Amid growing debate over shrinking tourist footfalls in Goa, Capitalmind founder and CEO Deepak Shenoy on Sunday shared his reasons for choosing Thailand over Goa for his New Year break. In a candid social media post, Shenoy highlighted his love for Goa's food, locals, and atmosphere but pointed out issues that tarnished the beach experience for him and his family.
"I went to Thailand for the New Year break, and Goa was a choice. But not for the reasons any of you people on Twitter go bonkers about," he said. "The lifeguards in Goa whistle like mad when you swim even a few meters into the sea. And that ruins the experience for me and my kids."
In the last few weeks, several travellers pointed out that Goa was losing tourists as it had become too expensive compared to some Southeast Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Some also said that local cab operators were operating like "mafias" and charging exorbitant prices.
However, Shenoy said Thailand wasn't cheaper, where he went, "though Goa is more expensive than earlier." "I drive there so wouldn't have cabs as a pain. I don't think restaurants in Goa are too expensive, but that's because I finally have some money," he added.
The entrepreneur said that Goa is a wonderful place, but the lifeguard whistling is a pain. "Some beaches have aggro stray dogs too. This hurts a family beach experience, and I think i found an alternative that's more peaceful. I'll still do a lot of Goa for the food and the atmosphere and the people."
Shenoy's post comes amid ongoing discussions sparked by social media influencers and commentators, some of whom have claimed that tourists are increasingly favoring Southeast Asian destinations over Goa. Recently, one influencer said Goa was “empty” during New Year. However, the state's tourism rejected the claim.
Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said there was a deliberate campaign to defame the coastal state. "These influencers are paid as part of a toolkit to defame Goa," he said in a press conference. "I condemn such falsehoods. As far as data is concerned, we have surpassed the figures for domestic tourist arrivals as compared to last year.”
Khaunte pointed to strong hotel occupancy rates as evidence of Goa's popularity. He said the hotel occupancy for five- and four-star hotels has been close to 100 per cent, and in the lower category of hotels, it is 60-65 per cent. "This speaks about the number of tourists who were in Goa,” he said, adding, that Goa's beauty cannot be compared with Thailand. "We don't want to experience a Thailand in Goa."
While acknowledging challenges like taxi fares and hotel costs, Khaunte said such issues exist globally and are being addressed by the government. "Every tourist destination has its set of challenges, not just in India, but across the world. We are here to hear and resolve tourists' grievances," he said.