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Showing posts from May, 2024

There is only 1 Goa in India

 Goa first came on the tourist map in the 60's as a hippie haven, probably the golden era of tourism in this tiny state. The tourists were more sensitive towards local culture and the environment. They consumed less and were happy living the life of the locals.  When the benefits of liberalisation started to trickle down and when a new and ambitious middle class started travelling, Goa witnessed mass tourism in the 90's and 2000's. There was a sudden surge of investments, construction and development, the era of unplanned tourism growth. Everyone wanted to be in Goa and everyone wanted to invest here.  The result of this era is what we experience in Goa of today, the relaxed vibe gave way to environmental degradation, overcrowding and cultural commodification, everything that this sunny seaside state was not known for.  Yet there is only 1 Goa in India and tourists still come here in hordes to experience the beaches, architecture, cuisine and the Goan vibe.  When we got the