KOCHI: A group of women from the city is planning to travel to Goa and Hampi in the coming days. Their aim is to go beyond the usual tourist spots and explore the life there. For the group, comprising IT professionals and a retired government official, the journey is an attempt at setting an example in women empowerment. The six-member team will go to Goa on a three-day visit on Friday and another eight-member group will visit Hampi on October 26 and 27. The travellers will stay at homestays in these spots, thereby helping the rural economy.
Pushpa K A, 61, retired deputy commissioner of Sales Tax Department, said the travel is designed to explore the villages and the life there."This is responsible tourism and this will benefit the local people. Since the trip is organised by women, I think it is my duty to participate," she said. Pushpa has had a lot of travel experiences and her family are supporting her new venture.
The travel is organised by Kabani Community Tourism and Services in the city. Coordinator Vismaya MM said that in Goa the team will visit the wild and villages. "Usually, visitors take photographs and spend time on sightseeing. Here, we plan to understand the Goan culture, villages, food style and life beyond the beaches in Goa. At Hampi, we also plan to visit nearby villages apart from monuments," she said.
Vismaya added that a lot of women are interested to travel but they stay back. "They fear about their safety. We need to motivate and encourage them to travel. This trip is to show that women can travel without the support of men. My experience shows women can handle issues during the journey," she said.
Vismaya had organised trips for foreign women before.Harsha P, an IT professional in the city, who is going to Hampi, said there are no security issues. "I had done solo travels earlier," she added.