TO DO Award 2014 Reality Tours & Travel, India

REALITY TOURS & TRAVEL (RTT) organises tours to the less privileged parts of Mumbai – the so-called slums. The population is strongly involved in the development and implementation of the tours and a major part of the income directly benefits the slum dwellers, e.g. in terms of vocational training. RTT was founded in 2005 by Chris Way from the UK and Krishna Pujari from India. In Mumbai, the two of them began by sharing their concept with people in Dharavi. After detailed discussions on the opportunities and obstacles of slum tourism, the fi rst tours were operated. With qualified local tour guides trained for the job by RTT, the company tries to give tourists a realistic picture of the
situation and living conditions in a slum. Through personal experiences and encounters, the tourists get impressions of everyday life. The slum dwellers, in turn, also benefit from the tours, not just financially. The tourists’ interest in their work lifes and living environments has a positive influence on their self-confidence. In 2009, the sister organisation Reality Gives was founded in addition in order to provide training in health and hygiene, but also English and computer classes – upon the wish of the people of Dharavi. Without such skills, there is hardly any possibility for advancement in Indian society. 80 percent of RTT’s profit is invested into the local development projects of Reality Gives.

Adress

Paul Whittle
Reality Tours & Travel
Unique Business Centre
Akber House, 1st Floor, Nowroji Fardonji Rd
Colaba. Mumbai - 400039
India

E-Mail: info@realitytoursandtravel.com
Web: www.realitytoursandtravel.com