The Goa government has introduced the landmark Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the state Legislative Assembly, aiming to institute India’s most far-reaching anti-nuisance legal framework for tourist destinations. The Bill, introduced in the Vidhan Sabha by Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on 25 July 2025, specifically seeks to address persistent lapses in public order, environmental concerns, and unregulated commercial activity that have long threatened the state’s image as a premier tourism hub.
The cornerstone of this amendment is the substantial expansion of the legal definition of ‘nuisance’ at tourist sites, updating Section 2(c) of the original Act. For the first time, the Bill clearly lists several activities as nuisances at tourist places. These include pestering or coercing tourists to buy goods or services, consuming alcohol and breaking glass bottles in places where drinking is not allowed, and littering or dumping waste outside designated bins.
The Bill also covers the unauthorized operation of boats or water sports from areas that have not been officially permitted, touting or selling tickets for cruises or tours at non-designated counters, aggressive begging, unauthorized street vending, driving vehicles on beaches without permission, and even selling tickets in Goa for water sports meant to be conducted in other states. The government has retained residual powers to prescribe further nuisance activities by rules, which adds to the institutional ability to address new and evolving tourism challenges.
The penalty structure under Section 10 is also being significantly tightened. The minimum fine will remain at ₹5,000, but now can go up to as much as ₹1,00,000, much higher than the earlier limit of ₹50,000. In serious cases, violators may also be charged with a criminal offence under section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which covers acts that disturb public peace. The Bill introduces a built-in review mechanism: every two years, the Government will reassess the fines, and can increase them by up to 10% to make sure the penalties keep up with inflation and changing economic conditions.
The legislative intent is to create robust statutory deterrence and promote “responsible and regenerative tourism,” thereby protecting both the visitor experience and the interests of local communities.
If this amendment is eventually passed, Goa will become the first state in India to bring in such wide-ranging and targeted rules to prevent nuisances and irresponsible behaviour at tourist places. Until the Bill is enacted, the state assembly’s introduction of the measure is a signal of Goa’s proactive stance in regulating tourism, paving the way for other tourism-focused states.