TravTalk India Online Magazine
Tourism can neither be an industry nor a business, it is more about passion, says Veronique Narayana Swamy, Director, BB Voyage Votre DMC Inde- Nepal and ,Bhutan. She has been following her passion for the last 21 years, experiencing and exploring India—from mountains, to rural areas through cities. She says a journey of 1,000 miles begins by just a single step. The journey begins once you step out of your comfort zone.
Janice Alyosius
Travel and tourism world has changed in more than two years and how. People associated with this industry have used this opportunity to bring in new experiences, which opens our senses and our world. Travel is not just about ambling around the traditional cities and places, but rather exploring them. Tourism is not an industry, but it is entirely about passion. One has to be passionate enough to make a mark in the industry, says Veronique Narayana Swamy, Director, BB Voyage Votre DMC Inde, Nepal, Bhutan.
She has been following her passion for the last 21 years, experiencing and exploring India, from mountains through urban and rural areas. Speaking of how it feels to be a woman traveller, Swamy expressed, “I do not feel that I am a woman adventure tour-operator at all. I am just a human being facilitating other humans to experience nature, life, rural and all aspect of life in another country than theirs. I am ready to help them in this journey.”
How and why of her passion
She feels that travelling all day long can be an adventure. For example, people sitting at their office desks or in their homes and dreaming of a life full of travel and adventure; Swamy said, “I can give them them leeway to choose their heart’s desire and fly away. If you have a passion just follow it, I believe.”
“I have no plans to inspire the women in the travel industry or the budding travel entrepreneurs. Travel is not just an industry, it is more of a passion, an inspiration. If you are joining the industry to make money, then better do not join. Travel is not a business; one can find it somewhere else,” Swamy said.
“Life is all about accepting challenges along the way. One has to keep moving forward and savoring it at the same time. I am proud to say that I am not part of any industry. I am happy that I am just me—creating and facilitating the journey to others,” she said.
While following her passion, Swamy helped others experience the same. She said, “I am proud to have been able to offer the opportunity for a vision challenged lady and a 10-year-old IMC boy and their team trek to Parang la Trek. I am also proud to have been able to offer the opportunity for four tetraplegics to trail in Rajasthan.”
Speaking of safety and other recommendations for the women travellers, she said, “One has to accord priority to safety. One must be safe throughout the journey. There is no need to have be extra safe while travelling. There is no need to follow a set of rules; one must have their own rules and follow them to the T, but make sure they are worth following.”
She concluded by saying, “A journey of 1,000 miles begins by just a single step. The journey begins once you step out of your comfort zone, out of your air-conditioned four walls of your room and into the world.”
