Man defends viral Goa tourism critique in open letter to CM after police complaint: 'tourists felt cheated'

Ramanuj Mukherjee, a social media user whose comments on Goa's declining tourism sparked viral debate, has now penned a public letter to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, urging attention to systemic issues plaguing the state’s tourism sector. This response comes after a police complaint was lodged against Mukherjee by the Goa Tourism Department, which alleged that he spread “false data” that caused “annoyance to local businesses.”

In his letter on Twitter, Mukherjee defended his original claims, arguing that his post resonated because tourists feel “cheated” by their experiences in Goa. “Dear Pramod Sawant, your tourism department has filed a police complaint against me for sharing data of plummeting tourism in Goa... But this issue went viral because it led to an eruption of people's feelings.”

Mukherjee, a regular visitor to Goa since his college days, expressed sadness over the erosion of the charm that once drew people back year after year. Reflecting on the impact of dissatisfied tourists, he said, “People do not easily forget when they feel they were taken advantage of. This problem will keep snowballing if you do not address it at its roots.”

He also suggested that ongoing grievances will lead to another underwhelming tourist season, affecting the livelihoods of locals who rely on foreign visitors.

The tourism department, however, has refuted Mukherjee's claims, calling them "wildly inaccurate." In a recent statement, the department highlighted a recovery trend, noting a “significant increase” in foreign tourists to over 450,000 in 2023, alongside a surge in domestic visitors surpassing 8 million.

Still, the sector has not fully returned to pre-pandemic figures, particularly regarding international tourists, whose numbers have fallen sharply since 2019’s peak of approximately 940,000.

Dear @DrPramodPSawant, your tourism department has filed a police complaint against me for sharing data of plummeting tourism in Goa which started this debate.It's not supposed to be a shocker to you because at least two ministers in your government gave statements to media https://t.co/eKN4W9PXbW
Ramanuj Mukherjee (@law_ninja) November 10, 2024

Goa’s tourism landscape has shifted dramatically, impacted by factors such as transportation issues, high costs, infrastructure concerns, and geopolitical tensions. Businesses dependent on foreign tourist spending, including restaurants, hotels, and local service providers, have felt the strain as foreign arrivals lag. In 2023, foreign arrivals totalled around 403,000 by November, a substantial drop from pre-pandemic figures.

Mukherjee wrote about how he felt angry when he found out about the complaint. But then he thought of the couple years he spent in the state.

“I was angry yesterday when I heard about this frivolous police complaint your government has filed against me, but as I was going to sleep, I remembered so many faces of Goan people I met when I lived there for a couple of years. Taxi drivers who were kind to me. Landlords who came to check on me when my family was unwell. Daily wage workers who helped me build my first restaurant. Shop keepers who went out of their way to help. This morning, I find myself feeling their sadness and anxiety,” he wrote.

His original tweet, from November 5, had 3.1 million views, which prompted the Goa government to file a complaint saying he was spreading “false data”.

Tourism in Goa is down in dumpsForeign tourists have abandoned the state already. Look at 2019 v 2023 numbers. Russians and Brits who used to visit annually have opted for Sri Lanka instead.Indian tourists still visiting, but soon likely to ditch it as word spreads about pic.twitter.com/RF2TLC2Zvi Ramanuj Mukherjee (@law_ninja) November 5, 2024

Mukherjee’s open letter appealed to Sawant to prioritise addressing core issues rather than silencing criticism. “You have a lot of work to do,” he wrote, “silencing critics on social media is not probably the most important thing right now.” He conveyed hope that this wave of public attention could provide the political impetus needed for Sawant to revitalise Goa’s tourism sector.