A classic by the river noblesse - the Ganges and plonked near a shy, quiet village in Singthali, an hour's drive away from Rishikesh, stands our muse. Or rather sits. The Taj Rishikesh Resort and Spa.
HOLY RIVER!
That's what the address evokes, when you stand at the alfresco perch in the middle of this meadowed resort surrounded by the Himalayas and facing the Ganges that turns a shade jade with the glacial dust, rock flour. Blessed by the mighty Ganges and guarded by the formidable Himalayas. This is a catch 22 of the most profound kind.
Retelling a much told destination
Rishikesh is without a doubt the spiritual capital with its reverential draw, spartan ashrams and being the seat of Yoga. It draws its faithful in hordes. From the likes of the Beatles who spent a considerable time to discover their spiritual leanings to Edmund Hillary who sailed up the river by where the resort now stands for his on-the-water magnum opus, this is a much marketed destination.
Positioning
Less is more
Positioning often demands the unequivocal north pole. Tailoring right, slicing off anything that could be extraneous or could be viewed as compromising on a destination's singularity is important.
During the site recce, the team felt a reductionist approach would work best for a hyper marketed destination. Less is more here.
Content, Experience & Design thinking
Here, life for travellers, residents and guests, we felt would be guided by the river and its seat. Mornings and evenings and everything in between would rightly revolve around its many moods and bounties. Whether you are seeking a wellness break, a yogic interlude or are a bird watcher looking for the cormorant or an adrenaline seeker or a foodie seeking the best of the region's produce, it is the river that is the determinant.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Word clouds help. Behind every word cloud, there lies a silver positioning.
Noble. Mystical. Rooted. Ageless. Life giving, Restorative. Yogic. Serene. Fertile. Nurturing. Wholesome. Pristine. Graceful. Minimal. Balanced. Provincial. Mindful. Caring.
Simplicity is often the hardest thing to achieve.
Themes
A LOCAVORE WORLD
It is important to get a sense of what is off the plate to appreciate what is on the plate. Going right to the source of what's on your plate, is a testimony to being authentic.
It was wonderful to interact with the master chef and his team who had deeply researched their artful creations.
Yes, to put a cup of Gur ki Chai takes a lot of effort behind the scenes. The local promise, suitability of ingredients, accessorising the experience, supply chain, seasonality. The list goes on.
rituals are critical for right positioning
Rituals, signature experiences were conceived with a sense of place and harmony with its environment.
The customer experience journey is best seen through two lenses - performance and character. Experiences are best when they stay true to the destination and are engineered to fulfil a purpose.