In a world bogged down by prejudices, we are constantly trying to look at all that’s still beautiful and all that promises a better world, a better tomorrow. And on World Tourism Day, we try to understand better how our idea of tourism can make an impact on the way people understand the world.
Mark Twain knew what he was talking about when he said: “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
“With a mission to empower customers with the requisite knowledge, tools and expert assistance to enjoy new experiences, and achieve their creative potential through the pursuit of travel and photography, today, Toehold celebrates World Tourism Day,” says Jayanth Sharma, Co-founder & CEO.
“Promoting responsible tourism to India’s and the world’s most exciting destinations is our aim.”
World Tourism Day is observed to raise awareness on how tourism affects social, cultural, political and economic values across the globe, and at Toehold, we strongly believe in its power to bring people together and elicit an appreciation for our wonderful world. To play a part in the discovery of the joys of travel and photography, we practise and promote responsible tourism to India’s and the world’s most exciting destinations.
Says Sachin Rai, COO: “Through our Photography Tours to selected domestic and international destinations, enthusiasts can imbibe an extraordinary wealth of learning from Toehold Skippers, apart from enjoying a clinically organised expedition. For those who don’t need photographic lessons or are on an inflexible schedule, our Custom Tours service offers all of Toehold’s logistical expertise on your own terms.”
Jayanth attributes the Toehold staff’s expertise to their being passionate explorers and travellers themselves with an inimitable clarity on why they do what they do.
When the mind is hungering for new horizons, when the body is still young and can brave the odds that might make travel expeditions even more worth remembering and rewarding, there is no reason why one should stop themselves from exploring the world. From the immense silence of the mountains to the gloomiest snow-covered regions to the forests of eternal raintime to the grasslands that sprawl over acres to the snaky sand dunes to the bylanes and damp alleys of a historical town, everything about exploring new places on the face of this planet is worth seeing and chronicling in many different ways.
“Travelling with Toehold is an experience that keeps you longing for more.”
“The one major reason that makes Toehold stand out from the crowd is that each of these stalwarts has his heart and soul in the work they do,” says Toehold Patron Sunaina Samanta. “Unlike other travel operators who generally prioritize the interest of the company over their clients’, with Toehold it’s about providing an experience that keeps you longing for more,” she declares.
And when one gets addicted to the intoxication that spontaneity of travel brings, there is simply no looking back. You might be unwashed and even uncouth when you are travelling through some remote corners of the globe, but it’s precisely the artlessness that brings travel its charm: discovering new people and their sets of ideologies and faiths and beliefs, appreciating new cultures, new ways of everyday life, new landscapes and an ever-enticing horizon to play its play of inviting colours and light and shadows.
“One can always add a verse or two to the travel stories that have been told.”
Anand Menon, a Toehold client, acclaims: “A trip with Toehold is “infotainment” in its truest sense, with the Skippers imparting their infectious passion for travel, and nature and its conservation, along with expert tips on how to capture the perfect frame… all this while keeping the mood light!” And just like him, your travel experiences, too, can acquire many different dimensions… not necessarily only the intensity of the primordial connection with the world you might be overwhelmed with, but also the whole fun part of travelling.
Maybe a million travel stories have been told already, but we can always add a verse or two, and that possibility should always make every expedition an intimate, visceral experience. Maybe there is a place that would not have made it to maps on vogue but is waiting to be explored by someone who’s always on the lookout for off-beat places, maybe it’s time we left behind the beaten paths and leave behind blazing trails and this way, understand the world a little better with every new journey.