India For Beginners EXOTIC & BEST
Agents can add value by allaying clients’ ‘India fears’ and making their trip more manageable and fathomable, says Debbie Ward
seek out India for themselves but they may, like the film’s characters, also be somewhat nervous about the culture shock that awaits them. An escorted tour is a natural way to
T
reassure India virgins, but this need not be by coach as the country is also famous for its picturesque and often luxurious train journeys. First-time tourers invariably head to
Northern India for the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Jaipur, Delhi and Agra (home to the Taj Mahal) which offers a good concentra¬tion of forts and palaces. Some add Udaipur, another royal city, with a lakeside setting, where part of ‘Marigold’ was filmed, while others include a tiger safari in Ranthambore National Park.
On Track Trade-friendly sister rail operators Great Rail Journeys and Treyn have expanded in India this year with Treyn including the country for the first time.
“There has been a huge growth in the India rail
he star-studded The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie could entice more first-timers to
holidays market, and we’ve seen 150% growth year on year. It’s arguably the best way to see the country, especially for first-timers to India, and we have some amazing luxury holidays at affordable prices,” says Alex Roberts, GRJ Marketing and Sales Director. The ‘hand-holding’ aspect of a trip with
a British tour manager particularly appeals to the operator’s over-55 demographic, she adds. For independent travellers, an
introduction to India can be eased by suggesting a home-stay with a family who can provide a friendly, personal welcome and advice on exploring the local area. Mahindra Homestays offers handpicked options across India and sells through the trade. Pre-bookable sightseeing excursions, like Attraction World’s, Agra and the Taj Mahal side trip from Delhi, are also handy for independent clients.
Bite-Size India The easiest way for someone to get
their feet wet in India (and in a warm ocean) is a package holiday to Goa, India’s popular westerly beach resort served by charter flights in winter. It’s a simple introduction to the country, well set up
for western tourists, though the cultural interest is mainly limited to Unesco-listed Catholic churches (a legacy of Portuguese rule) and Anjuna’s famous ‘hippy market’. For a real bite-sized India adventure with a beach, Kerala, at India’s southern tip, has more to offer first- timers. Several operators offer sightseeing itineraries here and those who stray from their sunloungers can experience wildlife parks, lofty spice plantations, historic Kochi and the famous Backwaters where they can tour by houseboat.
TIME TRAVEL BY DEBBIE WARD
“First-time tourers invariably head to Northern India for the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Jaipur, Delhi and Agra ”
Having checked my watch against the shadow from a giant concrete sundial in Jaipur’s Jantar Mantar observatory I can vouch for the claim it is correct to within two minutes. This outdoor astronomy park was built by an 18th century Maharaja. Nearby you can check out elephant armour in the City Palace and see the ornate pink façade of the Palace of Winds. The main event for many however is the 16th century Amber Fort, which is just north of Jaipur. Here marble and sandstone buildings incorporate the best Hindu and Muslim decorative arts including frescoes, mosaics and mirrorwork. Jaipur, in royal Rajasthan, is one corner
of the ‘Golden Triangle’ cultural touring route. For clients short on time it’s arguably the most important as it incorporates some of the showiest attractions in a compact area. Now is a good time to push the city as it was among the screen settings for the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Above: The Palace on Wheels (Great Rail Journeys) with, facing page, multi-coloured India including the Thar Desert (right)
44 July/August 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
GREAT RAIL JOURNEYS DANIELLE NOTMAN
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