A few insightful words by Malika Virdi, Jury Member of IRTA 2022, Sarpanch of Sarmoli-Jainti Van Panchayat (Munsiari) and co-founder of Himalayan Ark.
#IRTA2022 #responsibletourism #sustainabletourism #responisbletourismindia #sustainabletourismindia #outlookrt #responsibletravel #responsibletravelindia
#IRTA2022 #responsibletourism #sustainabletourism #responisbletourismindia #sustainabletourismindia #outlookrt #responsibletravel #responsibletravelindia
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00:00 So today we find that home stays have really caught on.
00:10 People like coming and living with a family.
00:13 You get to know the culture, you get to know the place in a very intimate way.
00:18 But there are some things that we've got to watch out for.
00:21 For instance, in this industry, which is hospitality, you know, customer is king.
00:26 That's the logic that seems to be what we hang on to.
00:31 But that's not how it works within a home stay.
00:34 Oftentimes in home stays, especially in rural India, the guest that comes to your house
00:39 might be better placed, well off compared to you, but they've entered your space.
00:45 And as they say, "Ateeti devo baho" that culture is deep within our psyche.
00:51 So they will look after you, but they are not king.
00:55 You are the manik of the home, you are the queen of your home.
00:59 And once that equation gets set, we found that both the guest and the host have a very
01:06 mutually caring relationship, which is not based on just the transaction of money.
01:14 And I think that is the essence of a home stay.
01:17 You step gently into somebody else's space, you respect that space.
01:23 And that's what makes it a good and an enriching relationship.
01:28 Otherwise, you step into a home and you find that you're ordering people around and suddenly
01:34 the equation changes.
01:35 Apne hi ghar mein hum malik na ban kar, nokar ban jate hain.
01:41 So hospitality comes easy to rural communities.
01:45 The power equation must be one that is mutually respectful.
01:50 So when people come and stay at your home stay, how do you treat them?
01:54 So I represent a community-based tourism enterprise called Himalayanark and this is in Kumau,
02:02 Himalaya.
02:03 So it takes a while for the guests to understand that, you know, we don't want... they ask
02:09 us to show us pictures of the house and we say, "No, you will be new for our home stay
02:14 family and let there be a little bit of mystery when you come into our homes.
02:19 Please allow that space."
02:21 And people begin to understand.
02:22 Kahi baar kehte hain, you know, logon ki mizaaj se samajh aa jata hai kaise hain.
02:28 So a lot of people will get off their vehicle and say, "Well, here are our bags."
02:32 And home stay people are gentle, rural folk will not confront them, they'll carry their
02:37 bags home.
02:38 Most often, by the time they leave, they'll tell the home stay, "Mere bag mat thuna.
02:43 Main uthaungi, main utha lunga."
02:46 And by then the relationship is set.
02:48 So the expectations are already laid out.
02:52 We tell our guests that, "Look, you're coming to someone's home.
02:56 Ghar ki maryada, please aap samjhe."
02:59 We set them up in a way that they have a mutually enjoyable relationship.
03:05 [END]
03:07 Kahi baar kehte hain, you know, logon ki mizaaj se samajh hai.
03:08 Please allow that space.
03:08 [END]