INDORE: Women empowerment has got a boost in Madhya Pradesh with the first batch of hundreds of women guards, drivers, guides and boat operators ready to welcome visitors in peak tourist season.
Trained by the MP Tourism Board, these women will often be the first contact for tourists in the heart of Incredible India. The aim is to create a “hospitality channel” run and hosted by women for women travellers.
Deepika Mandloi, a female guard at Omkareshwar temple in Khandwa district, about 80km from Indore, is short of words to thank her trainers for the newfound respect she has got in her family after joining her first job at 27. One of 15 trained women guards at the temple, she is now a part of the family’s financial planning and her views are respected like other members of the household.
Around a dozen women have joined as forest guards and tourist facilitators in Shivpuri, while around 10 will be in the driving seat of Gypsies in Pachmarhi, Panna and Madhai.
“Life has changed for me and my family. My son waits for me at the gates and offers me a glass of water when I reach home every day. I am now contributing financially to my house,” said an elated Mandloi.
As part of the ‘Safe Tourism Destination for Women’ programme funded by the ministry of women and child development, the state tourism board is grooming women in different roles in the hospitality sector, like guards, drivers and caregivers to assist elderly and physically challenged tourists and lone-women travellers. The project is aimed at creating women-friendly tourist destinations in MP and thereby increase the footfall of women travellers.
Under the project, 20 clusters have been formed in 50 tourist spots to train women in different job oriented roles.
Sheo Shekhar Shukla, principal secretary, MPTB, said, “We wish to create an ecosystem in the state where women travellers feel safe to visit and develop a network of women donning different roles in the hospitality sector. We are training around 10,000 local women in MP as Gypsy drivers, guides and boat operators among many other roles at identified tourist locations in the state. This programme will help in increasing the footfall of women travellers in the state and make local women financially independent.”
Trained by the MP Tourism Board, these women will often be the first contact for tourists in the heart of Incredible India. The aim is to create a “hospitality channel” run and hosted by women for women travellers.
Deepika Mandloi, a female guard at Omkareshwar temple in Khandwa district, about 80km from Indore, is short of words to thank her trainers for the newfound respect she has got in her family after joining her first job at 27. One of 15 trained women guards at the temple, she is now a part of the family’s financial planning and her views are respected like other members of the household.
Around a dozen women have joined as forest guards and tourist facilitators in Shivpuri, while around 10 will be in the driving seat of Gypsies in Pachmarhi, Panna and Madhai.
“Life has changed for me and my family. My son waits for me at the gates and offers me a glass of water when I reach home every day. I am now contributing financially to my house,” said an elated Mandloi.
As part of the ‘Safe Tourism Destination for Women’ programme funded by the ministry of women and child development, the state tourism board is grooming women in different roles in the hospitality sector, like guards, drivers and caregivers to assist elderly and physically challenged tourists and lone-women travellers. The project is aimed at creating women-friendly tourist destinations in MP and thereby increase the footfall of women travellers.
Under the project, 20 clusters have been formed in 50 tourist spots to train women in different job oriented roles.
Sheo Shekhar Shukla, principal secretary, MPTB, said, “We wish to create an ecosystem in the state where women travellers feel safe to visit and develop a network of women donning different roles in the hospitality sector. We are training around 10,000 local women in MP as Gypsy drivers, guides and boat operators among many other roles at identified tourist locations in the state. This programme will help in increasing the footfall of women travellers in the state and make local women financially independent.”
