Sobering afterthought: Goa sets rules for partying

PARTY OVER: Scarlette's murder has forced the state police to crack down on late night revelry.

Other stories in the section:

Take a bow, Japanese voted world's best tourists

Online survey rates nationalities on basis of manners, generosity, style.

• Travel sector on downward trend, woos tourists

Featured Blog

Abhishek Patni

MAULANA MULAYAM AND PERILS OF NUCLEAR DEAL

Featured Slideshows

Panaji: For tourists, golden beaches where the fun never stops were Goa’s USP. But now, party time in the state is going to be rationed.

A series of attacks on tourists including Scarlett Keeling’s murder has forced the state police to crack down on late night revelry.

Says SP, North Goa, Bosco George, “Some people are misusing Goan hospitality under the name of tourism. So we have decided to be strict and establish total rule of law without any relaxation. So everything will be shut by midnight.”

Here are the rules for partying:

• Beach shacks, which used to be open all night, will now close down by midnight
• No loud music will be allowed after 2300 hrs (IST).
• Patrolling of the beaches has also been increased.

But foreign tour operators say neither the attacks on tourists nor the curbs on partying will change Goa's appeal as a top tourist destination .

Says British Tavel Agent, Alex Carter, “No one is canceling (tickets), there will be no long-term impact on Britons traveling to Goa.”

The Centre is trying to ensure that happens. After the failure of the tourist police in most states, the Tourism Ministry now wants a tourist security force comprising of ex-servicemen.

But for states like Goa where police couldn’t be of much help, this perhaps is imperative if the state wants to retain its status as a tourism hotspot.

(With inputs from Akanksha Banerji in London)