THE ART OF STAYING LONGER

DEPTH OVER DISTANCE, NATURE WALKS OVER PACKED ITINERARIES, HOMESTAYS OVER LUXURY STAYS-WHY ARE MORE INDIANS CHOOSING EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL?

- Words → NISHTHA PANDEY

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I RETURNED to Varanasi after a long time. I had grown up visiting the city; my mother’s family lives there, and its lanes had always been familiar, but this time, I moved through it differently.

I walked without a plan, turning into narrow gullies, stopping where conversations drifted out onto the street, taking food recommendations from shopkeepers and eating the famous Neelu ki kachori by the roadside. In the evening, I sat at Assi Ghat as the aarti began. There was no rush to see more. Lamps floated, the crowd settled, and the Ganga held its pace. The city felt less like a destination and more like a place to savour slowly. I felt at peace.

Recent industry research shows Indian traveller behaviour is changing. India's experiential travel market is expected to reach USD 45 billion by 2027, driven by demand for immersive, culture-led journeys. Booking.com’s latest travel insights show that 53 per cent of Indian travellers are mindful of how travel impacts local communities when they plan trips, and 69 per cent want their travel spending to benefit local people.

A SLOWER PACE

The change in mindset often begins on the streets. In older neighbourhoods, a city reveals itself through the minutiae of everyday life: a coffee vendor opening shop each morning, a community of elders gathering at temples beneath aged peepal trees, colourful doors and intricate balcony grills that hint at the families that belong to them.