As a travel writer and consultant, i am of the firm belief that a place is defined by the holistic society that comprises it lending itself to the aura and experience of ‘tourists & guests’ that visit it. 
The burning question today in the Times of India. 
Is the menace of hawkers & beggars on beaches giving Goan tourism a bad image? 

Hawkers and beggars are either direct or indirect outcomes of the society that creates them. From a tourist stand point it’s important to note that it does tarnish the overall experience of the state or any other state/ country for that matter in the same breath as infrastructure, security etc. 
The experience of a tourist friendly destination is the seamless integration of all these factors involved making it ‘tourist friendly’ for all who visit our lovely state. 

Though I’d take a step back and split the two in entirety- hawkers sell products to earn what some would call a ‘honest living’, beggars prey on the emotional quotient of humans as a outreach program for help and monetary motives. 

Why? Cause ‘no thank you’ , is never taken at face value. I’ve seen them pester tourists into involuntary submission just to not have them hang around them. This also has a negative impact on us as a tourist friendly destination. As mentioned earlier it’s deep seeded and is more than meets the eye.

Tell me what you think. Here’s my take and personal opinions on it.