After her husband passed away four years ago, Kumkum Manaktala almost gave up travelling for want of companionship. But the 56-year-old has rekindled her wanderlust after signing up with an all-woman travel group.

The idea of travelling in exclusive travel groups or clubs for women has found many takers in India over the past decade.

The urge to break free, whether from domestic monotony or corporate stress, is seeing many women pack their bags to globetrot with likeminded girls.

Says Piya Bose, who founded Girls on the Go (GTG) in 2008: “When I started out, women’s travel was an almost non-existent segment and I have had to convince husbands, fathers and sons to let their womenfolk travel. But in the last few years, there have been more and more women who want to travel not just in groups but even on their own.”

For 30-year-old Ananya Sanyal, safety was the biggest concern when she decided to go on a trekking trip to Ladakh with her younger sister. She found a “safe and organised journey” as well as “privacy” in an all-woman group, she says.

Besides security and companionship, exclusive women’s travel groups look for a single-window service for all their requirements, says Sumitra Senapaty, who in 2005 set up Women on Wanderlust (WoW), one of the first exclusive women travel groups.

Kumkum would certainly concur with that. “I loved travelling, but I was not too confident of organising the trips on my own. I also did not like approaching travel agents as theirs is usually a mixed group comprising families. It also turns out expensive for a single person like me to travel in such groups, as room sharing is usually not possible,” she says.

Economic independence

Rising disposable income and changing social and professional dynamics too have nudged the demand for such trips.

“At WoW, we have seen the interest and inquiries growing at over 100 per cent year on year,” says Sumitra, adding, “We see this trend continuing with more and more women becoming emancipated mentally and financially.”

Her company organises about 75 group tours every year, of which about 35 are international.

GTG’s Piya has seen a sharp rise in the demand for travel to both domestic and international destinations in the last two to three years.

Eager to grab some “me time” away from family and work, women travel groups are not shying away from trying out exotic holiday destinations or experimenting with adventurous and fun activities including bungee jumping and scuba diving, besides of course loads of shopping.

Ladakh, Kashmir and the North East are among the domestic hotspots, while popular international destinations include Japan, Iceland, Morocco, New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia.

While a three-night/ four-day domestic trip costs anywhere from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, international trips usually start from Rs 25,000 for Asian destinations to about Rs 80,000 and above for Europe and other regions. The cost usually includes accommodation on twin-sharing basis, meals, local sightseeing and local travel. It does not include airfares or train fares, although the travel clubs do offer assistance with ticket bookings. The women’s travel clubs attract a diverse mix of clientele across age groups, family backgrounds and professions. Trips are designed to cater to this diverse profile.

Added attractions

There are also efforts to add extra touches to make the trips more attractive. For instance, GTG has roped in Premlata Agarwal, the first Indian woman to climb the seven highest peaks in the world, for an upcoming woman-only trekking trip.

There is appreciation for offerings that go beyond the usual touristy fare. “When I went to Ajanta and Ellora, GTG had organised an ASI-certified guide who took us around the caves and gave us a wonderful background history of the place and the artworks,” says 38-year-old Ruchira Shukla, who travels frequently in woman-only groups.

Social media has in its own way fuelled the trend, as the experiences shared by women travellers have the effect of bolstering the confidence of similar-minded women, says Piya.

After all, the clubs’ primary claim to fame is the security and safety assurance it offers women travelling on their own. In group travel, the numbers themselves provide safety, Sumitra points out.

Background checks

“We have taken women to party in Ibiza and check out the nightlife in Athens and Bali; there have never been safety issues because we do our recce well and inform bouncers to be on special alert as an added precaution. We also do a background check on all our local suppliers, research the hotels to be used and the route we take, to eliminate almost anything with potential to go wrong on safety aspects,” Piya says.

And with security and comfort in place, the women relax and get down to the pleasurable business of networking with fellow travellers with shared interests.

Having travelled to Greece, East Europe and Turkey, besides a couple of cruises with WoW in the last four years, Kumkum happily testifies to this: “You tend to be much more relaxed as the groups comprise ladies of all ages and background. It offers a good opportunity to socialise. In fact, I have made some very good friends on such trips and we now catch up with each other once a fortnight or month.”

Related Topics