Sustainable Tourism in India

Giving back to Society, Responsible Tourism etc etc …humbug and clichés of the pseudo traveller are what have always been my impressions whenever some friend or relation comes back and brags about having made a ‘difference’. Difference ??? What difference can you make by spending half a day at some organic farm or watching slum children studying their alphabet. 

So when I planned on my holiday to India and my friends spoke of Sustainable Tourism in India etc etc., I simply shoo-ed them away. Not my cuppa tea, I said. I am going to enjoy and that’s it!!!. Would you believe it, that when I visited the travel agent, the first thing he asked me was whether I would be interested in a bit of Participative Tourism on the trip. Seeing my frown he suggested I think it over and maybe have a look at one of the premium Indian travel company’s social website www.shaping-lives.org. I said OK half heartedly and opened the site after a good 3 days. 

Thank God I did though. It opened my eyes as to how even a little effort from me would bring joy in some one else’s life. I chose the ‘old age home’ and the agent inbuilt that visit into my trip. Imagine a social integration before take-off on a trip. Made possible by this travel company. The visit, warmth, the entire aura was so soothing. I fell in love with the old age home and I wished I could stay on some more. My friends laugh when they hear this but I know what a lovely and everlasting experience I have had … and I assure you, I AM going back for more…

Social Signatures In Tourism

To me travel is incomplete unless I give back some time or my expertise to the country visited. As a freelance artist and theatre fanatic, I love to spend time with the less privileged and use my skills to create laughter and smiles on my tour destinations. I call that leaving Social Signatures in Tourism and my holiday plans are incomplete unless I have researched and am satisfied that I will be able to leave a small signature of my own. To that end, when I planned my India visit, I immediately hit the button to access CSR Activities in India, and to further authenticate, CSR Opportunities in India on the web. 

Both sites spoke about the emerging Giveback Tourism in India. I was guided onto a website which apparently belonged to India’s only Travel Foundation and on accessing this www.shaping-lives.org , I was amazed at the innovative way the organisation had taken NGOs of various discipline on their panels and facilitated interactions between the tourist and them to the mutual satisfaction of both. Their events page and testimonials bespoke of their work. I chose to go along and selected a special school in Jaipur for a two day workshop. Believe me both the children and me freaked out ……it was pure fun and I have promised them a visit again besides an attempt to raise funds and send in more friends. To Shaping Lives I can only ‘Thank You’ …. The way you set everything up for me and the satisfaction I got was beyond my expectations.

ResponsibleTour Operator in India

Hello! When my friend and me planned our 10 day vacation we wanted a really nice Responsible Tour Operator in India who would not only give us comfortable travel itinerary but also help us in doing some time in welfare work for some community. We googled Responsible Tours India and Responsible Tourism India and found many tour operators offering Socially Responsible Tours in India. We were very confused. However, there was one operator which claimed to have a travel foundation dedicated to only organising and being a bridge between tourists and good social organisations. 

We explored the recommended website www.shaping-lives.org and were quite impressed with the different kind of events it had been giving so many international tourists. When we sent them a mail, they asked us our preferences and thereafter gave us 2-3 options even for selection. We loved that and got hooked. Shaping Lives facilitation gave us so much satisfaction and joy in our social give back and we are truly thankful for the fantastic work they have started to bring good NGOs and tourists like us together. God bless them.

Corporate Social Responsibility In India

Ola! I am Sanchez and very much interested in travelling all over the world, so I keep savings a little and take one holiday to different nation each year during Christmas. Last year I planned on holiday to India. As low budget tourist, I save on hotel bill by being volunteer in different social works. When I explored India Volunteer Tourism and chance of VolunteerTours in India on the net for some idea, I was happy to see a website www.shaping-lives.org being shown by both as a responsible and trusty Foundation for such work in that country. It was engaged in different types of social work and helping tourists to select something of their choice not just in type but also in a destination they wanted to do volunteer work in. 

It spoke of their Corporate Social Responsibility in India as a travel foundation and besides giving opportunity in children and old age work; they also had animal NGO and chance to volunteer in Sustainable Development Projects in India like water management etc. I was so happy. Even my local agent had heard of them and best part was that they were able to recommend me the city, the NGO and a low cost stay with food and lodgings as well. I really enjoyed my volunteer work and I am going back to India again through Shaping Lives volunteer scheme. My friends would not believe the experience I had until they saw my photos with the children. I also learnt to tie that big Rajasthan head dress from the children.

Responsible Tourism

You know what….every time some friend or acquaintance would brag that oh! I did some serious Participative Tourism or said y’know, we took a Responsible Holiday this year, I would just yuck! behind their backs calling them ‘pseudos’. Those were the days. All that changed for me in just one holiday where my partner offered to give me a lifetime experience in Responsible Tourism on our India holiday. He kept harping on this Travel with a Soul thing and almost drove me nuts ……. but I am glad I stuck on, coz we spent 3 days on an island on the Yamuna River in Agra just looking after sloth bear. These bear are the so called Indian dancing bears who have been given a safe haven in controlled habitats instead of a life of misery and torture dancing on the roads. The Responsible Holiday was organised to the last detail by a travel agent in India …. and ok guys and girls … yuck me all you want but that trip changed my attitude and I am a hot and proud  member of that pseudo clan today and Participative Tourism is my theme in most parties.