A beautiful state in India known as the country’s “party capital” was once a go-to destination for foreign travellers, but they’re now said to be abandoning it in favour of cheaper options. Goa, located on the country’s southwestern coast in the Konkan region, had been a popular spot for holidaymakers across Europe for decades, particularly beloved by hippies in the 1960s and 70s.
When you see its incredible seafood, and array of stunning sandy beaches like Baga in North Goa, and the crescent-shaped Palolem Beach in the south, it’s easy to see why. But while it continues to see visitors coming in their droves, they’re mainly local, with far fewer overseas sunseekers than you would have seen in years gone by, it has been reported.
Figures from the state’s tourism department backs up the sense on the ground that while domestic interest in visiting has surged, foreign tourism has dropped off considerably.
Almost 900,000 foreigners visited Goa in 2017 but over the next eight or so years, the number plunged to around half a million, BBC News reported. However, tourism from within India saw a marked increase, jumping from 6.8million in 2016 to over 10million in 2025.
Foreign visitors are an important part of the local economy, with one hotel business saying they stay longer and are more likely to spend money across the local economy, with Indian visitors tending to prefer package deals with the hotel including food.
The department has said overseas tourism has been disrupted by the fraught geopolitical situation. And while it may have exacerbated the problem, it’s believed to have been an issue before the US-Israeli strikes against Iran in late February, which plunged the Middle East into chaos and sent shockwaves through the global economy.
It is thought that the COVID-19 pandemic, Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and the surging cost of flying due to Iran war-related oil spikes has meant people have less money to spare on trips.
India’s visa process has also purportedly made it more costly and time consuming to secure one.
Other factors include the spike in hotel prices in Goa, due to its surging popularity within India, high taxi fares due to local unions pushing back against ride hailing app services, and the superior affordability and availability of resorts in alternative destinations like Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Ernest Dias, who sits on the committee of Goa’s Department of Tourism, said authorities in Goa are aware of the need to attract more foreign visitors, and promotional tours in Europe are taking place to promote the overlooked seaside getaway.
