An account of the dark side of Goa’s Tourism and a plausible solution

Abstract

On the glistening holiday flyers, Goa is every tourist’s yearning of a peaceful sun-drenched heaven. Ever since the Hippies discovered this erstwhile Portuguese colony in the sixties, tourists have been flocking this land of good times. Over the decades, Goa which once boasted of virgin white beaches, inconspicuous locals, and the green finery, has evolved a hideous side which detonates violently, raising questions and demanding solutions. Glance through any of the local dailies- crime, perversion, and in general degradation of social, cultural structure seems to have become more of a norm rather than an exception. Can this be the outfall of unplanned, harried, unbridled growth of the tourism industry in the state? This paper looks into the progression of the dark side of tourism in the state of Goa. A survey of 300 domestic as well as 300 international tourists was undertaken to understand their sense of safety and security in visiting this State. The paper concludes that ‘Village Tourism” could be a plausible solution to the unabated crimes related to tourism in the state. Key Words: Crime, Goa, Village Tourism

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