Walk to Himalayas, which specialises in tours to the Himalayan region of India, especially designed for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts, are in the process of setting foot in the hospitality industry with their first property. The company will launch the first phase of its hotel in Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand, in December 2013 with eight rooms. This will be followed by another four to five cottages in 2014. According to Siddhartha Singh Bhandari, Co-Founder, Walk to Himalayas, the property will be designed to provide a homestay atmosphere in an attempt to keep the experience authentic and rustic. The property will also house a library, photo gallery and projector room to promote the destination.
“The hotel will have a bungalow design. All the materials used in the property will be eco friendly and none of the services or offerings will resemble a conventional hotel. It will give the guests a feel of staying with one of the villagers in their homes to add a local flavour to their holiday. In fact, we are trying to adopt a village close by as well to further enhance our offerings while also giving back to the community,” said Siddhartha Singh Bhandari.
Adding to their list of adventure activities on offer, Walk to Himalayas is planning to add mountain biking, believing it is an activity that has potential but has not been on offer at par with international standards. Siddhartha Singh Bhandari further revealed that they are in talks with the Uttarakhand Government for the development of these biking tracks owing to the region’s perfect topography for the activity. Hence, their 2013 promotions will focus on biking and photography, revealed Latika Bhandari, Co-Founder, Walk to Himalayas.
“Our marketing strategy largely comprises online marketing, mailing campaigns and direct sales calls. We are majorly targeting corporate and students this year as MICE is a growing industry and youngsters are a good target for adventure activities,” added Latika Bhandari. Furthermore, Walk to Himalayas plans to join Uttarakhand Tourism in their international roadshows to increase visibility.
In keeping with the growth in response, Walk to Himalayas recently opened their office in Kolkata to reach more clients. In addition, the company plans to open more hotels in Uttarakhand over the next few years along the same concept as the one currently under development.
