Tropical SOJOURN

Traversing the beach capital of India, Goa, amid the new normal

- NISHA SHROFF AND SANCHITA NAMBIAR

Often referred to as the “Pearl of the Orient” in India, Goa was among the first states to reopen its bordersfor tourism when India started inching towards the revival phase last year. Tourism is key to the state’s economy as 40 per cent of the population is directly or indirectly dependent on it.

Therefore, proactive measures are being frequently rolled out by Goa’s government to speed up the journey towards full recovery. A case in point is the launch of “Coping with Covid-19: Survival and Revival of Goa’s Tourism Industry” report that has been developed with the objective of not only reviving the tourism industry, but also strengthening the sector by eliminating pre-Covid issues in the beach-state.

The report estimated that the loss to the industry was expected to be ₹2,000 crore to ₹7,200 crore and potential job losses of 35 per cent to 58 per cent. “These statistics have helped significantly to plan ahead in our conscious effort towards mitigating the challenges posed by Covid-19 and further transforming Goa as the ‘Sustainable Tourism Capital of India’”, Goa’s tourism board said in an official release.

Besides, Goa Tourism Policy 2020 also outlines well-thought strategies and objectives that aim to make Goa the “most preferred destination around the year for high-spending tourists by 2024” and “a world-class international tourism destination by 2030”.

The policy covers valuable insights for the development of coastal tourism, culture and heritage, nature-based tourism, leisure and entertainment and MICE among others.