Aheli Moitra
Young Indian people today are educated, many have well-paid jobs and are always on the move. Travel is an essential part of the Indian youth life today. Among them, the middle class youth are looking for newer, more enriching, travel experiences that provide relaxation as well as a glimpse into cultures and lives of other communities in India. States of the ‘North East’ often feature on the travel bucket list, with Nagaland finding itself as a much-sought-after destination.
But Nagaland is not easy to travel in. Roads are terrible and taxis are expensive. Going from one place to another takes time and energy. Without help from local advisors or other guides, accommodation can only be found in generic hotels listed on the web; information is not readily available—where to stay, where to eat, relieve or which road to take on a fork—which adds confusion to the package. Of course, once a tourist reaches any Naga village, the people, the rolling hills and the clouds within make up for these encumbrances.
To make the last part of such a journey supersede all else for tourists, the Naga Homestay website is a welcome intervention. Launched on July 1, www.nagahomestay.com is an initiative of Wander Nagaland, a tour agency that seeks to connect travelers to the people and land. It offers travel opportunities to explore remote places in Nagaland and its neighbourhood; with tours led by a ‘lead guide,’ the agency also offers a ‘local guide’ in each village that are part of the tour.
Owned and operated by Naga people, the site, apart from making travel within Nagaland more accessible, promotes ‘responsible travel’ that will support the “traditional spirit of the sovereign Naga village state.” The agency – that has partnered with Entrepreneurs Associates among others – works with a Council of Elders to “protect and retain cultural authenticity during a period of rapid globalisation.”
The Naga Homestay website promises to be equally beneficial for hosts. Acknowledging that homestays could become “a means for every Naga to generate a livelihood through sharing their cultural and natural heritage,” the Naga Homestay website seeks to make business simpler for homestay entrepreneurs in Nagaland. The site offers, for instance, services like assistance in organizing a home to be listed on international travel sites that give the homes global visibility. Once registered on the site, the host will get help in invoicing, payments, notes on setting up a home for guests and so on. For those who have the resources in the form of a spare room or few, but are clueless about capitalizing them, the site has a tailored startup kit.
Such an intervention that makes tourism in Nagaland more accessible – and responsible – for tourists and hosts alike was much needed. It has already made many potential tourists heave a sigh of relief as they plan their future travels to Nagaland and the region; hopefully its execution will be just as efficient, thereby enriching the local tourism industry as well as visitors.
Notes are welcome on moitramail@yahoo.com