A memorable trip is more about the people you meet en route than the place itself. Any person who travels frequently can experience that firsthand.
When a tourist couple wanted to visit a hill station in Shimla, North India, an awfully friendly duo accompanied them to the picturesque hill station, entertained them with local legends, and finally took them home, plied them with tea and insisted that they partake of a meal there.
Months later the tourist couple wrote a letter of thanks to the local duo who helped them, saying it was the couple, who helped them, came first to the mind and the valleys and lush estates and the awesome sunset they witnessed came later, whenever they think of that trip.
That is the effect friendly locals have on tourists. And the government sees to be realizing that too. The auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, traders and hoteliers are being trained so that they cultivate a tourism friendly culture. Awareness is being created about the importance of being warm and honest with the tourists, so that they will carry back good memories of the State.
Just like good locals help bring in more tourists, the unfriendly kinds can throw the most devoted tourist off track .In small towns, the sense of ownership is immense. And, when you ignore local customs, throw litter around or run roughshod over tourists’ emotions, you are going to create a bad name for yourself.
To do away with this, the Government is involved in putting up placards to educate tourists. The tourism department staff is trained in this regard, as are the private players who host most tourists.
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