Those who are planning to spend a long weekend in Sakleshpur or Kodagu in the third week of April this year, are in for a real shock. Skipping the voting on the polling days is something the homestays and resorts in the areas will not entertain, and they will be reluctant to serve as hosts.
Poor turnout for the polls was expected in Bengaluru because of government holidays a day before and after the polls, which is again followed by the weekend. The homestays and resorts are trying to create awareness among citizens on the fact that voting is much more important than spending a holiday.
Soon after the polling dates were announced by the Election Commission, resorts and homestays in Sakleshpur stopped taking bookings for April 18. This is their bit to ensure that everyone takes part in the elections.
As responsible citizens, we must do our bit
“For the people who have done advance booking, we are requesting them to reschedule their plans. There are a few bookings on the above mentioned dates, we have asked them to advance or postpone their plans and also given the option of refund. Now, it’s up to the people to consider it. If they deliberately want to skip the polls, we can’t help,” Santosh, owner of the Stone Valley Resorts, Sakleshpur told Deccan Herald.
The owners of these resorts and homestays have taken this initiative on their own. Business is now taking a beating for a few months in flood-hit Madikeri district, but despite that, the association of homestays has urged its members to ensure that they remind tourists of the polling dates in their constituencies if they make bookings for April 18 or 23.
President of Kodagu Homestays Association, Viju Changappa, clarified that they are doing this in their limits. He said that their members are all aware of the scheduled election dates across India, and will urge tourists who book accommodation to take part in the polls.
Resorts and homestays in Chikkamagaluru, however, have received very few bookings on election dates. There have been bookings for previous weekends of the election date, but none for the third week. As responsible citizens, we will take part in elections and our members will ask the tourists to do the same,” Ansar Zabeer, president of Chikkamagaluru Homestays Association said.
As responsible citizens, all of us must ensure to do our bit for the country by taking part in the elections. While many of us may think that a single vote cannot make a difference, these resorts and homestays are giving out a really important message: each vote counts.
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