Goa's big tourism clean-up: New law cracks down on touts, hawkers, and public nuisance

With tourist footfall crossing 54.5 lakh in just six months, Goa has moved to tighten regulation at its busiest locations. On Friday, the Goa Assembly passed the Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Amendment Bill, 2025, introducing tougher penalties and expanding the legal definition of nuisance at tourist sites across the state.

Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, who tabled the bill, said the legislation was aimed at cracking down on unauthorised touting and maintaining order. "There are agents for everything, and this bill is a positive step to regulate and eliminate touting activities," he said during the discussion.

The revised law broadens the definition of "nuisance" to include a wide range of activities that disrupt tourist areas. These include operating boats or floating objects that pose a danger or cause pollution, pestering tourists to buy goods or services, consuming alcohol or breaking glass bottles in unauthorised places, cooking in open or non-designated areas, and littering. 

It also covers the unauthorised sale of tickets or conduct of water sports in non-designated zones, unauthorised hawking and begging, operating vehicles on beaches, and promoting or selling tourism services for destinations outside Goa without permission. Additionally, obstructing the free movement of tourists or engaging in coercive sales tactics now falls under punishable offences.

Under the amended section 10, offenders can now face a minimum fine of ₹5,000, which may go up to ₹1 lakh. Violators may also be charged under section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 for disobeying a public servant’s order.

Additionally, the new section 10A introduces a biennial review of fines. The government can revise penalties by up to 10% every two years, based on inputs from the competent authority.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, the bill was necessary due to a rise in violations that have disrupted public order, damaged the environment, and affected the quality of the tourism experience. “This move aims to promote responsible and regenerative tourism in Goa while ensuring a safe, clean, and hospitable environment at tourist locations,” the document stated.

Goa Tourism Department data released last month showed that the state welcomed 54.55 lakh tourists between January and June 2025. Of these, 51.84 lakh were domestic travellers, while 2.71 lakh were international visitors. January led the tally with 10.56 lakh tourists, followed by February (9.05 lakh) and March (8.89 lakh). The numbers include nearly 70,000 foreign tourists in January and over 60,000 each in February and March.