support@headlinenews360.com
Last Updated:
A woman’s viral post showcased an “almost empty” Goa with “hardly any tourists” around on New Year’s Eve.
What could be the reason behind the decline in Goa’s New Year buzz? (Photo Credits: X)
In the winter holidays, especially during Christmas and New Year, Goa witnesses its peak season. Tourists from all across the globe visit this tropical paradise. However, this year, an unusual calm has taken over the coastal state, with many tourists noting the quieter-than-usual roads and popular beaches, reflecting a decrease in footfall.
Activist Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj on Monday took to social media platform X to share how she is witnessing an “almost empty” state with “hardly any tourists”. “Goa is almost empty. Hardly any tourists. It should be a wake up call for the government. Hope they do something especially about the transport,” Bhardwaj wrote alongside a photograph of an almost-empty beach in Goa.
Goa is almost empty. Hardly any tourists. It should be a wake up call for the government. Hope they do something especially about the transport. pic.twitter.com/JGvWFTvn5Y—Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) December 30, 2024
Her post soon went viral on the platform and garnered more than 3 million views, with some calling her a “liar” for sharing wrong information.
“False information. Goa is fully packed,” one person commented.
Later on, Bhardwaj shared a video featuring a quiet stretch of a road with almost empty shops on both sides.
“For those calling me a liar. This was last night on roads that used to be totally jampacked earlier around new year,” she added.
In another post, Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj stated she is currently in Goa and witnessed “negligible crowd even on Calangute”. She added that “most restaurants were empty”.
Meanwhile, there were several people in the comments section who highlighted several issues with the state, including the existence of the “taxi mafia”.
“This is completely true.. Even I was shocked and surprised.. In the week which is peak for Goa tourism from 23-30th December.. The kind of crowd I have seen before was completely missing.. Every local confirmed it.. Taxi, transport, and hotel unreal prices killing the whole experience in Goa for many,” one person wrote.
Another person added, “The taxi mafia won’t allow Uber or Ola, and even their local app Goa Miles drivers are scared to go on the roads.”
One user even highlighted how going to Thailand, instead of Goa, is “much cheaper.”
“We can go to Maldives, Bali or Thailand at the same cost. And it’s 10 times better,” a comment read.
According to a CEIC Data report released earlier this year, Goa has witnessed a sharp decline in foreign tourists from 8.5 million in 2019 to 1.5 million in 2023.
