I could hardly believe what I read today in a newsletter from India Invites. Agra, as you may recall from one of my previous posts, is the home to the most obnoxious and AGRA-vating rickshaw and taxi drivers, hotel desk clerks, food vendors and anyone else in the service industry in all of India. According to the newsletter, these folks were given an opportunity to attend a daylong program that taught them about hygiene and hospitality. AMEN.
Sponsored by the tourism ministry, over thirty people participated in the event that was taught by chefs and front office managers of hotels.
Considering that hotel managers are part of Agra’s problem with their constant pushing of extra services and offers to make (overly-expensive) taxi and train arrangements for you, I see this as a very small step in making Agra a more tourist-friendly town. None-the-less, it is a step and I nearly fell off my chair when I read about it.
If Agra were serious about cleaning up the city, they would encourage the hundreds of rickshaw and taxi drivers to take a class in being nice and not acting so desperately pushy. Tourists would stay for more than one day and, as a result, there would be more work for everyone.
Enough complaining. The Taj is worth it, but not for more than one night 🙂
Happy Travels!
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