Can you tell us about Banjara and Gypsy and how you came up with the idea and USP?
Banjara and Gypsy – Banjara and Gypsy is a travel experience curator. We started this business in 2017 from our home, and our ideas and imagination were born in our little garden. As you read the company name, you might ask what the relevance is? So, The Gypsy loves traveling, exploring unknown, new places, and believing in true freedom. We have created this community where the travelers who tag along will be called Banjaras and Gypsies.
We started with theme-based camping events in Bangalore like “Christmas Camping at Vineyard,” “Arabian Nights Camping,” and then expanded to Chikmagalur, Coorg Camping. Banjara and Gypsy organized the Gokarna Silent Disco beach party for the first time in March 2018 with 40 people. The following year we made this concept viral and executed New Year Silent Party for 250+ people. It is environment friendly, has no noise pollution, and you can enjoy the shores listening to your favorite tracks.
Our differentiation lies in building a unique experience with these trips expeditions. We handle planning, strategy, and execution from website creation, social creatives, camp/home-stay vendor tie-ups, travel partners, platforms handling, promotions, customer relationships, training volunteers.
We have lots of offerings under Banjara and Gypsy
1) Outdoor adventure trips in and around Bangalore, next destination is the Himalayas
2) Local events like Wine tours, Outdoor Movie Nights
3) Silent Disco Parties with Headphones
4) Theme-based events that happen – Holi, Lohri, Garba Nights
5) Virtual events during Covid-19 like – recent fundraiser show for Assam Floods affected families, art and dance workshops
Banjara and Gypsy differentiate trips by going an extra edge. Like providing a yoga on beach or belly dance workshop in an Arabian theme camping or writing a customized message for each valentine couple by collating messages from their lovers. Our specialty lies in thinking through what customers will like or may not expect. It’s about being sympathetic and then creative in forming these trips. We won’t be like expensive dinners at 5-star properties. We can be unique with a candlelight dinner at Vineyard with a guitarist and continental food. So, we try to create an out-of-the-world experience.
How much did you have to struggle in the initial stages? What was your motivation?
Struggles of Banjara and Gypsy –
1) Matching customer expectations. It is the biggest challenge in the service industry, and we are experimenting with new experiences. We have learned from experience that “Clear Communication is the key.” We try to make it a fun and adventurous experience.
2) Dealing with semi-professional vendors like travel agents the camp stays vendors creates huge issues while traveling or during the payments. Unfair billings have resulted in higher payments to avoid embarrassing situations in front of our customers.
3) This industry is also affected due to monsoons, extreme weather conditions, virus spread. People hesitate to travel and cancel at the last minute.
Motivation for Banjara and Gypsy –
1) I believe travel is a true healer for your soul. Sometimes, you need to hit the road and meet those like-minded people. Banjara and Gypsy provide you seamless experience where everything is taken care of. We catered to a lot of solo travelers, who came alone and later made friends.
2) My partner and I are campers and trekkers ourselves, and we believe this experience is something very different than just any vacation. We stay at Eco stays, not luxury hotels, live like a hippie, and explore one ourselves, you may get lost sometimes, but these are trips where you can find yourself and make friends.
What are the following big plans?
- Banjara and Gypsy plan to increase our reach to international tourism as soon the current situation settles down.
- Banjara and Gypsy are also building space in live events/virtual events and like to keep our engagement going which resonates with our current audience.
- Banjara and Gypsy will also like to work towards causes that need attention and provide our aid in all possible ways. Growing together is always a better approach than growing for oneself. It will be our aim for the future innings.
Accomplishment
- Our accomplishment is our customer’s continuous support. There are a few strangers who have become our friends and loyal customers.
I will like to quote some customer testimonials:
“Attended a Christmas eve dinner organized by them at a vineyard. We were a group of eight, and we all had a great time. The arrangements were thorough, and they could get all the guests together, so it felt like being among friends. Overall, a great experience. Well done” – Deepak
Customer Quote (Foreigner)
“So glad I attended. As a Scottish girl traveling alone, I was hesitant to go to an event where I would not know anybody. Still, the organizer was super friendly and exceptionally helpful and made me feel very looked after! The Vineyard is quiet and a nice spot to take some time outside the busy city. The wine tasting was nice, and they provided plenty of food provided. I hope to be able to attend another event during my stay! – by Laura for Wine Visit with Sunday Lunch.”
- Indian Express featured us in 2018 for a unique style of camping – mystery camping on Halloween.
Check out this interesting read:
- Our Summer hafla, dance show which was captured by: My last show performance at LaheLahe, captured by Tv9
And We are also published by Deccan Chronicle.
Three tips for budding entrepreneurs:
- Believe in your instinct. I will encourage you to build a start-up that you will fall in love with without passion. It’s difficult to start any organization because start-up does not require just funds or efforts, but it also needs love and passion that, as a founder, you will bring to the table
- Bring the people with the best skills and who you can trust and share the same enthusiasm
- Stay persistent and take a step-by-step approach because it’s easy to learn from small mistakes and work on improvisation – Scale it smartly and stay open for feedback from the market. Keep evolving. Try diversifying into your areas of interest and expertise.
Favorite book/movie?
Brida by Paulo Coehlo and a Movie that has always inspired me is “Gone with the wind.”
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