Ecotourism in Goa: An Empirical Investigation of Tourist Perception and Experiences
Keywords:
Ecotourism, Importance performance analysis, Tourists perception, Tourists satisfaction, Sustainable Tourism Management, Goa, IndiaAbstract
Tourism is essential for the economic progression of a nation. Goa, the smallest state in India, is a popular tourist destination attracting numerous domestic and international visitors. Goa is endowed with diverse natural landscapes and also hosts a range of heritage sites. The state is endorsed as a coastline tourism hub that has reached its peak (Kamat, 2013). Consequently, it is essential to develop supplementary tourism sectors. The current research work scrutinizes ecotourism in Goa. Gap analysis was used, which was conducted grounded on Importance Performance Analysis to assess the discrepancy between the existing ecotourism facilities and tourists’ perceptions of their importance before visiting the ecotourism sites and their satisfaction after visiting the sites. The tourists rated twenty-nine variables associated with facilities and services for importance and satisfaction. When plotted on an Importance-Performance Grid, seven variables were placed in Quadrant A, and there is a need to concentrate on these attributes to improve the performance. Whereas, in the modified Importance-Performance Grid, 27 of 29 variables fall in Quadrant A, indicating that significant improvements are required for these facilities. It can be concluded that a significant gap exists between the visitors’ perceptions and experiences after partaking in ecotourism-related activities in Goa. To position Goa as a world-class tourist destination, there is a need to upgrade existing facilities. It is essential for destination planners to introduce sustainable ecotourism facilities in Goa and implement suitable corrective actions to meet international standards.
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