Today women travellers aren't afraid to venture out to unchartered and unfamiliar territories by themselves. They feel fiercely independent and liberated in doing so. It is quite daunting to go out there by yourself. But Jacqueline says it best,
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| photo courtesy: solotravelerworld |
There has been a significant rise of women travelling and women travelling solo in India. Honey, if you haven’t been updated, since the,
past 2 decades 35% of women have opted to travel solo around India. Hotels.com, the Senior Marketing Manager, said that this trend has caught the young women of India in a big way. Pinterest has also noted there has been a
350% increase in women pinning solo travel ideas since 2014. It’s evident this trend is no lie. There are numerous reasons why:
Connectivity
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| photo courtesy: TravellersTrend |
The easy access to information and bookings has encouraged Indian women to slowly step out of their comfort zone and to travel solo. Parents are more willing to send their daughter’s travelling alone with the increased internet connectivity. More and more people once they travel, come back and upload their pictures and update their blogs. They share theirs in numerous, envy-inducing experiences that make you want to drop everything and travel.
Increased feeling of safety
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| photo courtesy: DigitalTrends |
Many states in India have acknowledged the rise of women travelling solo in India and are hence taking the approximate measures for their safety. States are introducing women-only buses, trains and women taxi drivers. Now there are apps for everything, MakeMyTrip, Uber, Ola Cabs, everything to make your trip safe and comfortable. You got offline Maps, to what not.
Income
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| photo courtesy: Jansatta |
Being independent in this day and age also means you earn your own money. This has been a significant reason for women to travel. Now they don’t have to answer back to anyone and can do what they wish to with their own money. Women travel during off seasons to off beaten destinations in India. There is no legitimize graph to when they travel. Whenever they get an off from work, most of them pack their bags and leave.
We have observed that solo women travellers like to travel throughout the year irrespective of the season.
Most of the office-going women choose the holiday dates corresponding to the public holidays or extended weekends. Off-season travel is also popular among solo women travellers as they take advantage of low-cost deals, says Karan Anand the Head-Relationships of Cox & Kings
Perception of going alone has changed
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| photo courtesy: DrifterPlanet |
Usually, first-time women prefer travelling with groups keeping the safety aspect in mind. However, this mindset has undergone a drastic shift in past few years.
It was a very liberating experience the first time I travelled alone, the best part is meeting so many interesting people. While Goa and Ladakh experiences were good, outside India, Singapore felt like a safe haven, said Shweta Gadia, a 32-year-old marketing professional
I will leave you with a few quotes that sum up what I want to say,
All glory comes from daring to begin.
- Eugene F. Ware
Returning too is very important because it is then only we realise we have grown.
Travel does not exist without home....If we never return to the place we started, we would just be wandering, lost. Home is a reflecting surface, a place to measure our growth and enrich us after being infused with the outside world.
- Josh Gates
And travelling solo, you realize how awesome you are,
As you travel solo, being totally responsible for yourself, it’s inevitable that you will discover just how capable you are.
Written by
Payal Singh
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