The killing of a British teenager in Goa threw its reputation into doubt, but operators stress that the resort is still safe for tourists. Janine Kelso reports
Goa has been plagued by bad press since the shocking murder of British teenager Scarlett Keeling who was drugged and sexually assaulted before she was killed.
The 15-year-old Devon teenager was found dead on a beach in Anjuna, Goa, in February and rumours of a police cover-up surrounded the case as officers initially tried to claim Scarlett had drowned.
Furthermore, theft is reportedly on the rise in the area and police corruption is rumoured to be rife.
The Foreign Office advises tourists to avoid walking alone in isolated spots, particularly after dark due to sexual offences against women in Goa. In 2008, Consular staff were told about a number of British nationals who have been victims of serious sexual offences.
However, operators are adamant that Goa is still a safe destination for holidaymakers.
Somak’s chief executive Ash Sofat said: “It’s definitely safe to go to Goa. Tourists need to exercise common sense as they would at home. It appears that Scarlett was not doing the tourist thing and was mixing with the wrong crowd. If you’re backpacking, you would be more exposed – whether in Goa or at home.”
Somak sent 12,000 tourists to Goa last year and Sofat said none of them had any safety or security concerns.
Sofat added: “One of the attractions of Goa is that it is safe. You can walk along the beach from hotel to hotel at night. I do that all the time in Goa. I wouldn’t walk around at night in Nairobi or even in parts of London.”
Jewel in the Crown Holidays send about 12,000 tourists to Goa every season and they have only received a handful of complaints – mainly relating to thefts on the beach.
Managing director Platon Loizou said: “What happened to this girl was a sad and unfortunate incident but I think Goa is very safe. The case was dealt with rather badly and an arrest should have been made earlier.”
He added: “There will always be incidents and unnecessary problems as long as people take drugs. My advice to tourists wherever they go would be to stay away from drugs.”
Loizou believes the majority of thefts on the resort are down to tourists leaving valuables, such as cameras, on the beach while they go somewhere else for a few hours.
Loizou thinks Goa’s biggest challenge is not safety – but rising fuel prices which threaten to push up airfares dramatically in the next few years.
“Brits will go anywhere but they want good value for money,” he explained.
In a bid to accelerate sales to Goa, Somak launched a range of special offers to the resort in June, including room upgrades and free nights to four and five-star hotels. Agents can market these offers for travel between October 2008 and April 2009.
Goa safety tips
- Female travellers should respect local customs by not dressing provocatively
- When driving, carry an international licence, insurance and vehicle documents as police harassment is common
- Don’t take valuables to the beach – leave them in the hotel safe
- Avoid walking alone at night
- Don’t buy or take drugs
