. Competitiveness is just one aspect of the trade. But tourists are not merely attracted to cheaper packages unless they know that they would get value for their money and a total, refreshing experience. The government needs to hold multistakeholder consultations at village panchayat level in all tourism areas and short list high priority action points. The village panchayats have absolutely no idea about sustainable tourism planning at micro level. There is a systematic racket involved in exempting the hotels and rent back apartments from paying the mandatory house tax. If the local elected representatives merely view the tourist trade in their areas as an opportunity to extract commissions and kickbacks then they would permanently endanger the future of the industry once it moves away to other destinations. It would not be easy for them to fill the economic and employment vaccum. Without ensuring micro level community participation, multistakeholder consultations, incorporation of valuable feedback from the tourists in improved decision making it is impossible to ensure sustainability of tourism in Goa. Sustainable tourism also means clean and socially acceptable, morally responsible tourism which has no place for promotion or silent socio-political sanctifaction of drugs, gambling and sex trade. Community education and participation is also necessary to prevent any terrorist threats. It would be difficult for any terrorist to work in tourist areas without recruiting a local operative. Goa Police are ill equipped in field intelligence. The criminal-police-politician nexus is well known. If it is not destroyed by the combined will of the civil society and the media – maintaining law and order in the tourism area would be a nightmare. According to a reliable source, large number of discharged, unemployed, young, allegedly Maoist Nepalese cadres have entered in Goa to penetrate the private security services and take up any type of jobs in tourism sector. They are also suspected to assist the drug running networks and sex trade. Under these circumstances ensuring sustainability of tourism in Goa would be a major challenge. We have to wait, watch and pray.