Following important meetings with the Indian Ministry of Tourism, and participation at the Travel Agent Association of India (TAAI), the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), and the United Federation of Travel Agents Association (UFTAA) 2006 conferences, Tralliance Corporation, the .travel Registry, has chosen to sponsor the latest travel adventure in the name of charity, The Rickshaw Run – a 2,000-mile trek across India’s toughest terrain in the world’s most unsuitable vehicle, the auto-rickshaw.
Based on the success of this year’s Mongol Rally, an 8,000-mile charity race from London to Mongolia, the Institute for Adventure Research and .travel, the top-level Internet domain created exclusively for the travel and tourism industry, have once again teamed up to bring travelers a memorable charity event.
Beginning in Cochin in Southern India on December 28, 2006 with a game of cricket, 34 teams from seven countries will embark on the two-week journey through India’s mountains and jungles, encountering everything from searing heat and mud to mechanical failure along the way – all in an effort to cross the finish line in Darjeeling for a spot of afternoon tea.
Working closely with the Indian Tourism Ministry, Tralliance has also initiated the registration of iconic place names with state Tourism Ministers, Reddy and Scindia in Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, respectively, and anticipates further registration of .travel domain names for all major tourism assets by India’s other 23 states. The registration of India’s legendary “Incredible India” campaign – now IncredibleIndia.travel – is the first of many new .travel domain names being registered on the sub-continent.
“Because of the strong in-roads .travel has built with our friends at the Indian Ministry of Tourism as well as with India’s major travel associations at their conferences this past September, Tralliance felt that our continuing collaboration with the League of Adventurists, and their latest event, the Rickshaw Run was a natural event to sponsor,” says Ron Andruff, president of Tralliance.. “Through its role in this unique event, India will be prominently featured as we continue to bring significant awareness of the global .travel initiative to all of her 25 states while promoting tourism throughout the nation, as well as to the international travel community.”
Throughout the course of the Rickshaw Run, the teams will travel through very remote areas with no support system of any kind. While there is no specific route, drivers have the option to cross a number of prearranged checkpoints. The knackered, bruised and dirty teams that manage to cross the finish line are expected to arrive for a celebratory cup of tea in Darjeeling after roughly two weeks.
”The Rickshaw Run is going to be incredible fun,” explains event organizer Tom Morgan. “These auto-rickshaws are uncomfortable, loud, smelly and totally unsuitable in every way imaginable – what better way to tackle a monstrous 2000-mile adventure over wild terrain and dirt tracks? It’s a great adventure, but also a great opportunity to contribute to a worthwhile cause and help out some of the poorer members of the communities we’ll be visiting.”
Like the Mongol Rally, the Rickshaw Run also aims to make a significant contribution to charity. Each team must raise a minimum of about $1,300 to cover the cost of purchasing their auto-rickshaw, as well as any necessary repairs. At the end of the race, all vehicles will be donated in an effort to combat the injustices of excessive hire charges and exorbitant loans common to poor auto-rickshaw drivers. The process is being coordinated by a local NGO, monitored by Mercy Corps UK.
“We are proud to be the title sponsor for this amazing event and worthwhile cause,” expressed Andruff. “As part of an initiative that promotes a new age of how travel information will be found and with a goal to galvanize the global travel community under its exclusive space on the Internet, we believe .travel provides the perfect ally for the League of Adventurists and their Rickshaw Run.”
Established to lift the tourism industry out of the anonymity of the '.com' web, .travel empowers the broad spectrum of bona fide travel-related businesses and organizations to better promote their products and services within their own industry specific-space on the Internet. Travel entities that wish to purchase a .travel domain name can e-mail
[email protected] or call 001-954-769-5999.