The maiden edition of Très RARE- a showcase of the finest boutique hotels, lodges, hideaways, camps and retreats in India, Nepal, and Bhutan was held at The Roseate Resort, New Delhi. The two day event that has been envisaged and instituted by RARE India aimed to engage with the bespoke tour operators and media from India and overseas, alongside an eclectic mix of world travellers. Not restricting itself to just meetings and networking sessions, the event hosted speakers on hospitality and related topics to add value to the concept of experiential travel in the sub-continent.
With the participation of select 100 Indian Destination Management Companies and 30 Foreign Operators from UK, US, France, Germany, and Italy, this event focused on intensive one-on-one engagement, knowledge building, and innovations. Close interactions with the hotel owners and hosts, followed by eleven hosted familiarisation trip across India, the event promised to be one of the most intensive and engaging travel shows in the sub-continent. Some of the hotels which participated at Tres Rare were RAAS Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Bhainsrorgarh Fort, Rajasthan, Hotel Druk, Bhutan, Pepper Trail, Kerela, Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge, Nepal, Deccan Odyssey and many more.
With an aim to increase the awareness about Tres Rare and to support the event, eminent personalities were present as speakers. Some of the key speakers were Belinda Wright (Wildlife photographer & wildlife conservationist; executive director, (Wildlife Protection Society of India) on ‘Indian Wildlife beyond the Tiger’, Ajeet Bajaj (adventurer, entrepreneur, Padma Shri Award winner. MD, Snow Leopard Adventures) on ‘ Adventure Travel’, Harsha Vinay (director of Alice Boner Institute, Varanasi ) on ‘Alice Boner’s Benares’ and Dr Chithra Madvan (Historian-scholar) on ‘Hampi, beyond the boulders’.
Talking about the success of the first edition of Tres Rare, Sowmya R Vijaymohan, partner at RARE India said, “The event was a tribute to all the bespoke boutique hotels. The demand for boutique hotels is reflective of the realigned desires of a global traveller who is wary of the standard-fare hotels that though comfortable are unimaginatively identical around various destinations. These boutique hotels inspired us at RARE to break away from the traditional and create an intimate showcase that focuses on the niche rather than the mass and mainstream.”