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PDF
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Type:
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Conference Paper |
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Author:
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Bhat, Sairam; Srivastava, Smita |
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Conference:
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Sustaining Commons: Sustaining Our Future, the Thirteenth Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons |
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Location:
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Hyderabad, India |
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Conf. Date:
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January 10-14 |
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Date:
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2011 |
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URI:
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https://hdl.handle.net/10535/7207
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Sector:
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Land Tenure & Use
Water Resource & Irrigation |
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Region:
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Middle East & South Asia |
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Subject(s):
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tourism
coastal resources
property rights
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Abstract:
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"Tourism in Goa has largely been and still remains ‘Beach tourism’. The beaches in Goa have been exploited to the hilt. Over 90% of domestic tourists and 99% of international tourists visit and reside along the beach front. The packaging of Goa as a major international tourist destination is still actively underway, even though the number of tourists visiting Goa has exceeded the region’s carrying capacity, bringing about a steady and relentless degradation of the natural environment as well as a deterioration of the social and cultural fabric. Tourism, now is Goa’s Primary Industry. It handles 12% of all foreign tourist arrivals in India. Goa receives more tourists per annum than its total residential population (refer T.No.1, as per govt. sources, the population of Goa for the year 08-09 was 13.48 lakhs)3 The decisive issue facing any tourism destination is the benefit – cost ratio. This has never been calculated in the State. Destruction of the environment on the scale occurring in Goa can only be justified if the returns from any industry are such that they lead to enhancement of prosperity, provision of employment and reduction of poverty levels, since poverty is described as the greatest threat to environmental protection. No EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) which would have considered various tourism options and then selected one or more areas for development, keeping in mind the environmental impact; has ever been undertaken either."
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