Why are off-beat experiences in demand now?

It's clear that travel in the post-pandemic world is going to be quite different from what it was pre-covid. 

 Travel had been gaining rapid popularity in recent times and what was once a luxury was quickly becoming a need for everyone. From providing a break from the regular routine to the perfect ‘instagrammable’ captures, everyone wanted to do the ‘touristy’ things and travel. 

 The pandemic put a brake on all this. Confined to our homes we had little to no opportunity to even interact with family and friends, let alone travel. The concern for safety has us moving away from crowds and larger groups to small, closed ones where one can control the hygiene factors. 

 A closer look at the trends emerging now, and adapting to them is key for the travel industry to recover, rebound and reinstate itself. More so, it’s important to understand the inherent behavioural changes that have and will amplify the shifts in travel consumption.

 In my opinion, while the increased risk of infections or at least the fear of one, has also greatly reduced the opportunities to travel, I foresee that it has made us value travel even more. The focus now is definitely on quality over quantity and destinations being picked are closer to home. Places which most are unaware of or those which were previously overlooked for the more popular choices are being picked today! 

 In the future, people will travel with a purpose. Travel will become intentional and conscious. People will not only explore locations, they will explore themselves. Travel will become personal - bereft of social acknowledgement of where you need to be seen. Travel will become more therapeutic. 

 And as I look forward, I am pretty confident that Off-beat experiences will grow in popularity. These destinations uniquely weave in the outdoors which are a relief considering the months we spent in isolation. The off-beat experiences allow the travellers to immerse themselves in something entirely different and unique, opening up their minds to an entirely different perspective of themselves and the world around them. 

 From a trippal perspective, this trend definitely is promising for the domestic tourism market. Exploring one’s own backyards has never been cooler and will give the local economy a much-needed boost right now!