The craze of solo traveling has increased a lot in the last few years. Now not only men, but women are also going on solo trips. But solo trips have some problems too. Do you also think about the difficulties and security concerns of traveling alone?

For Preeti, who had gone on an Andaman tour with her husband, meeting German tourist Matilda was no less than a surprise. During the conversation, she told Preeti that she had come to Andaman for solo traveling. Her husband and children are in Germany itself. When asked how she is feeling alone, her answer was, "I am enjoying. I like the sea. I like India." Preeti was listening to her smilingly because she was from such an environment where if girls and women had to go somewhere, they had to go with their family members. In such a situation, solo traveling was out of the question.

But today the times are changing rapidly. Girls are becoming self-reliant. Their self-reliance is not limited to earning money only, today they are also breaking beliefs and bonds. They believe that they have a right to everything that is usually dominated by boys. Solo traveling is also one of them. Solo traveling means 'traveling alone', which is a very exciting experience. But how safe and exciting 'solo traveling' is for girls compared to boys, is the other side of this coin, especially in India.

Outlook Traveler and survey company Toluna surveyed on the question 'What do they want?' to know the travel patterns of women in India and to make their experiences better. According to the survey, about 60 percent of women want to be actively involved in the decision-making process before traveling. However, surprisingly, 8 out of 10 respondents say that solo traveling depends on the decisions taken by the family because the most important question in solo traveling by women is about their safety.

Dr. Ashish Kumar, Assistant Professor, Centre for the Study of Social Systems, JNU says,

“Travelling alone for holidays and tourism is still largely an urban, gender and class-based phenomenon. The tourism industry in India contributes 5.8 percent (US$ 178 billion) to the country's GDP. From this point of view, this sector is very promising, if we can make it more attractive for women through policy.”

According to the survey, there are some notable reasons affecting the solo travel of women in India, which is important to understand.

Security affects the most
The biggest reason for women not traveling solo in India is insecurity. Many women hesitate to travel solo because they fear insecurity. Our country can be made a safer place for solo women travelers by prompt and responsive policing and creative use of technology. However, an interesting thing in the survey was that out of 347 solo female travelers in the age group of 18 to 24 years, 56 prefer religious places and pilgrimage sites for solo travel due to safety reasons and not adventurous and risky journeys. This number was 16 percent of the total survey. Apart from this, Kedarnath and Tirupati topped the list of spiritual places by getting 35 percent and 31 percent votes respectively for solo travel of women.

Social view

The traditional view of solo female travel in Indian society is still the same as it has always been. Many times, lack of support from family and society also becomes an obstacle in this. This is because it is believed in society that women should not travel alone. They should travel only with family members. But today's self-reliant women consider solo travel as a means of empowerment. Through this, they get to know new places and cultures and increase their abilities and self-confidence.

Economic independence

Economic independence is also an important reason. Women who have financial independence can travel easily as there are many unexpected expenses during travel, such as extra charges, taxi costs to get to a new place, or the cost of an activity. So when one is financially independent, one can make independent decisions on every aspect of their trip, such as travel time, location, mode of transport, accommodation, etc., which gives you peace of mind.

Right information and resources

The availability of the right information and resources also affects travel. The availability of resources like the internet, guide books, and travel blogs helps solo travelers gain information about their destination, local culture, and activities. Although women tend to get nervous very quickly in bad situations, they also avoid going on a trip alone. However, translation apps and online language resources help solo travelers to learn the local language.

Some problems come uninvited
Namrata Nagar, a resident of Bhopal, is a solo traveler. She says,

“If a woman is self-sufficient for her work in her city, then she does not face much difficulty in solo traveling, because she is used to going out alone for any work. Today our country is connected with transport from every corner, so there are no problems related to this. Yes, some other things have to be taken care of, like people looking at a girl alone with a little surprise, which makes her uncomfortable. Therefore, you should also have the habit of dealing with all these. Some people travel later, and post on social media first. You should avoid all this because sharing your information on social media can put you in trouble. At the same time, choosing a homestay for your stay is a safe solution, which I experienced during my visit to Mechuka. In many places, a girl alone does not get a room in a hotel. In such a situation, you can gain the trust of the hotel owner by making him talk to your parents.”

Traveling solo is not easy, as some problems come uninvited, but by taking care of just a few small things, you can make the trip enjoyable.

Comfortable clothes
Comfortable clothes do not mean that you wear shorts with a tight top. It is not appropriate to wear such a dress while traveling solo. Therefore, it is best to wear loose cotton clothes, which are according to the weather.

Homestay selection
When you are traveling alone, take a homestay. This gives a personal touch to your experience, which ensures that you have found a companion even before reaching the destination.

Do not compromise on safety
Trying to book the cheapest room in an attempt to save money can prove to be very expensive for you and you may get into trouble. So do not compromise on safety.

Surprise
Do not try to make your trip too surprising. Instead of keeping it a secret, inform a friend or family member about your travel plans. While booking a flight, train, or bus, choose options that take you to your destination in daylight.

Do not go for sharing
If you are alone in a taxi or rickshaw and the driver talks about sharing, then refuse. If he does not agree, then take another taxi/rickshaw.

India is indeed a country with a large population. There is dust, crowd, and noise here. Despite this, our country is a promoter of the concept of 'Atithi Devo Bhava'. Barring a few examples, women do not face many problems in traveling alone. That is why many women tourists like Matilda and Anja Dunkel come here.

Hassles of photos and selfies
Women spoil half of their trip by taking photos. Women themselves agree to this. At the same time, in our country, foreign travelers are often requested to get their photos clicked. While doing this, no one even thinks whether they are comfortable with them or not! Being the subject of such unwanted attention, even if it is not malicious, can be troublesome for anyone (especially female travellers). “I don’t run around with a selfie stick, but I want to soak up the experience of a place. I take pictures of some good and some memorable things, but I also make sure that my trip does not end with just taking pictures,” says Anja Dunkel, a Hamburg resident who visits India every winter.

Self-protection is important

Pallavi Trivedi, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Economic Offences Wing, Bhopal, says, “It is true that gender discrimination is found in India. It is also true that crime is high in India, especially cases of crimes against women are high here. Still, if one travels solo with caution, it can be safe for girls as well.”

The choice of place comes first in this. It would be better if girls chose a quiet and safe place for tourism. Along with this, they should also take care of decency in their clothes and avoid becoming the center of unwanted attraction. Also, whenever you go for a trip, keep sharing your live location with your family and some trusted friends.

Do not try to stay completely alone and remain a part of the crowd. Despite all these precautions, if any kind of accident happens or there is a fear of it happening, then immediately complain to the nearest police station. You can also register your complaint over the phone.

Along with this, today a lot of safety equipment has also come, which you can keep in your purse, such as pepper spray, a small knife, etc. These provide you with a security cover. Today, if crime has increased, then our sensitivity towards women's safety has also increased. So there is nothing to worry about, with some precautions, girls can also travel solo comfortably. The law of the country is always there for them.

(PC: ISTOCK)