'Has taxi mafia but...': This investor visits Goa twice a year; here's what he has to say

Amid the debate over Goa's declining charm, an investor shares that he visits India's beach paradise twice a year, calling it 'my favourite destination in India.' "I visit Goa twice every year: once in the rains and once during the winter months. My favourite time is the rainy season though," Rajesh Sawhney said in a tweet on Saturday. 

The investor said he loves Goa's vibe, beaches, and cafes. "Each time I visit, I find something new to explore. More importantly, I feel at home." "Yes, it has a taxi mafia but it also offers you multiple options to rent bikes or even a Thar," Sawhney said and asked: "Koyi aur iss se aacha hai toh, batao (if there is anyone or anything better than this, let me know)."

A debate has emerged over the decline in foreign arrivals to Goa, with some travelers citing the state’s "taxi mafias" and high accommodation costs as key factors contributing to the drop in international tourism.

Goa's tourism department has refuted the claims that the number of foreign tourists has declined. 

Ricardo D'Souza, owner of Club Tito, has also asserted that there is no drop in foreign arrivals. However, he said, some things could be done to make it easier for foreign as well as Indian tourists to come to Goa.

"It's the visa situation. I have so many friends, Russians, English, Americans, and Germans. They all had a problem getting visas from the Indian embassy. Even today, two Russians called - Russia is supposed to be a friendly country of India -- they were stopped at the airport and they were really harassed. This does not bode well for foreign tourist arrival."

D'Souza said Goa is extremely busy and today hotels are overpriced does not make any sense. "It is plain simple supply and demand. Hotels are expensive because the demand is huge. That itself shows that tourism in Goa is not dropping," he said while speaking to a local news outlet. 

State tourism minister Rohan Khaunte has also countered the claims that foreign tourists have ditched Goa. He noted an increase in tourist numbers in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels. Last year, according to him, the state welcomed 81,75,460 domestic tourists and 4,52,702 international visitors, totaling 86,28,162 tourists. In comparison, 2019 saw 71,27,287 domestic tourists and 9,37,114 international tourists, amounting to a total of 80,64,400 visitors. 

This reflects a significant rise in overall tourist numbers post-pandemic, Khaunte said, adding that while a report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) indicates that Asia is still at an 18 per cent deficit in tourist footfall post-pandemic, Goa's numbers show progress. "As a country, we are still on the road to recovery from the pandemic's impact, which has shifted consumer behavior and preferences."