Goans can handle alcohol, not tourists: Minister

Panaji : Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Thursday told the Assembly that Goans can “handle” alcohol, but not tourists who drink “excessively and indulge in drugs.”

“We do not want tourists who indulge in drugs and break bottles on the beach… They have to take care of our culture… If a Goan drinks and walks along the road, he will not stagger. He will walk quietly,” Ajgaonkar told the Assembly during Question Hour on Thursday.

Ajgaonkar’s comments come at a time when the state government is mulling a ban on public drinking and littering. Ajgaonkar said that both issues had become a menace, adding the state would like to deter “errant” tourists from coming to Goa.

Goa is one of the top destinations for beach and nightlife tourism in the country, attracting more than seven million tourists annually.

 Published on: July 26, 2018 at 22:27 IST

IANS