Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Goa is known as the Rome of the East. Tourism provides a major part of the total economy of Goa. The natural beauty and
blended regional culture make it a favorable tourist location. The local government of Goa, declared tourism as an industry with
effect from April first, 2000. Beach and alcohol tourism is highly developed in the state. “Every year, Goa receives a large
number of domestic and foreign tourists, who come for around 5- 9 days, stay in Goa. India received a total of 3915324 tourists
in 2005, while during the same time Goa was visited by 336803 tourists.” (Abreu 2008).
Cultural tourism in Goa is mainly concentrated on domestic tourists. The unique Goan culture and lifestyles attract domestic
tourists. International tourists are mainly attracted by the coastal beauty of the Goa beaches.
From the analysis of the destination of Goa, it derived that Goa reaches the stagnation stage of its lifecycle. The popularity of
the region reaches its maximum. The limits on the social and environmental resources are also reached in the Goa tourism
industry.
The concept of sustainable tourism gets wider importance in the new century. Intensive tourism will be harmful to the cultural
as well as environmental habitat. Sustainable tourism insists on the principle of maintaining the cultural and environmental
features of the destination while adopting tourism development policies. Conservation of local ecosystem together with the
development of tourism is a crucial area of decision. Intense tourism in a region results in an overflow of people and it will affect
the local ecological habitat negatively. For example; intense beach tourism in Goa affects the reproduction of Olive Ridley turtles
in the coastal region badly. Their safe nesting habitat is destroyed through intense tourism (Abreu, 2008).
Increased growth of tourism imposes much pressure on the local resources and the society. Protecting and sustaining the local
heritage is highly demanded to maintain the destination as a tourist location for the long term. Environmental degradation and
excess utilization of local resources have to be reduced. For this carrying capacity of the state in terms of resources has to
identify. The migration of labor has increased in the region and it causes social issues. Sustainable tourism is highly important in
all tourism destinations. Goa is a small place but attracting the large number of people. The tourism development must be
based on the identification of the carrying capacity of the destination. For ensuring long-term stability in tourism development it
has to ensure the participation of the local community in tourism development activities.
Services of safeguards are arranged by the government in the coastal region. Roads and infrastructure facilities are developed.
For marketing tourism, a corpus fund is created by the government. Subsidies and other financial support to the tourism sectors
are provided for developing cost-effective tourism. The heritage house scheme of the government with private participation is
also helpful for tourism development. For healthy inbound traffic, a bullet train is arranged (Looking Beyond The Beaches,
2002).
Tourism is a prominent industrial sector in Goa. It provides economic contribution from the foreign as well as domestic tourists.
“During 2004, more than 2 million tourists flocked to Goa. Being a tourist paradise, Goa attracts domestic traffic too in
thousands.” (Business and economy of Goa)
Local government is financially benefited from taxes payments of tourists and their spending for shopping.. “On average,
earnings in foreign exchange for the last three years were US$43-57 million. It is estimated that tourism contributes to around,
13.7 percent of Net State Domestic Product; 7 percent of employment and 7 percent to state tax revenues.” (Sawker 1998).
SWOT analysis for identifying the future potential of Goa as a tourism destination
Strengths
Portuguese language, culture, values, and ideals have a strong influence on Goan culture. The natural beauty of Goan beaches
provides it the name “land of golden beaches”. Gothic Churches, colonial forts and buildings, and villages provide a picture of
the colorful and unhurried Goan lifestyle. Along with its cultural heritage, the golden beaches of Goa make the region an
attractive destination on the world tourism map. Six main rivers in Goa provide a chain of inland waterways. Goa festivals are
also attractive for tourists (Goa Tourism India, 2008).
“The magnetic scenic beauty is complementary to the historical edifices and its dual cultural traditions, the Latin fusing with the
Indian resulting in the unique Goan culture” (Goa Tourism).
Goa provides opportunities in adventure tourism. Facilities for water sports such as sailing, parasailing, windsurfing are
arranged in Goan Rivers. Goan museums, worship places, and wildlife sanctuaries make it as an attractive place for tourists of
all kinds in the world (Goa Tourism).
Weaknesses
Unplanned over development is the major limitation faced by the Goa tourism industry.
Participation of the local community in tourism is not ensured by the tourism authority. This also affects health tourism in the
destination. Goa’s regional development shows the imbalance between different regions. Most of the infrastructural
development is located in the tourist destinations. Significant disparity between the coastal and the hinterland regions in socio-
economic development affects the development. (Sawker et al 1998).
Opportunities
Adventure tourism
Wildlife tourism
Beautiful and exotic species of wildlife in the region are protected by forming 4 wildlife sanctuaries. Flora and fauna in the
region is highly attractive. Migratory birds visited Goa in large numbers. Thus wildlife tourism can be adopted as a part of
diversified tourism policy.
Medical tourism
It is a recent phenomenon in Goan tourism. World-class medical facilities are arranged in the Hospitals at a comparatively lower
costs. Goa has a potential future in medical tourism.
Pilgrimage tourism
Famous religious destination in Goa provides a potential opportunity for pilgrimage tourism in the region. The world heritage site
at Old Goa consists of world-famous religious monuments and it provides a great opportunity for heritage tourism.
Architectural tourism
Chapora fort, Teracol fort, and Aloma fort in Goa are attracting tourists.
Yoga Tourism
Peace and tranquility in the region are suitable for mediation and Yoga tourism.
Backwater tourism
Threats
Tourism imposes threats to the natural environment of the destination. Dumping use of natural resources and increasing
pollution resulted from the overflow of people will negatively affect the long-term sustaining of the destination as a tourist
location. Rapid and uncontrolled beach tourism in Goa leads to the loss of biodiversity of the coastal region. (Sawker et al,
1998).
In peak season, tourism earnings lead to economic inflation and this affects the local community badly by increasing prices for
commodities and services. (Goa Study Says Tourism’s Adverse Impact Deserves “Urgent Attention”, 2004).
Conclusion
From the SWOT analysis, it derived that Goa has plenty of opportunities in diversified tourism sectors. Its beach tourism is in the
stagnation stage and thus sustainable tourism development has to be adopted by the authority in this sector. Unexploited
tourism possibilities in the region provide a bright future for Goa tourism. By promoting tourism in the exploration stage sectors,
Goa can ensure a long-term existence as a world tourism destination in diversified sectors.
Bibliography
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in India.
2. ABREU, Nirmala De. (2008). Sustainable Tourism in Goa: Sustainable Tourism. Conference on Tourism in India. 126.
4. Goa Study Says Tourism’s Adverse Impact Deserves “Urgent Attention”. (2004). [online]. India Mike.com: The India Travel
Forum. Web.
9. Looking Beyond The Beaches. (2002). [online]. Express Travel And Tourism:India’s Travel Business Magazine.
10. SAWKER, Kalidas., et al. (1998). Tourism and the Environment: Case Studies on Goa, India, and the Maldives. The Economic
Development Institute of the World Bank. Web.
11. SAWKER, Kalidas., et al. (1998). Tourism and The Environment: Economic Aspects. The Economic Development Institute of
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12. The Destination Life Cycle. (2008). [online]. Destination Recovery Services.