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As I sat and worked with my hands at a loom in Kathmandu, I realized that the meditative art of weaving was not what I had expected. Instead, as a left-hander, I struggled with getting the warp and weft in the right order and found that the malleable water hyacinth I was using was probably too floppy and needed some dexterity to keep it in place. I was struggling, but I was happy to step out of my hotel, the Kathmandu Marriott, and find something truly local, away from the tourist spots.
Read more |Craft Tours to Village Stays: Take a slow vacation this New Year
The experience is an hour spent at the Nepal Knotcraft Center through Marriott’s Good Travel Initiative. Founder Shyam Badan Shrestha describes the impact his company has made and their various products – all woven from natural fibers like grass, bamboo and sage. As travelers look for authenticity wherever they travel in the world, hotels and apps are bridging the divide and providing an opportunity to truly engage – be it with an interest and thirst for authenticity or simply an opportunity to showcase something different on social media.
Post Card Lunch at Gir Wildlife Sanctuary | Photo credit: Special Arrangement
Bart Behring, chief sales and marketing officer, Asia Pacific, Marriott International, said, “We’ve noticed that travel is becoming more purpose-driven and impact-oriented.” According to the 2022 American Express Travel Global Survey, 83% of millennials are considering the importance of purpose when they plan trips and decide which companies to work with, up from 79% of all survey respondents, he said. At Urbanaat, a discovery platform with local recommendations for travelers, founder Samyukta Rangamthan says, “I think COVID-19 has given a boost. [experiential travel]And now, I don’t think people think about them as experiences but as normal activities.
Through the app, users can book everything from pottery workshops amidst Mumbai’s hustle and bustle to bespoke meals and one-of-a-kind experiences like swimming at hidden quarry pools in Goa or rafting on the Indus or Zanskar. While some foster a sense of learning and discovery, many offer a chance to get off the beaten path, away from the crowd. For example, Jarir de Vitre, an independent sustainability consultant who has had many Urbanaat experiences in Goa, explains that there is an opportunity to spend time in small groups and try local, offbeat experiences.
A snapshot from the Nepal Knotcraft Center | Photo credit: Special Arrangement
In many cases, as Bart notes, these types of activities engage the local community. He explained, “With the good journey with Marriott Bonvoy, we worked very closely with NGOs and local experts such as marine biologists and artists to help curate the custom purpose-based experiences that the program offers. Some experiences require a minimum fee to help these local professionals and NGOs run the experience in a professional, informative and meaningful way.
His words are backed up by Nimmu House in Ladakh, a boutique property 45 minutes from Leh. There, engagement is varied, from locals leading guided tours of the village to deeper engagement with the property itself – like buying vegetables locally. Indrani, host and curator at Nimmu House, said, “After the pandemic, more and more Indians are taking interest in walks and hikes. The village walk is really popular, where someone from the village leads a three-hour walk, bringing together personal history and a guide. RAAS Devigarh general manager Sanjeev Sharma echoed this, saying that after the lockdown, there is a new group of tourists, especially international tourists, who are “very keen to see the villages and see the life of the villagers”. This is possible through village tours led by locals.
Weaving at Nepal Knotcraft Center | Photo credit: Special Arrangement
Along with the desire to empower locals, these experiences also seek to showcase the destination. While the hotel offers a safari experience like the postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, there is a more local Siddhi Dhamal dance experience featuring Ngoma drumming and tribal fire dancing. Akanksha Lamba, Senior Vice President, Operations, Postcard Hotels, said, “Every experience at Postcard is designed to provide a true sense of neighborhood and destination. Our dedicated experience team begins with extensive preliminary research- which catalogs diverse experiences related to spiritual, cultural, historical, adventure and wildlife interactions. “
As for me, my craft session was painfully aware of the time, skill and skill required to create even a simple coaster. Wondering how Kathmandu had more to offer than I had imagined, I came away curious to learn more about the local invasive plant species.
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