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Homely Hospitality The Indian Way,Bed-and-Breakfast Scheme In Capital Promises Personalised ServicesBy Yash, Section Tourism
It's a home away from home. At the economical rate, I have got personalised services which are non-existent in hotels. JOHN BELL, A Canadian tourist staying in South Extension under BNB scheme
Tourists Guides passes It is time for travellers to explore Delhi with owners of guesthouses. But only those tourists get this "warm" privilege who stay in Bed and Breakfast (BNB) establishments initiated by the Tourism Ministry in 2006 end. These are the hotels-cum-homes run by landlords initiated to offset the soaring tourist influx. Guests not only get a comfortable place to stay, they also get to see the "real India" when they stay with local families in their homes and eat home-cooked food. A slice of Indian culture A night out with landlord, lunch at Paranthe Wali Gali and movie at the PVR are the friendly (but not mandatory) services these tourists enjoy to take home the sliceof widely-known-Indian-hospitality "It's a home away from home. At the economical rate, I have got personalised services which are non-existent in hotels," says John Bell, a Canadian guest in South Extension.  Pankaj Ahuja (name changed on request), owner of a BNB establishment in Sunder Nagar, even takes his guests out to his personal functions just like other family members. "I have introduced many of my guests at Indian weddings. Such bonhomie is missing in all the hotels but is common in these homes," he says. Personalised services Apart from normal facilities provided in a hotel or a guesthouse, these people also get the peek of Indian way of living. "I don't recall my guests by their room numbers but by their first names. We take them for outings and show them must visit places. After a few days of stay, they become a part of our extended family," says Pankaj. What surprises these tourists is that these services aren't laid down by the ministry's guidelines but they know that landlords will go overboard to please them. "I arrange for their transport whenever they can't find a taxi. They even use my kitchen regularly," says S. Kumar, who is the owner of first BNB establishment in Delhi.
Guests become regular Click On "Full Story" For Read These Point Of Story...
Guests become regular
Such services stay in the memory of the guests and whenever they come back to India, they want to stay at the same place. Here the landlord matters to the guest more than the place. Some guests send thank you greetings after they leave the country. Meanwhile, the landlords are also making a killing and easily rake in between Rs 2,000-Rs 5,000 per day for one room. But the rent can change for the landlords follow no strict tariff rate. "A European guest is expected to visit shortly who is coming to adopt a baby girl from an orphanage in Delhi. I am open to give substantial discount to him in this case," says Pankaj. A long way to go Though the concept has got word-of-mouth publicity, the Tourism Ministry believes that many more establishments would be needed to accommodate tourists who don't find a place in hotels. Also, some find it difficult to look for guests every other day, as the average stay period is 2-4 days. To fix the problem, a few companies have also sprung up which provide services of middlemen. "There is a need to promote BNB establishments. Merely getting certificates won't beckon customers. We help them get tourists regularly," says Niranjan Senapaty, director of an enterprise named Mangosteen. Though operational for more than a year, the BNB scheme has found a paltry 164 takers (till March 26) in Delhi and another 29 in the NCR. "According to an estimate, we would need around 25,000 rooms in Delhi and NCR and currently the number has reached only 618. It still lacks a lot of enthusiasm and public support," says R. E Kumawat, Information Officer, Indian Tourism's regional office in Delhi. Source: HT NEWS April-06-2008
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