Goa has always been very close to my heart. It’s actually not a place but a state of mind. I have been to Goa at least 50 times and it keeps pulling me back. The serene beaches, buzzing night life, hotel rooms for every budget, some real nice villas and apartments spoiling you for accommodation choices, just the right MICE facilities at hotels and more have always made Goa the most sought after destination in India. Right from corporate conferences to product launches, from beach weddings to romantic honeymoons, Goa has always been on top of the list. If a gang of boys or girls plan a fun trip, the destination wins the top spot there too.
But, now is the time, when India needs another Goa. With this traveller’s paradise always running over capacity, flight prices surging more than its international competitors, it is actually high time to have another similar destination in India. We have amazing beach destinations such asGopalpur Beach, Marina Beach, Havelock Island, Gokarna, Pondicherry, Kovalamand many more amazing beach destinationsin India. The major factor keeping these places to compete with Goais the freedom, the liberty to be yourself. The relaxation in administrative rules and regulations, the night life, ample inventory of rooms, availability of liquor at every 50 metres – have made Goa a heaven for party enthusiasts.
Why can’t we have more destinations like Goa? Today, tourism is a big opportunity to bring revenue to the country. This is the time when the Government should create more destinations which can give not only Goa but certain international destinationsa run for their money. This will also infuse more foreign exchange revenue to the country.
We need to learn from Thailandtourism model. Today they have different specialised beach destinations at different budget levels. Pattaya, a major competition to Goa, is more budget friendly than Goa today. They have realised and seized the pulse of the Indian market. Plethora of accommodation options at a cheaper price tag, Indian restaurants at every nook and corner,vibrant night life and the perfect feel of an International destination, at times becomes more enticing than Goa, and why not?In order to bring out the full potential, they’ve developed HuaHin for entertaining the Indian wedding market. With an array of Indian cuisine options at hotels, to perfect venues for adream wedding décor, it is pulling a huge chunk of the big fat Indian weddings. Improving flight connectivity for the Indian market to Phuket has attracted upper middle class and opulent Indians to Phuket and Krabi.
Are we losing out? Yes, to a huge extent. But then why can’t we have similar tourism models in India?We have no dearth of landscapes, nature or tourist attractions, all we’re lacking is the vision. It is time for creating new destinations, which are more tourist-friendly, ease out on administrative rules and interference, more hotels, better connectivity, fresher experiences and of course a spirited night life, which most of the tourists are looking for. Followed by improvedshowcasing of these destinations in the global market will definitely place India better on the International tourism map.
