Yes Paula that article certainly hits the nail on the head. But will anything change?

I doubt it they forget that Tourism is the backbone of their economy

Whilst tourists are without doubt one of the major player in the Goan economy,as one of the emergent super powers, along with China, I'm afraid the national goverment, who is making such a mess of the Visa situation, will hardly be concerned with our justified complaining of the way we are being treated. Some in Goa might suffer, if there was a decline in u.k. tourist numbers, but even there, I suspect Indias booming economy, and the resultant huge increase in tourism from within India, will take up any future losses from the u.k. market. Alan

not a very happy chappy
http://www.oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=2672&cid=13

I'd say they are pulling the rug out from under our feet NOT rolling out a red carpet for us.

If they want 5 star tourists, then they better improve the standards of the majority of the hotels and the local infrastructure in general. I would not want to pay 5 star prices for what is currently on offer. IMHO they don't have any idea about tourism and the standards expected. Looking through travel brochures there are far better hotels available in other destinations for the same money. I don't want to change my holiday destination, I want to go to Goa but come on! how much more of this do us tourists have to take before we decide to spend our hard earned cash elsewhere? There is a very good chance they will shoot themselves in the foot very soon, in fact, I'd say they have already done so If the tour operators boycott Goa, they'll have to start listening.

I'd agree 100% with Fizzys post, over the years costs and hassle have increased year on year. Any pretence that Goa is becoming a 5 star destination is laughable, even the likes of the Taj would'nt stand comparison with 5 star in the middle and far east. The infrastructure in Goa is piifull, the sewage services non existant, the power supply unreliable and so on. We all keep returning to there because we love the place and it's people, but the rate of change is such that many regulars, ourselves included, are beginning to think it's time to move on. Any increase in tourist numbers from the U.K. will be first timers, and after booking, spending some quality time getting their visa, and then a stress free flight with Monarch ending with a smooth transit through Dabolim , it may well be that their first visit to Goa will be their last, and next years figures will see a dip. It's bad enough completing the obstacle course of getting to Goa if you have been reading this forum, I cant imagine what it must be like doing it whitout the prior tips you can pick up hear. Very very stressfull I would image, and not what you want as part of the holiday expeience Alan

Well said Alan

As a first time visitor next year I'm fed up already!!!

I agree totally with what you've written Alan and had I not paid my deposit I would be booking somewhere else other than Goa.

Unless the experience is well above my expectations I doubt I shall return the following season because as you've identified, there are many world class resorts offering better for the same or less money.

All said and done......I am going with an open mind next March and despite all the hassels I'm looking forward to it.

I have been to North Goa three times now in 05,jan 06, dec06 and i have booked a flight to go in January 08, Love the place and love the people am a bit dismayed regarding the situation regarding visas I do not understand why the HCI has brought this in, but dont let it put you off if you have not been before(saying that I havnt gone through the aggravation of obtaing my visa yet!!) Steve

The sadness of this (re 5 star) is that to improve standards means change, do we want change? Change generally means progress although we know that in Goa this doesn't necessarily appear to be the case depending on your perspective. I love Goa and would say there ARE things that need to be changed - it's the way they go about it that causes me concern. They just don't seem to have a proper plan... in fact they don't seem to have ANY plan. Everything seems to be done without any great thought to the impact it has. There is no forward planning.

I don't want 5 star luxury but there are those that do and rightly expect a standard that reflects the amount paid. Are they right to expect such standards given that India is the way it is or should they expect less because it is this way and this is its attraction.

Such a dilemma........

We had a letter through from Thomson yesterday warning us of the visa situation and I have to say Aidan and I both said it is going to make us think twice before booking for 2009, it depends on how much hassle we get obtaining our visa for our March 2008 holiday.

Sue