With the proliferation of niche travel-based apps and more dependency on technology than ever before, 2018 is expected to see travellers go the extra mile—literally. From exploring the 1,000-year-old history of Reykjavik in Iceland, or visiting Cairns—the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef—or venturing into totally unexplored Jericoacoara in Brazil or even locking eyes with the Komodo dragon and exploring the hidden taste of Peru or Morocco, nothing is out of bounds or too exotic anymore. Offbeat destinations with a focus on natural beauty and local culture are on the bucket list of travellers this year. Needless to say, Northeast India—especially states like Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram—is getting a lot of attention.
A TripAdvisor report says locations such as Athirappilly Falls near Thrissur, Kerala, and the Saturday Night Market in Arpora, Goa, have recorded a 505 per cent and 166 per cent growth (year-on-year) in popularity, respectively. Says Bengaluru-based travel writer Charukesi Ramadurai, “Experiential travel is an interesting trend this year. People are seeking meaning in the places they visit. As a result, boutique properties, especially owner-driven accommodation options, are getting a huge fillip. People are travelling for food experiences—not just cooking classes, but street food trails, spice market tours, farm-to-fork activities, wine appreciation sessions—and what have you. Besides, glamping, wellness breaks, solo women travel are all taking off significantly. Small travel planners are doing roaring business putting together offbeat itineraries for discerning travellers.”
Also, in this day and age, global warming is something that cannot be ignored. Not to forget the business travel segment. In an effort to do their best, entrepreneurs have come up with sustainable tourism to tackle global warming, and quite a few are combining business and leisure, and indulging in—what is now known as—‘bleisure’.
Also, the stress is more on customised travel—no more one-size-fits-all itineraries or group package tours. With work life becoming more stressful, wellness or spa holidays are here to stay. From stop-smoking retreats to emotional healing, yoga and mindfulness holidays, wellness is a growing segment and is expected to get much bigger this year. Also, families are a mainstay. Shangri-La Hotel in Dubai provides the ultimate getaway for kids with a gender- and age-specific hide-out tent right inside the rooms. These tents include snacks and other treats, stuffed animals, child-sized slippers, books and much more, giving children the perfect opportunity to find their own private space on a family holiday. Airlines such as Etihad Airways and Gulf Air have also introduced ‘sky nannies’ to make it easier for families with small kids and babies to travel. So, what are the hottest destinations this summer? “Ladakh remains a hot favourite. There is also a lot of
interest in the Northeast that is drawing crowds from as far as Chennai and Kochi. Europe is a perennial favourite, and now Indians are also venturing more towards Eastern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, instead of the usual suspects in Western Europe. Australia, South Africa and Jordan are some of the more popular destinations. Also, South America is now on the radar of Indian travellers, especially the more popular countries such as Peru, Argentina and Brazil. In Africa, wildlife holidays are taking off in the lesser explored areas such as Zambia, Uganda and Botswana,” says Charukesi.
Extreme Vacations
Extreme tourism is a niche in the tourism industry. Recently, the Ministry of Tourism in India formulated a set of guidelines on Safety and Quality Norms on Adventure Tourism. These guidelines cover land, air and water-based activities, which include mountaineering, trekking, hand gliding, paragliding, bungee jumping and river rafting. The Government of India has also given security clearance for the opening of 104 additional peaks in Jammu and Kashmir (Leh area). This will help position the Indian Himalayas as an adventure tourism destination. Says Mayank Sharma, Mumbai-based banker and avid rock climber, “Extreme tourism is picking up in India. I think it partly gained popularity with the film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, where the actors went on an adventurous journey. Venturing into the unknown that promises adventure and danger gives one an adrenaline rush.”
Best Destinations
Andamans
Best time to visit: January to April
Key attractions: Snorkelling, scuba-diving with an elephant, jet-skiing, parasailing, banana boat riding, underwater sea walking, surfing, kayaking
Las Vegas, US
Best time to visit: March to May
Key attractions: Insanity is a thrill ride at the top of the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada. A massive mechanical arm extends 64 feet over the edge of the 900-foot tower and spins you in the air.
Glamping
Camping is so yesterday. The good ol’ tent experience has grown and evolved into its very glamorous counterpart, and become the new buzzword in luxury travel. With the Indian government declaring 2018 to be the year of adventure tourism, industry experts expect a growth of 35 percent in glamping. Players such as The Ultimate Travelling Camp (TUTC) offer a gamut of services besides super deluxe tents. Says Dhun Cordo, co-founder, TUTC, “Glamping involves super luxury elements—right from a comfortable and beautifully designed tent, gourmet cuisines, to butler services and the works. A glamper gets to experience a nomadic lifestyle without having to compromise on any of the luxuries of life. To add to this, we follow unique fairs and festivals in the Indian subcontinent and present not only a luxurious accommodation alternative in the wild, but also our whole package focuses on the community, culture, culinary delights, and most importantly, the conservation initiatives to keep this rich but dying legacy alive.”
Best Destinations
Ranthambore, Rajasthan
Best time to visit: October to June
Key attractions: Jungle safari and tiger spotting
Les Giettes, Switzerland
Best time to visit: January to March
Key attractions: Located at the foot of the Dents-du-Midi mountain range, the geodesic dome-shaped pods are available year-round and offer incredible views of the Alps. The domes have all of the modern amenities such as a television, fireplace, desk and a sitting area.
Women Groups/Solo Travel
Free-spirited and filled with wanderlust, the new woman forays into the unknown, confident that whatever it is that lies ahead is no big deal. “The graph is just moving upwards. Since the inception of The WOW Club, we have always experienced more and more women wanderers joining us to empower themselves with freedom and courage to travel the world. While earlier we got almost all our travellers from Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi, now Hyderabad, Kolkata, Coimbatore, Goa, Indore, and many more cities have jumped in,” says Sumitra Senapaty, founder, The WOW Club, a women’s only travel club. There is a wide array of interests that women are indulging in, such as treks, rafting, hikes, adventure, wellness, relaxation, and even culinary and wine tours. Nothing is out of bounds for the woman of today.
Best Destinations
Puducherry
Best time to visit: October to March
Key attractions: Scuba-diving, surfing, visiting Auroville and Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Paris, France
Best time to visit: June to August
Key attractions: Head to the Catacombs, Pare Lachaise Cemetery, Sainte-Chapelle, the Musee D’Orsay, or simply walk along the Seine and breathe in the city
Culinary Tourism
It’s time to let your taste buds travel. Forget the poor ol’ Indian counterparts—if you want pizza, head to Italy, or if you are looking for that perfect sip of sangría, it’s time you visited Spain. If Spain seems too far, head to our very own Nashik vineyards for a sip. And if you are in luck, you could even participate in some grape-stomping. Explore the spice market of Morocco, or Kochi, if you please. Let your senses indulge in the typical Belgian waffles, fries, chocolates, or maybe you could make a quick tour of the Oktoberfest in Germany. From delicate dining practices of Japan and France to the more robust eating habits of Texas and Mexico, let your plate always be full this year. Shelly Arian, a hospitality student, recently returned from a culinary tour of Peru. “It was an experience out of this world. Besides relapsing into food coma, again and again, we also learnt to make ceviche, a traditional Peruvian dish,” she says.
Best Destinations
Hanoi, Vietnam
Best time to visit: September to November
Key attractions: Don’t forget to capture the sights of street-side meat, bicycles laden with fruit and vegetables, simmering pots of stock on doorsteps, boiling kettles, tipping teapots, sacks overflowing with rice—the streets are where the food action is
Old Delhi
Best time to visit: October to March
Key attractions: In the noisy labyrinthine bylanes of Chawri Bazaar and Chandni Chowk, savour the delicate daulat ki chaat, taste the subtle sweetness of sheermal or doodh ki roti, dig into the flavourful kebabs, and finish off with kulfi in as varied flavours as blackberry, pomegranate, mango, and guava
Art
Local artisans are important for the cultural fabric of the country. Unfortunately, with more stress on urbanisation and mass-manufactured products, arts and crafts in India are taking a backseat. But travellers are now keen to explore and go beyond. “An estimated 18 million international tourists will visit India in 2018; this figure is projected to reach 30.5 million by 2028. India is home to 35 world heritage sites. Rural destinations in India are slowly opening up to offer experiences in terms of their culture, heritage, natural landscape and traditions, to satisfy the growing demand of offbeat, immersive and culturally rich travel experiences of tourists,” says Namrata Jadhav, Manager-Operations, Black Swan Journeys. Tourists get to witness demos of the crafts, and participate in hands-on workshops, making their own items.
Best Destinations
Raghurajpur, Odisha
Best time to visit: October to March
Key attractions: Buying patta painting, tussar painting, wood carving, cow dung toys, Ganjapa playing cards. One can also learn with the artisans.
Brest, Belarus
Best time to visit: June to August
Key attractions: Go hunting, fishing, horse riding or cycling. Pay a visit to ethnographic museums and discover how Belarusians lived in the olden days, taste traditional dishes and drinks prepared according to old recipes and make your own souvenirs.
Best Destinations
Delhi-based freelance writer and avid traveller Himanshu Joshi says, “Voluntarism is gaining popularity over the years. I came across two young girls at Lamayuru monastery in Ladakh a couple of years ago. They were teaching basic mathematics to a bunch of about 10 young lamas in the age group of 12-15 years. Later, I found out that they were volunteering for a month during their summer holidays. They were given rooms to stay at the monastery itself. I saw the same thing in Spiti where an NGO had got some volunteers for community work in the villages. It’s a good option for those who have some skills to share and in return get a chance to understand the culture and people of a place.”
Best Destinations
Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Best time to visit: March to June
Key attractions: One can help out with the cafe or lounge, or even get actively involved in other administrative work, besides helping the locals learn some skill, or one can also don the hat of a travel guide
Panda volunteering, China
Best time to visit: September to October
Key attractions: Panda volunteering in China is becoming very popular now. Bifengxia has panda raising and breeding area, scientific study area, food preparing and animal hospital area. This project includes many cultural activities, including a two-day exploration of Chengdu.
Wellness
What started with the Beatles visiting Rishikesh back in 1969 has gone on to become a booming sector. Wellness tourism, which continues to grow at a fast pace, is likely to be the key driver of the tourism economy. Mia Farrow, Steve Jobs, Richard Gere and Oprah Winfrey are just a few of the big names who have flocked to India. From yoga and meditation to ayurveda—there is something for everyone here. Anagha Awasthi, who recently returned from Sarovaram Ayurvedic Health Centre, Ashtamudi, Kerala, says, “It was the best experience of my life. The one week I spent there seemed like an answer to my prayers. After the hectic city life, it was a refreshing change. My chronic backache and the sleeping disorder I constantly suffer from seeming to have vanished.”
Best Destinations
Ananda in the Himalayas, Rishikesh
Best time to visit: Round the year
Key attractions: They have more than 80 varieties of spa therapies which are the mixture of traditional ayurveda with modern spa. It also offers a range of ayurvedic treatments.
COMO Uma Paro, Bhutan
Best time to visit: October to December
Key attractions: Indulge in hot stone baths, wood baths, and of course the Nirvana-inducing Shambhala massage