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Whither the warm welcome?
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Are people killing the goose that lays golden eggs? Exploitation of tourists must be nipped in the bud, says PRIYADARSSHINI SHARMA
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PHOTO: VIPINCHANDRAN
FOREIGN EXCHANGE Tourists must be made to feel at home for them to come back again and again...
"Ten, ten, ten, ten, ten," said the seller of tender coconut water spreading his ten fingers wide and pushing the sea breeze five times.
Oh, you mean fifty," asked the rotund, fair gentleman, his eyes rounding in surprise.
"Too much for tender coconut water," he murmured and went to sit on the seaside promenade.
Soon he found the seller asking him, "You Indian?"
"Aah, aah, yes, very much," the North Indian replied.
"Oh," he said, and thrust his ten fingers into the air just once, meaning, `only Rs. 10'.
Well, this kind of dual pricing is common in high tourist zones all over the world but many in the business here feel that tourism is killing tourism.
"There's a saying in Malayalam that we are cutting the branch we are sitting on because there are so many unethical practices going on," says Thomas Urumese at the Tourist Desk Information counter at Fort Kochi. He strongly believes that the approximately hundred homestays that have mushroomed between Fort Kochi and Thoppumpady, the innumerable eateries, the taxi services and all tourism related businesses, be it from snake charmers to roadside hawkers, must be issued a licence only and only after a one-month course on tourism etiquette.
Meanwhile, as the season plays out the heritage zone is looking its colourful best. Dressmaker Jude of Thomas Tailors, a 50-year-old shop, is up to his neck with work. Stitching western style dresses and open jackets, he has quickly learnt to satisfy the travellers who make pressing demands on him.
A dress in 24 hours, alterations, a sherwani and even loads of dresses to be stitched and parcelled all the way to France! But Jude is happy and says he has unique customers who get a dress stitched a day. Sara Phillips, a Briton smiles and says, "Actually, two dresses a week." "I get so many dresses stitched because in India you need an awful lot of laundry. That means the clothes get faded. My dream is to have a cottage in Kerala." But Sara has had some unfortunate brush with the locals. Despite that she spends half a year here. Michael from Thoppumpady selling cotton skirts, scarves, T-shirts has been running his make shift stall on the pavement near the beach. His 14-year-old business is always under the threat of being closed down by the police, as he has no proper licence. "They have been threatening to come and close our place down. They say we will be relocated but nothing permanent has happened," he sulks. Business for him is down, as competition has grown manifold. "Now there are some 50-odd shops," he says and under cutting one another is the rule of the game. Faizal who sells beads, necklaces, bangles and bracelets bedsides Michael's colourful clothes claims he can speak in pidgin Italian, Spanish, German and French. He brings kilos of bright beads, both stone and glass, from Delhi and along with his brother, bunches them into necklaces, bracelets and hair clips. The threat of closing down shop looms large over him too but he says he belongs to the
Footpath Handicrafts and Fast food Merchants Union, Fort Kochi and that some solution to their problem will come about soon. Changing lives of locals, tourism is a boon for Tripal and Lakshmi who come every season from Tirupati. "We play the tanpura and pose for pictures. The tourists give us whatever they wish," The elderly husband - wife couple say they beg for a living and that he's a sadhu!
Ivan's Rent-a Bike: only for tourists, too is in top gear in the season. You can hire a Bullet for Rs.350 a day, a scooter for 200, which ladies often take. Despite proper verification they lost a bike to one who just whamoosed with it!
Hosts and guests
But then colourful, cosmopolitan life goes on with guests and hosts, tourists and locals trying to find that fine balance which gives both the locals and the traveller, a happy experience. And for that Incredible India experience, `atithi devo bhava', the two catchwords of the ministry, the need of the hour is responsible tourism.
For those of us offering the travellers our home, hearth and hearts the lure of making a quick buck will only shatter this beautiful scenario. Responsible action towards the guests is the way forward for tourism is fragile. The cases of a bad experience for the travellers are on the rise and this may just turn the tumble of tourists to a trickle, sadly, something that we will bring upon ourselves, if we don't take note now.
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