Once celebrated for its sun-kissed beaches and warm hospitality, Goa now finds itself at a crossroads. According to Alu Gomes Pereira, a pioneer of organised tourism in the state, the soul of Goa’s tourism industry is eroding—and fast. Having witnessed Goa’s journey from a hippie haven to a global travel destination, Pereira believes that the essence of what once made Goa magical is being lost to commercialisation and disjointed planning.
Tourism in Goa is still moving, he says, but without direction. The issue isn’t lack of visitors—it’s the declining standards in hospitality, skyrocketing prices, and the absence of a unified approach among stakeholders. “Hoteliers price rooms with profit in mind, not guest experience,” he notes, warning that guests—many of whom once stayed for weeks—now find value lacking.
Pereira also laments the loss of genuine service, once embedded in Goa’s DNA. “Hospitality was inborn here. Now, it’s become a money machine,” he says, pointing to bland, mass-produced experiences that have replaced warm, personal connections.
His message is clear, Goa doesn’t need to reinvent tourism. It needs to remember it. “Rethink. Revisit. Retrain,” says Pereira—before Goa loses the very charm that once made it shine.
Source: Gomantak Times
