New Delhi, May 17 -- Around 9 lakh foreigners visited Goa in 2017. By 2025, the number had fallen to around 5 lakh, or by roughly half . On the other hand, the number of domestic tourists visiting the western coastal state grew from 68 lakh tourists in 2016 to more than one crore last year.

These numbers, released by Goa's tourism department, indicate a concerning trend. Concerning because tourism reportedly contributes roughly 16.4% to Goa's GDP, and is responsible for nearly 40% of the state's employment.

Goa, which used to be the one-stop shop for foreign tourists' perfect budget beach holiday, is slipping away from its reputation.

In fact, the number of foreign tourists arriving in Goa through charter flights has fallen from nearly...