Apani Dhani, India – Cultural Preservation

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his post congratulates Apani Dhani for being recognized as a 2013 Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards Winner. This award recognizes engagement and efforts by tourism businesses in preserving, enhancing and promoting local cultures and heritage.

Apani Dhani is based in the heart of Rajasthan. They offer eco-friendly accommodation, excursions and activities with locals such as cooking lessons, initiation to traditional arts and crafts. Staying will enable travellers to discover daily life and traditions of rural India. This charming and peaceful ecolodge, is an ideal place to start or finish a journey in Rajasthan.

Our favourite things about them!

• Good practices to educate guests through a code of ethics.
• Active involvement in heritage protection through Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage.
• Good ways to incorporate awareness-raising efforts into visitor activities, e.g. workshops led by local craftsmen, language lessons.
• 5% of profit re-invested locally to support education, etc.
• The owner has worked for 23 years, and maintains a high focus on sustainable and cultural tourism. Specifically related to culture are the food served, financial support for the National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, heritage awareness programs and participation of guests in celebrations, workshops, Hindi, etc.
• Owner allows local people to sell crafts without charging any kind of commission.
• Strong commitment to arts and cultural heritage.
• Has shown two decades of local leadership in responsible approaches to tourism. 

Cultural Preservation

• Local natural materials used for construction, vernacular architecture.
• Guests provided information on local customs via talks, email, guided walks, information in rooms, website.
• Code of conduct for local customs.
• Only serve regional dishes, provided by the family, all ingredients sourced locally or from own organic garden.
• Cookery courses available to guests.
• Provides heritage awareness programmes for e.g. teachers, school children, mural workshops.
• Encourage guests to visit local artisan workshops and support their business.
• Artisans able to come and sell products on site, lodge takes no margin on coordinating these activities.