Travel 2.0: How the Internet is Changing Travel in India

To understand how the internet has changed the world of travel, we must see how it used to be. 20 years ago, it was mainstream publications and photo journals that decided the narrative about travel destinations. The reliance on physically procuring guides, tickets, and other paraphernalia involved in any kind of journey gave travel a note of seriousness, especially when navigating a country as large as India. The internet has changed and is still changing how people travel to India. Here’s how.

Everything is Instant

The internet has made everything instant – you can get information about infrastructure, travel schedules, and health care tips online. If not available on a mainstream site, you can find it through informal social media channels and forums. Help is also seconds away; in the last few months, the Indian Railways Ministry has won praise for helping women fight harassment by deploying the Railway Police Force only on the basis of a single message on Twitter. Instant access to medical help and safety has made today’s “instant generation” also more eager to travel. The internet also gives travellers a bit of instant native knowledge, telling them the best places to shop, what to haggle over and instantly convert currency.

The Mystery is “Cool”

Today’s traveller isn’t looking for a safe trip to well-known destinations or monuments. There’s an increasing curiosity in finding out the unknown, and bloggers have made careers out of visiting and chronicling the offbeat. This appeals to today’s younger travelling demographic looking for adventure and travel aspects. When they need any kind of help, there’s always friends, family, or the police only a phone call, email, or tweet away. With increasingly GPS and data connectivity, it is becoming harder to get lost, and easier to find fun and new experiences.

Apps Streamline Everything on the Internet:

The catchphrase of 2014 was “there’s an app for that”, and it has seeped into our conscious to the point where we casually scroll through apps hunting for deals on pretty much anything – from ticket bookings to hotels and transportation, and even information about destinations. Apps offer not only real-time data, but also much-needed opinions people’s reviews, ratings, and opinions to help travelers decide where to go, when and what to avoid. Combined with the great deals coming through from a variety of apps, people are willing to ‘take off’ the moment they find a trip with great value.

Women Travellers

There are a variety of travel services providers who specialize in women’s travel. From facilities to lodging, to fun women-centric activities, these professionals put it all together to enable women to venture out on their own. Women-only tours include affordable room sharing, pre-paid travel arrangements with regard to safety and fun, and enough leisure.

Independent Tours and Travels 

Facebook has made it easy for travel communities to blossom and come together. Fuelled by recommendations, great reviews, and happy travel photos, people are willing to look beyond boring travel agencies and instead keep an eye out for group deals on getaways.