Talk:Mawlynnong

India Beacons

I really appreciate the work that's going into this article, but it seems to me, there's no way India Beacons could possibly be OK under Wikivoyage's tour listing criteria, as shown at Project:Activity listings#Tour listings. Could someone please argue to the contrary, please? Thanks, everyone.

All the best,

(WT-en) Ikan Kekek 03:42, 18 June 2011 (EDT)

Sir, this place is not promoted as it should have been. India Beacons is making a concerted effort with the villagers of Mawlynnong to promote it as a model destination village for people to see. So if India Beacons can get tourists to that area through this page it would indirectly help the village economy. It would give an impetus to the villagers. As of now, not many tourists have much clue as to how to arrange the trip to this place. So I think that's the reason the listing of India Beacons is justified as a tour agency promoting that place.

Thanks for your reply. (By the way, I forgot to mention: In "Talk" pages only, please sign your posts by typing 4 tildes [the "~" key] in a row at the end of your remarks.) My first rejoinder is, if we do allow a listing, it will be one listing only in one article only. But I would like the problems with listing a package tour agency addressed before any decision is made on whether to allow even one listing. Part of the issue here is, is a tour in any way necessary for a traveler to do anything s/he wants to do or see anything s/he wants to see in Mawlynnong? If it truly is necessary, fine. But if it isn't necessary, why do we need to promote a tour agency instead of simply explaining to prospective visitors how to arrange things on their own, and promoting the village as a destination, simply by listing the village? (WT-en) Ikan Kekek 04:09, 18 June 2011 (EDT)

How hard is Mamlynnong to visit independently? I suspect it is not that easy as the article has only just been started as WT, despite the obvious attraction of the place (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8259789.stm for example). In which case, an organised tour might well be adding value and therefore be a valid inclusion.--(WT-en) Burmesedays 04:12, 18 June 2011 (EDT)

Sir, Visiting Mawlynnong is beset with a number of problems :

1. You need a guide to visit the living root bridge there. Not all can see or visit these natural wonders without the help of guides. India beacons takes provides tourists with the services of guides from the village itself. So employment generation to local people only. 2. Local penal village laws are existant there as regards fines imposed by the villagers for littering the place. Tourists have to to made aware of these implications before they travel. So that needs for a sermon before the tourists indulge in these activities.```` (Sandeep Chourasia

It sounds like this is a valid exception to the no-tour-agencies guidelines. It would be prudent to wait a day or so for other comments before reinserting any listing or links to the agency, but if there is no objection by then, I will count on you to sum up everything in such a way that the travel agency gets only one listing, with a purely factual explanation of the ways in which using the agency adds value to a visit.

You have done a great job so far. Thanks for engaging in this discussion.

P.S. Just a parenthetical comment: I am a man, but you might want to be careful about using "Sir," because my moniker is merely the name of a type of fish, so I could easily be a woman. :-) (WT-en) Ikan Kekek 04:58, 18 June 2011 (EDT)

I think we have waited for quite some time and there has been no objections. pls undo the edit. Best regards Sandeep Chourasia

I think you could re-insert your listing with a quick explanation of why tour agents are necessary to visit this village.--(WT-en) Burmesedays 13:40, 9 July 2011 (EDT)

I second that. Go ahead and make such an edit, Sandeep. (WT-en) Ikan Kekek 16:59, 9 July 2011 (EDT)

Thanks (WT-en) chourasia

You're welcome. Just remember to include an explanation of why it's necessary to use a travel agent. Merely listing the agency isn't really sufficient information for travelers - explain to them what value the tour adds that would be difficult or impossible for them to get on their own.

All the best,

(WT-en) Ikan Kekek 07:37, 10 July 2011 (EDT)