Remember how in Stage 4 of Himachal Pradesh's Unlock, tourists had trooped in and left heaps of trash like earlier Well, that sort of a thing may see a fall, if a recent study is to be believed. Or at least travellers intend not to repeat it. Booking.com reports that 7 out of 10 Indians around the world want to travel more sustainably in the future.
That's not it. Close to 8 out of Indians are even realistic about it&mdashthey expect the industry to offer a greater number of options when it comes to sustainable travel. This could translate into a surge in companies curating community experiences, plogging tour organisers and setups helping the growth of local homestays and start-ups.
Off-season travel is nothing unheard of&mdashit has always been a hack for backpackers and travellers looking to get away from the crowds and explore a destination in peace. However, it doesn&rsquot always work out since the primary attraction of a lot of places&mdashsnowfall in Kashmir, the cherry blossom season in north-eastern India and in Japan, not to forget music and literary festivals&mdashlies in the peak season. With the pandemic not leaving too much choice for travel lovers either at least for the immediate future, it comes as a surprise that 76% of the respondents in the survey would skip destinations seeing tourist rush.
Experts and industry voices have aired all sort of predictions as regards the nature of travel after the outbreak of the pandemic. While some believe that the spread of COVID-19 will spur travellers to seek out fresher or previously overlooked pastures&mdashdestinations closer home, rural living, isolationist experiences and the like&mdashothers have insisted that the ensuing &lsquodistance&rsquo from travel will spark a renewed vigour to reboot and travel to the same old destinations with a different perspective. It was seen in India when tourists swarmed to the Taj Mahal in Agra and in China, too, when people filled up popular spots and destinations soon after the lockdown was lifted.
The trend of revenge travel corroborates both views. However, with health guidelines necessitating social distancing, it&rsquos a no-brainer to expect us all to head for destinations with fewer fellow tourists. In that case, crowd management methods and better use of technology will be important to make sure tourism reaches its full potential and still be sustainable.
The other major takeaway from the survey is another beacon of hope for the future of travel. The study concludes that three in every four travellers in India would like to take steps that support the recovery of the destination they visit. About just as many Indian travellers also take a keen interest in the way their spends contribute towards supporting the locals. More than half of Indian travellers have also stated their desire to eschew bad waste disposal practices and lessen the use of plastic while travelling.