THE GOVERNMENT of Goa may ban tourism ads featuring bikini-clad women to improve its image after a string of crimes against women, an official said Saturday (January 30).

The proposal, which has received backing from tourism authorities, was made to counter popular perceptions of Goa as a destination where there is easy access to sex and drugs, said tourism minister Francisco Pacheco.

Russia this week slammed local authorities after repeated attacks on its nationals in Goa, including a case where a nine-year-old Russian girl was allegedly raped.

“We will make sure government ads don’t have bikini clad women and we will also ask private tour operators to desist from having such images,” Pacheco said.

The ban has yet to be approved but the edict would apply to print advertisements which are part of the Goa government’s $4.5m (£) global campaign to draw visitors to its famed sandy beaches and nightlife.

Russia has threatened to warn its citizens not to travel to Goa unless the government can ensure their safety and Moscow’s consul general to India last month raised fears over the “criminal situation in Goa’.

Tens of thousands of Russians visit the state each year, and some have been at the centre of high-profile crimes.