A business out of tours to natural hot spots

Try and imagine a place that has no noise and other pollution, where the only sounds are those of birds and streams and waterfalls, and throw in a campsite for good measure. Convinced that this combination could be a sure-fire formula for business success, two entrepreneurs from Chennai founded Ecologin five years ago. The company offers trekking, guided tours to natural hot spots and wildlife viewing.

Sridhar Lakshmanan and Arul Sekar founded Ecologin after graduating from IIM-Ahmedabad and IIT-Madras respectively, and initially working with a variety of firms. The company, patronised by senior corporate executives in need of a break from their hectic lives, is now acquiring a middle-class clientele as well.

Ecologin, incubated in IIT-Madras' department of management studies, offers a tourism experience in offbeat locations in and around Tamil Nadu, says Lakshmanan, a travel addict. The company is a result of the duo's preference for self-employment, combined with their passion for travel and adventure.

The initial focus was on corporate customers (which sent big groups of employees), but Ecologin found large companies too demanding. There were payment issues, and handling large groups in such trips proved problematic, said Sekar. The focus now is on individuals and families, with a group typically not exceeding 10-12 persons.

Clients are looking for authentic experiences and the only way to do this is by involving local communities. Ecologin's advantage, says Sekar, is that it can reach people in over 200 'remote' areas in Tamil Nadu, where even NGOs cannot reach.

But this association did not come easily, he says, adding that the first six months were all about establishing relationships in remote villages, tribal hamlets, and small tea estates, where there were no hotels, restaurants, creature comforts or tourism infrastructure. It therefore became imperative to involve local communities who were willing to provide the basics.

Ecologin offers a two-day trip for about Rs 5,000, including transportation, food and stay in very modest accommodation. Sekar explains that transportation is modest (no air-conditioned coaches and cars, except if the client insists), but customers are happy to travel by sleeper-class trains and non-AC cars. Guests stay in the homes of local people, sleeping on string beds or on the floor, and eat food cooked by the locals. Water is drawn from the village well, and there is no packaged water on offer. In short, guests lead the life of the villagers for the duration of their holiday.