Whatever the figures of tourists floating on social media, the reality is that foreign tourists have begun to arrive – slowly and steadily – in Goa. Currently, it appears that there are more shacks on the beach than guests, but the presence of both is a sign of positivity.
True enthusiasm or wrong calculations, the Department of Tourism has increased the number of shacks on some beaches with stakeholders hoping they would show the same enthusiasm in trying to get guests back.
“They have added two extra shacks on the beach in comparison to last year. It does not really matter because there are no guests sitting at the shacks. The foreigners are yet to come,” says Robert.
Despite there being plenty of tourists on most beaches, the response to the shacks has not been encouraging with Indian tourists not even bothering to glance at them.
“Drinks and food at the shacks are expensive compared to restaurants, plus it is humid inside. I prefer to spend time in the restaurant during the day. It is okay to be in a shack at night for drinks,” says Mather, a tourist, as he finishes his stroll on the beach.
“Hygiene in shacks is a matter of worry. The impression I get is that the level of hygiene in restaurants is far better. Plus, I do not expect a shack to be managed by chefs. These seem to be self-trained cooks,” observes Reshma from Gujarat.
Despite there being plenty of tourists on most beaches, the response to the shacks has not been encouraging with Indian tourists not even bothering to glance at them.
If Indian guests have a different line of thinking regarding shacks, for foreigners, their holiday is about spending the day in the shacks.
“One of the reasons we come to Goa is because of the shacks. We were upset last season because there were no shacks till December. Goa without shacks is not the same, they are our second homes,” confesses Mitchell from the United Kingdom.
“For us,” says Mitchell’s friend Andrew, “shacks are our snack places where we spend the greatest part of the day, and then, return to our apartment to sleep. Being in shacks feels like being at home because the essence of this place is found in shacks.”
He adds, “The booze is reasonable, the chips are great, and once in a while Phillip (the shack owner) prepares some fantastic fish for us. We feel very comfortable leaving our things around, including our valuables.”
“It will take the Indian crowd some years to understand the concept of shacks. First, Indians don’t like to be out on the beach when the sun is up because they dread getting tanned,” reasons Peter, whose shack has four covers.
“Once they get over this, they will start understanding shacks better,” he continues.
“I have Russians who have been coming for years, and that explains why I have a menu and the name of the place written in Russian. They love to be here from morning till evening. There are times when they bring their alcohol, but pay corkage when they do so,” asserts Peter.
For some tourists, the shack owner is more than a friend. “I keep my children here if I need to go to town, and Sharmin (owner of a shack) provides them what they need,” admits Russian tourist, Jerin, as she prepares to leave.
“She even keeps an eye on them if they go near the water. I feel my children are more comfortable with them than with my own,” she adds.
The number of foreign tourists is picking up, and the trust that the foreigners bestow on the locals is the factor that differentiates the foreign from the domestic tourist. After all, trust is the torch that radiates tourism.