Overview
- German travel influencer Alex Welder reported being followed and harassed in Patnem after choosing a GoaMiles ride quoted at ₹300 over a ₹500 rickshaw demand.
- Welder said the GoaMiles driver asked them to conceal the car’s number plate as local operators filmed the vehicle.
- According to Welder, police stopped the cab shortly after pickup and issued a ₹500 fine that he paid on the driver’s behalf.
- Recent clips show a broader pattern, including an October case in Varca where a tourist walked nearly a kilometer with luggage because a GoaMiles driver feared approaching a resort gate.
- Industry voices and online commenters warn the confrontations are hurting Goa’s tourism image and urge clearer rules to protect visitors and licensed app-based drivers.