Saputara is great. It does not require any artificial tourist attraction. But the tourist facilities at Gujarat's own hill station lack human touch. It has museum, but it remains closed on Holidays when people come here.
It has biggest government accommodation for tourists, but it costs more on the days when crowds of tourists come here. This is the only place where there are two rates every week. On Monday, Tuesday ,Wednesday and Thursday it is off season and so lesser tarrif while on the week ends starting Friday it is "on season" and so double tarrif. Even in this if there is holiday on off season day, it is with double rate.
A little change in the tourist services can make the tourist experience a happy one. These tips do not need much expenditure, but it can turn Saputara experience of a visitor something to be repeated to be relived.
1 Literature about Saputara describes it as the only hill station of Gujarat. It is a fact, but expression like Gujarat's own hill station will be more meaningful and brand generating coinage.
2 People must have all the necessary information about Saputara and around to have a good travel experience. Website of the State Transport must be kept updated about tourist destinations.
3 No private luxury bus goes to Saputara. All buses to Nashik and Shirdi go through other route. Private bus operators should be persuaded to take up Saputara as a must destination.
4 Saputara bus stop should be repaired and fenced. There should be tourist friendly information. Controller's cabin has advertisements of private company. It should be replaced by Sap[utara centric information.
5 Saputara circle should have information about sightseeing places in detail instead of the present signages.
6There should be a big place at the circle to meet the need of tourists for toilet and bathroom. A clock room facility here can make any tourist travel free and light even if he is not willing to go for hotel accommodation.
7 Vendors at the circles should be encouraged to talk positive about the place so that passer by visitors are tempted to prolong their stay. This is true for Tourism and circuit house staff and others involved in the hospitality industry here.
8 Hotels, restaurants and other eating joints should be asked to promote ethnic food like rotli and papad of nagli and bamboo pickles. They can have dangi food festival during the peak period when Saputara crowd overspills on footpath and crammed in cars.
9 Gujarat tourism has anti tourist tariff pattern. It should be immediately changed keeping the economy budget tourist in mind.
10 There should some organised system for getting vehicle for sightseeing. Some taxi stand with big board at Saputara circle can help tourist get vehicle as in Mount Abu and other places.
11 Museum and other government managed tourist attractions should remain open on Sundays and other holidays . At present holiday crowd is not exposed to Museum and other places.
12Mobile connectivity is a major problem. Signals vanish quite frequently. Tower network needs to be strengthened.There should be cyber cafes and more PCOs to meet the need of communication.
13 Major hotels like Anando and Chitrkoot have opened their bars in Hathgadh in the adjoining Maharashtra, just five kilometers or so from the border. These joints are advertised in Saputara. It is undesirable.
14 Bhagats- herbal healers of the Dangs are well versed with medicinal herbs and shrubs. Some of them even offer massage and steam bath. They can be promoted to make Saputara a new destination of medical tourism like Kerala. Government has already provided a platform to these bhagats through Bhagat Mandli in Ahwa with budget for operation infrastructure.
These are the measures that do not require money. We have to change the way things are there. But it will have a telling effect.
1 Literature about Saputara describes it as the only hill station of Gujarat. It is a fact, but expression like Gujarat's own hill station will be more meaningful and brand generating coinage.
2 People must have all the necessary information about Saputara and around to have a good travel experience. Website of the State Transport must be kept updated about tourist destinations.
3 No private luxury bus goes to Saputara. All buses to Nashik and Shirdi go through other route. Private bus operators should be persuaded to take up Saputara as a must destination.
4 Saputara bus stop should be repaired and fenced. There should be tourist friendly information. Controller's cabin has advertisements of private company. It should be replaced by Sap[utara centric information.
5 Saputara circle should have information about sightseeing places in detail instead of the present signages.
6There should be a big place at the circle to meet the need of tourists for toilet and bathroom. A clock room facility here can make any tourist travel free and light even if he is not willing to go for hotel accommodation.
7 Vendors at the circles should be encouraged to talk positive about the place so that passer by visitors are tempted to prolong their stay. This is true for Tourism and circuit house staff and others involved in the hospitality industry here.
8 Hotels, restaurants and other eating joints should be asked to promote ethnic food like rotli and papad of nagli and bamboo pickles. They can have dangi food festival during the peak period when Saputara crowd overspills on footpath and crammed in cars.
9 Gujarat tourism has anti tourist tariff pattern. It should be immediately changed keeping the economy budget tourist in mind.
10 There should some organised system for getting vehicle for sightseeing. Some taxi stand with big board at Saputara circle can help tourist get vehicle as in Mount Abu and other places.
11 Museum and other government managed tourist attractions should remain open on Sundays and other holidays . At present holiday crowd is not exposed to Museum and other places.
12Mobile connectivity is a major problem. Signals vanish quite frequently. Tower network needs to be strengthened.There should be cyber cafes and more PCOs to meet the need of communication.
13 Major hotels like Anando and Chitrkoot have opened their bars in Hathgadh in the adjoining Maharashtra, just five kilometers or so from the border. These joints are advertised in Saputara. It is undesirable.
14 Bhagats- herbal healers of the Dangs are well versed with medicinal herbs and shrubs. Some of them even offer massage and steam bath. They can be promoted to make Saputara a new destination of medical tourism like Kerala. Government has already provided a platform to these bhagats through Bhagat Mandli in Ahwa with budget for operation infrastructure.
These are the measures that do not require money. We have to change the way things are there. But it will have a telling effect.
3 comments:
Thoughtful suggestions if taken seriously
Good suggestions to promote the 'OWN HILL STATION'.
Suggestions are good but remember if implemented it will ruin the beauty of Saputara. It is only good that Luxury buses are not going there. Imagine number of luxury buses with crazy tourist who do not have any regards for natural beauty come to a place and mess it up.
Goa is one perfect example ruined by commercial activity. Every Tom, Dick and Harry who owns house in Kerala started hotel or guest house. We should preserve Saputara the way it is. Otherwise eventually it will be so commercialized that it will be destroyed like Mahabaleshwar.
With all hardships I think it is the best as it is.
Just my 2 cents
Nature Lover
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