Mumbai - The New Business

Lately Mumbai has been a lot in the news, be it fluctuating stock market, clash between business tycoons, terrorist attacks on the most prestigious property, change of government and last but not the least the most talked about slum area, which has gained lot of attention after the popularity of "Slumdog Millionaire" movie.
Slumdog Millionaire needs no introduction, as the movie and its cast have gained international fame, by winning the most prestigious award The Oscars. While the stars of the movie are enjoying their visit to other countries, here back in India a lot of interest is growing amongst the national and international traveler to visit the slum areas of Mumbai.

Mumbai tour though has always been on the top priority of inbound tourists, but now there is a new addition in the itinerary and it is the slum tour. The movie has raised many question, as is this what the real India is? Is slum the only interesting part left in India? The answer may be no but on second thought, Mumbai tour gives boast to the city which does not really look after the slum area. Now the revenue generated from the slum tour can be invested in the upliftment of the people living there. These tour would also help in people to understand the lives of the poor. How they manage their big families in small income. It is very interesting to see how they accommodate themselves in such small houses. Moreover it would break the barrier between the rich and the poor.

The impact of the movie is such that it has apparently given a lot of business to the tour operator as well as to the hotels in Mumbai. There is also a rise in the online queries regarding the Mumbai slum tour. Dharavi- the biggest slum of Asia, needs no introduction too, as Slumdog Millionaire is based out of this area only. Dharavi has a long list of esteemed visitors, two of which are - Prince Charles and Bill Clinton. Those living near the slum area agree to the fact that now there is a new way to look at the slum. Though there are lot of problems but at the same there comes a lot of help from these areas, as one easily get daily workers, maids to look after the house as well as children. With the rising working population, there has been a rise in the demand for the household maids, and these slums are indeed to look forward to that. At the same time, for the people living in these slums, nearby middle class population is the source of income. Women especially get jobs easily in the nearby residential areas. Dharavi is also the center of the small scale industries, with people starting their own business from home. Every member of the family, joins in to promote the home business and therefore it boast a lot of self employment.

Before the movie, Mumbai hotels located near the slum area might have faced location problem. But now guess they are the most happy ones, benefiting from the tourists interest to live near these areas. Mumbai tourism itself want people to visit the slum areas, to generate revenue for the people of slum and also to bring two different class and society to come together, to increase the understanding and to look forward to personal aid from them. Earlier visiting India and not visiting Mumbai would have left the trip incomplete and now visiting India and not visiting the slum of Dharavi- Mumbai, would be like missing the real flavor of the city.