Curbing tourist developments in Goa

Outcomes

This was Tourism Concern’s first campaign and we successfully introduced British tour operators to the issues, and raised public awareness through an effective media campaign.

The issue

Goa was one of the first destinations where Tourism Concern forged a strong working relationship with local groups. There is a strong NGO network there which has campaigned on tourism since mass tourism first began in this Southern Indian state in the 1980s. The issues presented by tourism for local people include water, unregulated development, land-grabs, and cultural offence caused by inappropriate tourist behaviour, such as nude and topless sunbathing.

Goa has moved from being a hippy destination in the 1960s to a combination of a backpacker's hang-out and a mass tourist destination. It is also now popular amongst Indian tourists - who are often attracted by the Western tourists sunbathing!

Our campaign

Tourism Concern lobbied British tour operators using hotels in Goa which contravened environmental regulations. Various hotels were flouting the 200 metre limit on shoreline construction and developments were displacing local people. Tourism Concern lobbied tour operators to question the hotels' practices.

More about cultural conflicts and environmental damage.