Wear tops & roam: Goa warns tourists
PTI, PANAJI | 12 March 2010 23:43 IST
Goa government has asked foreign tourists
visiting the coastal state to be dressed appropriately, especially
while driving a two wheeler.
"Never ride a two-wheeler without clothes on the upper part of the body," says an advisory issued by the state tourism department.
In what seems to be a fallout of recent statements by local
politicians condemning skimpy dressing by foreigners, the tourism
department has come out with 'Dos' and Don'ts for the visitors.
The booklet is printed in English and Russian. Of the four lakh
foreigners visiting Goa annually, the British and Russians top the
chart followed by Germans.
Recommending a dress code, the department has said that while the Goan
attitude to informal European styles of dress is generally tolerant,
local religious or other sensibilities should be borne in mind.
"If in doubt take local advice especially with regard to topless
bathing. Nudity on beaches and public places is strictly forbidden,"
the guidelines, which are made available through tourist counters and
hotels, read.
Goa MP Shantaram Naik recently had alleged that scantily clad Russians
were corrupting the locals.
State Tourism Director Swapnil Naik said that the pocket booklet aims
at educating the tourists.
"In America, even if you apply for visa they give you such booklets,"
he said. The booklet, distributed free of cost, also mentions that
riding without helmet is an offence.
The younger generation getting addicted to drugs, liquor, gambling, sex-related crimes is not the price which the true Goans would like to pay for the dollars which the tourist trade brings to this State! Nobody welcomes such tourism!
Chris, we are not here to compromise on our Morality. Your vulgarity you can keep in Australia, parading your Australian girls naked in Australia, but not in our Country and our Beautiful Goa. There's no place for you here in Goa.
The Govt and the opposition should join forces to arrest and impose strick action on Chandrakant Salgaoncar for his corrupt ways.
Chandrakant Salgaoncar, your days are numbered
dave
One can't have it all ways!! If foreign money is valued in Goa, then the way in which those same foreigners spend it must be tolerated as well. Nudity on beaches is not tolerated in most countries abroad, except in places that are allocated for that purposes. The answer may be to allocate certain strips (pardon the pun!!) of beach for nudity. If locals choose to go to those beaches then the problem lies with them and not with the foreigners who go there. The designated nude beaches should be isolated because those who strip on the beach usually want to get a tan and not necessarily swim. The nudists will be happy and the so called "morality" of the locals will not be compromised.
Though late, a correct step toward curbing crime, viloence & other devils. Congratulations for those who rae behind the move.
Printing of the booklets and just passing on to the Tourists won’t help. The Do’s and Do Not’s mentioned therein should be implemented by the Law. There should be decency in our religion conscious society. Immoral code of dressing should be banned totally. Nudism on the beaches even for a second should be banned and strictly complied with. Ruining the lives of the younger generation should be avoided at all costs because once things go out of hand then there will be no returning back. So let us avoid the disaster of our own youth imitating the foreigners and following their footsteps. There should be no regrets later. Let us the Goans be self conscious and God fearing as we were and still are. There should be a big NO to nudity and other vulgarity anywhere in the public or on the beaches which includes all the places frequented by the public in general. It is one good step to curb vulgarity but still more needs to be done – Menino (Valpoi)
Please do NOT allow foreign investments or foreign customs to spoil your beautiful country. When we visit and I intentionally use the word ‘visit’ we must respect your customs and traditions. Drink, drugs, sex, corruption and nudity, tourists if they want that can obtain it from a thousand other different countries. Visitors who really, really value what you have to offer will gladly comply with your customs and laws– only people with immoral or other intentions will object. Stop it now before it gets out of hand and the people in authority become further disillusioned by the amount of potential income and the subsequent corruption. I have visited many times over the last 9 years and your country is changing very fast – many regular travellers are staying away.