The great Goan getaway is grinding to a halt. Foreign tourists are fleeing the beach paradise in droves. The numbers are stark. Arrivals from the UK down 30% year on year. Sources in the hospitality sector whisper of empty hotels and desperate last-minute discounts.
The reason? It is not just the monsoon. It is infrastructure. Crumbling roads, unreliable power, and a water crisis that leaves taps dry. This is not the Goa of the hippie dream. This is a state struggling to cope.
Let me give you the inside track. The Goa government is panicking. A senior official told me off the record: "We cannot sustain current visitor numbers. The system is at breaking point."
For British travellers, the message is clear. Reconsider. The Foreign Office has not issued a formal warning. But travel industry insiders are advising clients to look elsewhere. Sri Lanka, Vietnam, even Thailand offer better value and basic amenities.
The political fallout is significant. The Chief Minister faces a rebellion from his own party. Opposition MPs are calling for a tourism inquiry. The state's reputation is on the line.
Let us be blunt. Goa was once the jewel in India's tourist crown. Now it is a cautionary tale. The government has failed to invest. Short-term profits were prioritised over long-term planning.
Polling data suggests a slide in approvals for the ruling party. The next election could be brutal. Backbenchers are nervous. They know the votes of thousands of hospitality workers are at stake.
The lobby is buzzing with talk of a cabinet reshuffle. But reshuffles do not fix potholes. They do not make water flow from taps.
British tourists are voting with their feet. They want reliable power, clean water, and roads that do not flood. Goa is not delivering.
This is not a temporary blip. This is a structural crisis. Until the political will exists to fix the basics, the exodus will continue.
Advice for my readers. Before booking that flight, check recent reviews. Look for the small print on infrastructure. And maybe consider a staycation. The British seaside might not have the sun, but at least the taps work.
Watch this space. The Goa story is not over. There will be leaks. There will be briefings. I will be here to decode them.
