Ajit Rana co-founded the adventure company Overlander India with an emphasis on rural tourism. Over ten years, they have made their Rural Drive one of the main features of any travel agent’s Rajasthan itinerary because of the uniqueness and authenticity that they deliver in this experience. They are now the leaders in rural experiences and in the wilderness “glamping” experience.
The concept is to give guests an in-depth and comprehensive insight into the rural culture, communities, cuisine, and life of the people of western Rajasthan. They go where no other tourists go and have access to rural homes only because of their generations-old relationships with the people of this region.
They not only compensate the people they visit and showcase, but also give them aid and assistance with all matters related to government issues, health, education and anything else they require. They consider these people their own and even help in generating funds for them to help with improving school and health facilities for them. In this regard, it’s a model of responsible tourism.
Overlander India’s guests return with an unforgettable experience where they have interacted first hand with these local rural people, been invited into their homes, been offered a hot cup of sweet milky chai and had what several of them refer to the best meal on their India trip because of its freshness, simplicity and authenticity. They are also launching experiences in Jaipur and Karnataka.
In his interaction with FinancialExpress.com, travel pioneer Ajit Rana talked in detail about his company Overlander India, which is based south of Jodhpur in a rural area. They specialise in rural tourism with a dose of adventure, he revealed. The idea is to give the visitor a comprehensive and authentic glimpse of rural life, cuisine, culture, and costumes of western Rajasthan, he said.
Mr Rana also emphasised that adventure tourism is the future of tourism and that the days of simply visiting a destination and sightseeing are long gone. Everyone, regardless of age, wants an immersive, interactive experience he said. “They don’t just want to see, they want to do,” he said.
He also explained an important point regarding the definition of adventure, which runs the entire gamut from a person who has climbed Everest to someone who is just getting out of his or her comfort zone. Mr Rana also stated that suppliers to adventure tourism, be it hotels or activity providers like them, have to be able to cater to these different levels of adventure tourism.
He praise the Adventure Tourism Meet, saying it had been really helpful and illuminating. It also served as an eye opener and a showcase for the state of Meghalaya which he was visiting for the first time. Learning about all the different adventure tourism activities on offer in Meghalaya was a pleasant revelation to him and he was amazed.
He also spoke about the importance of getting the youth to understand the importance of adventure tourism. He also noted that the Meet had been an excellent showcase for the state of Meghalaya.
On other developments in the travel and tourism space, Mr Rana noted that prices had skyrocketed after the Covid pandemic. People who had been stuck at home or continue a working from home really want to go out and get immersed in the culture of a destination. “This has really taken off after Covid. It is the future and that’s not going to change,” he said.
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