How Digital India is Changing the Face of Travel

Launched in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India campaign aims to ensure the electronic and digital empowerment of all citizens of India. Internet access and online services are therefore being made available to rural areas as well, thereby propelling India towards a comprehensive digital age.

While this digital revolution has transformed several facets of life in India, it has reformed the travel and hospitality sector in the most significant way. The initiative has led to easy and convenient travel planning, thereby encouraging more people to travel.

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Informed Travel Choices

Gone are the days when planning and booking a holiday was strictly the work of a travel agent, when fixed itineraries and group tours were considered the best way to see a new place, and when air travel was preferred only by the well-heeled. Increased internet connectivity has led to easy availability of information, more awareness among people, and simplified travel research. One is only a click away from the best available flights and packages, the varied accommodation choices, and trending holiday destinations.

Booking a Holiday Has Never Been Easier!

The Digital India initiative has promoted a cashless economy and convenient transactions through net banking, cards and online payment methods, thereby making travel bookings easier and faster. Add to that, availability of smartphones at cheaper prices and personal internet access, which has further encouraged the digital transformation of travel. Also, owing to the multitude of online travel portals and websites, and the growing competition between them, discounts and sales on travel bookings are often available, constantly attracting travelers and vacationers.

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New Age Travel Trends

With the coming of digital adaptation and new technologies, the travel industry in India has now undergone a revolutionary change. Here are 8 growing travel trends of Digital India:

• The internet is the best place to research, plan and book everything from flights and hotels to tour packages. Most travel companies have thousands of airlines and travel partners to help travellers plan that perfect holiday on their own.
• Social media plays an important role in popularizing trending destinations, thereby affecting travel decisions to a great extent.
• Travel portals and websites offer an extraordinary range of unbranded hotels and alternative accommodation options as well, with information about their price, features, ratings, etc. for faster and well-researched decision making. More and more travellers are gradually moving towards homestays and boutique properties for a more personalized experience of a place.
• The switch to online payments is gradually increasing for a convenient and faster booking process. E-wallets such as Paytm, Freecharge and Citrus Pay, ensure safe transactions, offer cash backs and rewards on bookings, and are a significant motivation factor for travel plans.

• Thanks to the frequent discounts and promotional deals available online, last minute bookings and unplanned trips are now quite common.
• Owing to the growth in airline industry, cheaper airfares, and frequent discounts and deals, there has been a marked shift to air travel and a striking growth in international travel as well.
• Digital marketing techniques such as virtual tour guides, and email and SMS alerts about fare reductions, are now a popular way to attract and inspire travellers.
• Travel is becoming increasingly mobile-centric. Most online travel companies now have apps to offer a more personal customer relationship and provide customized travel experiences to users.

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