Social media plays a key role in promoting travelling and evolving the entire tourism industry. Earlier travelling was more of a personalised affair and many of us depended on travel agents to cater to our needs. But today, the presence of travel enthusiasts on social media platforms has motivated many businesses in the tourism industry to embrace social media as a workplace. This has led to a huge influx of information and made travelling a more relatable and economical hobby for the common man. Let us take a look at some of the pros and cons of travel concepts popularised by social media.
#SoloTravelling
Solo travelling is a buzzword that every Millennial and Generation Z is aware of. The motivational Instagram posts coupled with the cheerful Youtube vlogs make one envious of the freedom that comes with solo travelling. Sometimes your passion for travelling is also questioned if you haven’t chosen this mode of travelling at least once. The benefits of solo travelling include: meeting new people, self-introspection, improving self-confidence etc.
While solo travelling might indeed be an amazing experience, it is high time that we realise the influence that social media has on us and accept the fact that solo travelling is not everyone’s cup of tea. Visiting a different place itself is a big step and it is normal for a person to prefer travelling in a group. So do not be a victim of herd mentality or peer pressure and choose the mode of travelling that you are comfortable with. Maybe you can also bring about a new trending hashtag – #LetsTravelTogether.
#HostelCulture
Before the era of social media, hostels were just buildings where students lived and complained about strict wardens and bad food. But today, the word hostel also encompasses budget-friendly living arrangements, usually in the form of dormitories and rooms. Social media has helped in popularising hostels as a go-to option for those looking for an economical stay and they play a significant role in increasing tourism among the youth. Hostels also create an environment where you can interact with people of shared interest. So next time you go backpacking, do try to experience the hostel culture.
Also read: Cool Hostels In Kerala For Budget Travellers
#TravelVlogger
Thanks to social media, plenty of creative individuals are now choosing their passion for travelling as a job and Travel Vlogging is slowly being accepted as a career option. But the issue arises when the mesmerising content on social media makes one think that content creation is the easiest and best career choice. Even when content creators themselves voice out the complications and hard work that their job entails, the rosy output makes the youth deny this fact. Even a 90-second reel would require at least a day’s work. So before you quit your 9 to 5 job and venture into this field, be aware of the uncertainties associated with this option.
#HiddenGems
Travelling is no more about going to the must-visit places but rather about exploring the unexplored. To stand out among the plethora of travel fanatics on social media, it has become essential for everyone to follow the uncharted path to discover hidden gems and remote destinations. After all, an Instagram reel with a ‘Location at the end’ tag would get more views than a reel on a popular tourist destination.
Social media has definitely helped in spreading information about plenty of unique and picturesque locations. But the cons associated with this are – overcrowding of these places, safety issues, environmental degradation or even hurting the sentiments of vulnerable communities residing in that area. Maybe there is a reason why such locations are hidden from tourists to date.
#Nomad
Our Indian culture is predominantly centred on leading a stable family life with a secure desk job. Social media coupled with the pandemic has disrupted this idealistic lifestyle by normalising the nomadic/hippie lifestyle among the youth. It is now quite common to come across people with a full-time jobs choosing to travel and work from different locations. This lifestyle not just helps people to be more accepting and adjusting, but will also build an open-minded future generation.
Also Read: How To Make Working From Home Tolerable
#TravelAccessories
Travelling is no more about just unwinding or following a passion. With the rampant surge in travel content creation, to keep up with the trend, the majority of us keep our social media accounts updated with our travel photos and videos. This has increased the investment in travel accessories such as Tripod, GoPro, Drone etc. While these are surely a must-have for professional content creators, the FOMO factor pushes normal people to buy these too. So it is always good to do an analysis of the actual need before making such investments.
#DarrKeAageJeetHai
Coming holiday season, would you choose surfing in Varkala or Paragliding in Vagamon? Earlier due to lack of awareness, many of us would have stayed away from such activities but today thanks to social media, the avenue of adventure tourism is opened up to all of us. While indulging in such activities can be a thrilling and inspiring experience, it is alright to say ‘No’ to these. Adventure tourism is not for everyone and choosing to stay away from it would not make you weak-hearted too.
#Foodgasm
Would you be surprised to know that there is a travel concept called Food Tourism, wherein people travel primarily to eat the speciality food of that location? Thanks to travel/food vloggers for their mouth-watering content, this has pushed many foodies to travel kilometres or even cross seven seas to just experience the local delicacies. How can you come all the way to Kerala and not try the authentic beef, isn’t!
Comment below other similar trending travel concepts that you know of.
