Over the years, and especially in the recent past, Goa has welcomed hordes of tourists every single day. While this surge fuels the State’s economy, it often comes at a high cost to those who live in popular tourist areas.
The Latin quarter of Fontainhas is a classic example where hundreds of tourists flock daily, often without regard for the residents’ privacy or peace.
Not knowing where to draw the line and igniting a slow-burning rage among the locals of Fontainhas, recent reports have shared incidents of Goans shouting, arguing, pelting stones and showering droplets of water on tourists they consider a nuisance, as they loiter around their homes despite written warnings.
Hoping to keep this problem under control, Goa Tourism department has put up instruction boards of 7 dos and don’ts when visiting the heritage zone of Fontainhas.
1. Do not block roads for photography
When visiting a new place, we often forget that a holiday for you is a regular working day for the locals. Blocking the roads for the sake of a photograph disrupts their routines and is inconsiderate.
2. Do not over speed or go on the wrong side
Respecting road safety rules and paying attention to signboards can help avoid accidents and loss of life. The signboards are there for a reason, and making sure you abide by them is your duty as a responsible tourist.
3. Do not step or place your feet on walls
Tourists often leave souvenirs of muddy footprints on freshly-painted walls of Goan houses by leaning on the walls for a striking pose without realising that doing so disrespects the homeowners who invest both time and money in maintaining their properties.
4. Respect boundaries and do not encroach or step into people’s properties
Knowing where to stop is something that people often forget during holiday time. Ignoring ‘do not enter’ signs and trespassing on private property is not only disrespectful but also a violation of privacy.
5. Do not behave in a loud or obnoxious manner
Disrupting the peace and solace of the sacred time spent in the comfort of their homes, the resident Goans living in Fontainhas often complain of how there is no time restriction or limit to the ‘touristing’ and loud ruckus caused by the average enthusiastic tourist.
6. Respect non-motorised zones
Non-motorised zones have been labelled so for a reason, and being on holiday does not give one a free pass to toss the rules into a garbage bin. Being a residential area, remember to respect the non-motorised zones at Fontainhas to avoid causing inconvenience and injury to yourself and innocent others.
7. Do not litter
Littering not only destroys the beauty of a place, but also weighs heavily on the conscience of a good tourist. In case you don’t see any garbage bins around, remember that the right thing to do is to put your waste into your bag and carry it to a garbage bin where it can be properly disposed of the right way.
The boards also remind visitors that the Latin quarters of Fontainhas are heritage zones where families with roots going back over five generations live.
But what would happen if any of these rules were disobeyed? The boards fall silent.
“A sorry state of affairs!” laments local resident Clifton Afonso. “Every board installed by the authorities is ignored by tourists because there are no penalties for violating the rules. The irony!”
And as Clifton rightly points out, setting rules without the fear of consequences is futile.
Joshua Sapeco, another local of Fontainhas adds, “There is a significant influx of both Indian and foreign tourists and there appears to be a blatant disregard for the signboards. Violation of MV, breach in privacy and havoc has spread on the streets and is now a daily affair.”
Another resident of Sao Tome in Panjim gives vent to her frustration saying, “In my opinion, it’s not much help to have signages around unless there is some sort of strict fine implementation or someone to monitor whether people are following the signs. Otherwise, it’s just a token gesture to show that there is a sign, hoping people will adhere to it."
"We’ve had a one-way sign at the corner of our street for ages now, but what’s the point when people, despite it, still go right past the sign?” she added.
It is up to the authorities to abandon their indifferent approach and heed the concerns of the locals. Updating signboards with clear consequences for violations is crucial, but it’s equally important to conduct regular reviews and develop long-term solutions to address this escalating issue.
As for the tourists, getting carried away with fun and merriment is a common human tendency that has possessed even the best of us.
Yet, setting rules in order and honouring them is a self-disciplinary method that every person must set for themselves in order to avoid rifts with the locals and be respectful of their homeland.
Because like Jackie Chan said in the movie, The Karate Kid, sometimes the best fights are the ones we avoid.