Stereotyped tourism seems to be wearing the lustre off sight-seeing forcing travellers to seek out newer and fresher varieties of experiences. This is evident from an increase in the number of tourists opting for off-beat, non-touristy options. Is it then time for tour operators and agents to take the road less travelled?
City-based travel agent Maneesha Panicker who set her company Silk Route Escapes four years ago is one who believes it is time to go off the beaten track. The young entrepreneur has crafted a three-day package tour for Kochi that showcases the city in a whole new ambience, presenting her guests with refreshing experiences.
The itinerary she offers involves outings such as a visit to the fish auction centre at Vypeen, an art walk through Mattancherry and Fort Kochi, tea in a Jewish household, participation in a Kathakali lec-dem and engagement with artists painting Pulikkali performers.
Her two guests, Tenzin Kunsang and Chris Fletcher, after a visit to the fish auction, said, “The trip to the fish market made us conscious of local lives beyond the world of tourism. It made us realise, of how as tourists, we can negatively impact them if we are not conscientious of our actions, especially with littering. This is all the more reason to promote off the beat experiences, especially those that promote sustainable eco-tourism.”
Maneesha began packaging tourism differently for two reasons, one that there was a need to reinvent, and secondly that tourism was also about connecting people with people. As a child she used to travel with her father on his political visits to villages. She found those experiences of meeting people exhilarating. Besides, in her work in the US and on her travels abroad she found holidayers yearning for slow and different experiences.
“My village in Thaneermukkam is so quaint. I realised that an experiential visit to a place is so much more satisfying for a traveller than just a touristy visit to the landmarks.”
A signature walk that she takes her guests is along with author George Thundaparambil, to places mentioned in his novel, Maya. At Kaprivelakka in Mattancherry George narrates the fascinating lore of Kappiri Muthappan, a mythical friendly spirit, to the travellers, something that they would be likely to miss on a routine visit.
Maneesha tweaked the regular touristy Kathakali trip too. She zeroed in on the women’s Kathakali troupe in Tripunithura and curated a bespoke performance where travellers watch not only the make-up but also participate in cameo roles. The popular pulikkali tour too is offered differently by her. Watching the street procession is routine, she believes, and so engages her guests in behind-the-scene experience where they watch the body painting on the dancers as they gear into mood for the performance. “Watching 100 men being painted as tigers is an amazing experience, for any watcher,” she says.
Kaplana Sanghi’s company Take a Break too offers the city to clients differently. After taking them on the regular history-heritage tour, Kalpana shows them niche sights like a lit-up temple, a rare and elevating experience.
“I make sure I give the guests two to three days in Kochi for I know that the city holds more than just half-a-day experience.” Kalpana has made shopping at some known city stores a USP. “Shopping in Kochi is a delightful experience especially in the traditional gold and silver jewellery stores. Foreigners just love it,” she says. One of her Danish guests, Ulla Lilleo Jenson was so charmed by her shopping spree that she got her nose pierced. “I’m enjoying the nose pin a lot! It was a very special experience…so great that I did it!” gushed Ulla in her thank-you mail.
Some of the stores that Kalpana takes her guests to regularly are Kasava Kada, Vimalalayam, the sari stores and Kaycee Corporation at Bazaar road for spices. She always throws in an elasadya to complete the Kochi experience.
“Kochi is a very good destination for slow pace travel, something that is catching on,” says Shakzil Khan, a freelance tour guide who works across different Indian cities.
He believes the city can be best experienced on foot, on bike and on boat. “The waterways give the city an interesting dimension,” he says, and pitches for curated theme walks like a Bazaar Road walk, a religious walk to churches, a warehouse walk, Tripunithura walk, as possible themes. “I have taken my guests on a bus tour of the city and they have loved it,” he says.
R. Karthik Varma made the temple festivals in the city as the selling point of his company D’Compass. “The temple festival experience is one-of- a kind and presents authentic culture,” he says.
So time to re-discover the city through the roads less taken.
