Aman Gupta Recalls A Time When Indian Tourists Faced Discrimination In Goa

Last Updated:June 20, 2025, 17:37 is

Aman Gupta claims Anjuna Beach were mostly crowded with visitors from Israel, and even the local people didn’t treat their countrymen with much respect.

Goa is now known as a go-to party hotspot for both Indian and international tourists, but that wasn’t always the case. Aman Gupta, co-founder of boAt and Shark Tank India judge, recently shared that during his earlier visits to Anjuna Beach, the scene was very different. He recalled that most accommodations were occupied by Israeli tourists, leaving Indian travellers with limited options. Gupta also mentioned that, at the time, locals often showed more hospitality to foreigners than to Indian visitors.

While appearing on The Prakhar Gupta Xperience podcast, the millionaire said, “There was a time when we used to go to Anjuna Beach, and I remember clearly that back then, only Israelis used to get places to stay there. Indians barely got any place to stay. The Israeli crowd used to dominate the area, and even the local Goans didn’t really respect Indian tourists much. But things have changed now, Indians are now the ones who spend the most money there, and tourism in India has grown a lot. Today, Indian tourists are much more welcome.”

“Back then, forest parties were a big thing. These were the kinds of parties where no one knew exactly where they were happening. We would take our scooters, make friends with foreigners and ask them where the party was that night. They’d tell us about places like the Bamboo Forest. But back then, Bamboo Forest parties were very popular, along with places like Hilltop. At that time, there were hardly any Indian tourists at these parties. Indians were almost never seen there,” Aman Gupta recalled.

The co-founder of boAt, shared that his bond with Goa goes back to childhood and remains strong today. Even though some feel the destination has lost its charm, Gupta says he still enjoys visiting. He fondly recalled exploring Goa with friends long before it became a pop-culture phenomenon, joking that they were regulars even before Dil Chahta Hai made it iconic.

However, recent trends suggest that Goa’s popularity may be waning. According to The Goan, tourist footfall has dropped significantly in recent months. In fact, nearly 10% of beach shacks have shut down, well before the typical end of the tourist season in May. Popular spots like Colva, Majorda, Cavelossim, Betalbatim, Arrosim, and Calangute have all seen closures.

The head of the Shack Owners Welfare Society, Cruz Cardozo, shared that things were going well until mid-March. After that, there was a sudden drop in the number of visitors. Domestic tourist numbers fell by about 60%, and international tourists dropped by around 40%. Most British tourists leave by the end of March, and only a few Russians are now visiting. This has affected local businesses badly.

Buzz Staff

A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.

A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.

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