The new RARE Logo is a simple, stylised leaf in gold ofGinkgo biloba, familiar to many as the maidenhair tree and is a metaphor forchange to be led by travel and the community. Originally from the east, Ginkgois a living fossil and has been around since before the Dinosaurs, deliberatelypropagated by avid horticulturists, it is found almost everywhere from thegardens in Kashmir to Oxford Street in UK, to the lanes of Manhattan. Change isdriven deliberately when we inspire others to commit to a life that puts Planetand People first.
RARE India is a collection of some of the finest consciousluxury heritage palaces, boutique hotels, conservation based wildlife lodges,homestays and retreats of the Indian subcontinent. As part of its responsibletourism agenda under RARE 2.0, the organisation has launched its new website,which symbolise its commitment towards conscious and mindful travel whereluxury is redefined as experiences beyond excesses, stays that are sustainableand regenerative.
Speaking about her vision for RARE 2.0 and the newlylaunched website, RARE India's Founder Shoba Mohan said, "For the longesttime choices for hotels, lodges and boutique stays have been based on theirprice points and excesses that passed off as luxury. Every popular destinationhas suffered the consequences of placing the needs of the traveller's demandswithout a thought to the integrity of the destination and the effects ofunchecked tourism on its culture and environment. The community of hotelspromoted under RARE India is designed to uphold the cultural and environmentalintegrity of the destination by engaging visitors in experiences to celebrateits people, diversity, cultural richness, authenticity and natural beauty. Indestinations that are culturally fragile and are in the fringes of pristinenatural habitats, travellers are urged to understand and participate in itspreservation thus creating exceptional transformations."
The attributes that every hotel will be measured against aretheir attitude towards Single Use Plastic, Local Community Engagement, SafeGarbage Disposal, Water Conservation, Low Impact Tourism, Living Heritage andits preservation, Wildlife, Nature and Habitat Conservation, SensitiveDestination Discovery and the power of Human Touch. In its technology upgradedversion, the RARE India Community aims to be a consortium that is able tochange traveller mindset towards destinations and experiences in thesubcontinent that are alive, authentic, set in stylish and restful spaces,earth happy, conscious of their impact on the environment and committed to theland and the community. The Community will offer an opportunity to thetravellers to explore differently and have mindful interactions with people,culture, nature, wildlife, crafts and traditions, create transformationalexperiences that will nudge them to live consciously.