Disclaimer-mark
This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
Disclaimer-mystory

11 Reasons You Will Fall In Love With Social Travel

11 Reasons You Will Fall In Love With Social Travel

Thursday August 01, 2019,

12 min Read

11 Reasons You Will Fall In Love With Social Travel

Connect With Locals & Travelers At Social Travel Sites!

Social travel is a trend which is on the rise as more and more solo travelers around the world seek to meet new people (locals) and engage with different cultures of the world. It is not a new concept at all as there have always been travel enthusiasts with itchy feet seeking out to explore the world & people. The only difference is in the way people have moved to travel solo as well as the increased number of travel enthusiasts. If you compare the way people used to travel in the past with how people travel now, it is safe to say, the travel industry has evolved a lot. Traveling to any place in the world has become easier, smarter, more affordable, quicker, and safer.


Solo travel has permanently transformed the way people travel

Traveling solo to an unknown city can give you a quite different experience. You are most likely to feel curiosity, as you go out of your comfort zone to experience a different culture from a different part of the world. You will feel an adrenaline to go out & experience it. In the past, it was not as easy to travel or travel solo to many parts of the world. But thanks to technology, socializing with people around the world, getting requisite & correct info about anything and access to many places in the world is much easier now.


Travel is not more a luxury now, you can even find & connect with locals of the most remote places or off-beat travel destinations of the world with the help of social media, the internet, Google or social travel apps. In fact, a social travel app can make your solo trip more exciting and you can plan & execute your trip better. There are a plethora of social apps out there. Some apps allow you to interact and find a travel friend from any corner of the world who are as enthusiastic as you about traveling.


Other such apps help you to find inexpensive lodging, provide you some requisite info like language you need to know regarding a city you desire to visit or let you keep in touch with your friend/s, family or guardian back home while you explore the world. Social travel apps like Xoxo Tours, Tourbar or Miss Travel are designed for solo travelers who are looking to connect & chat with like-minded locals or solo travelers across the globe to discover new places and make memories together.


The scenario here is just like a dating app where you chat with a stranger & accordingly to decide to meet him or her. Similarly on a social travel app, you chat with a local or solo traveler and accordingly decide to travel with him or her or at least meet him or her for a while on your solo trip. They can be your tour guide or may your travel partner. You may not need a physical map of the city when you have a local traveling with you.


A travel enthusiast can take up any trip today because of the easy access & facilities. No wonder the report by the World Tourism Organization estimated that by 2030, a worldwide population of 8.5 billion people will take roughly 2 billion international trips. If you are a solo traveler or planning to travel solo soon, here are 11 reasons why you will fall in love with social travel apps:


1. Optimize your solo trips - Social travel apps can let you interact with locals or experienced travelers who can help you to plan & optimize every aspect of your trip/s. People might see social travel apps as an app which helps a solo traveler to connect with like-minded locals or travelers to get a trip companion, but travelers can also use these apps for other benefits also. For instance, when you chat with a local, you can inquire about the cheap lodgings in their area, places that are off beat & interesting to visit but are less explored by tourists, restaurants where they serve the best local food or how to communicate in their local language, and so on.   Wouldn’t it be better to have a local friend with you who may be your tour guide or trip mate who shares trip expenses with you.


2. Travel on a limited budget - Unless you are super-rich with plenty of money, you would like to travel on a budget so that you can save on cost and explore more places. Social travel allows you to do just that as with a travel companion you can share your trip expenses starting from accommodation charges to cab fares or tickets. Before you start your journey, just ensure to plan your trip well with your trip buddy so that you don’t face any ambiguity later. Traveling with a local can help you to save money as he/she can provide you info about the cheapest restaurants to have good local food, take you for a free city tour or help you to book the most affordable hotel to lodge in.


3. See more places in less time - It is almost impossible these days to imagine planning a trip without the use of technology. In the past, tourists were required to visit a travel agent to book flight tickets or hotel and go through different travel magazines to get the requisite info before taking a trip. But now, all of this can be done comfortably at any place as you just need a laptop or a smartphone with an internet connection. At solo travel apps all such info is free hand available in form of interacting with locals, who can provide you with the right info that allows you to visit more places within a city in a much lesser time. As you won’t waste time figuring out things and move much faster. The time spent on obtaining the requisite info can now be invested in exploring new places and meeting new friends.


11 Reasons You Will Fall In Love With Social Travel

4. Expand your social circle - The world is full of interesting personalities. Extrovert travelers can easily expand their social circle while traveling solo & interacting with locals on the road. People who not so extrovert can opt for a social travel app to chat & meet fellow travelers or locals to connect with them and share exciting travel stories with each other. Travelers may end up getting a long-term travel friend while tripping together. Also, some people are always ready to share experiences and give tips to travelers. Solo travelers can always pick up free tips from experienced travelers and travel bloggers & use the same while on the road.


5. Make weekend getaways possible - Do you have a demanding job that drains all your energy? Traveling can be a great way to de-stress yourself. You can plan a getaway to a new place every weekend. Don’t worry if you don’t have a travel companion along with you. At social travel sites, you can meet like-minded travelers or locals and plan a trip. Take some time away from work and enjoy better weather, nice scenery, experience new things or just get back to the freedom to do what you like; all this can have a great positive impact on your life.


Many workaholics find that stepping away from the workplace gives them space to look at issues outside the work. Moreover, traveling is not only a means of escape but it gives you peace and healing. You can also plan sightseeing even when you travel for work and have some time to spare.


6. Challenge yourself - Have you lived for too long in your comfort zone? It can threaten your growth and happiness. It is high time you plan a solo travel and meet people around the globe to burst the bubble. Taking up new challenges like climbing trails, camping in the wild, kayaking or simply making new friends on the go can push your limits and help you to get you out of your comfort zone. It is only when you are exposed to new challenges; you will discover how resourceful you are. Remember, pushing your limits can do wonders in building your confidence. Social travel is also great for people who are introverts. It will help them become more sociable and allow them to see the world from a new viewpoint.


7. Learn while traveling - Learning is a life-long process and social travel is one of the best ways to learn while having fun. Every time you travel, you pick up new skills or knowledge. School and college curriculums might educate you about the things happening in the world but solo travel gives you first-hand experience of everything you may learn in the book. It allows you to become street-smart.


Travelers can learn something unique from every destination they visit. You may learn a new language, a new cuisine, and aspects of a new culture or learn and emulate the good habits of people you meet on the road. And since you’re actually experiencing everything and not just reading about them in a book, the impact will stay with you for a longer time. Also, you will get a deep sense of satisfaction when you learn something new.


8. Amazing photos to share on social media - What is your go-to place if you want to learn something or gather information about a person or friend you recently met? Of course it is via a person's social media profiles. When you have amazing pictures to share from your trips on social media platforms, you will be seen as an interesting person who is outgoing, independent, fun, and full of life.


Moreover, these days, even employers look up your social media profiles to learn what type of person you are. You can gain plenty of benefits by being seen as an adventurous, bold, adaptable, and fun person who travels the world. And people who travel are deemed as knowledgeable and as someone with skills that many people don’t have.


9. Have more personalized and unique experiences - Modern travelers, more than ever want to have customized and unique experiences while traveling. Solo travel makes it possible as you can travel like a local by pairing up with a local individual or group belonging to the city you desire to visit. Connecting with a local allows you to stay at their place (if they allow), build new friendships and experience a destination in a much more authentic & local way. To have a personalized trip, chat with locals who matches your preferences and personality. You can make your imagination run wild and actually end up experiencing a real version of your dream trip with your local travel companion.


11 Reasons You Will Fall In Love With Social Travel


10. Inspire other travelers to take your route - More and more travelers are turning up solo to break the internet with their inspiring travel stories. You can be one of them. When you share your travel pictures or stories from the trips you took on your Instagram or Facebook, other people or travel enthusiasts or wannabe travelers will often be inspired to visit to take up the same route & experience it. Likewise, you can take inspiration from other travelers too. Joining a social travel site is a great way to share and gather travel information about places to visit, discover secret travel destinations that are less explored, and motivate each other to come out of the comfort zone to experience the unusual.


11. Travel safe - You are definitely safer while traveling with a fellow travelers locals in a new city or country than being alone. If you are with a local, he/she might avert situations that might arise such as cultural misunderstandings. Someone who knows the place inside out will also warn you beforehand about tourist’s traps. In case you fall sick during the trip, it is always better to have a partner to rely upon, especially while traveling solo. You also have less chance of getting robbed when you are with a local friend. The best place to meet a travel buddy who can be your companion and guide throughout your journey is a social travel app. If you can find the best ones, they have only verified users making it safe to pick a travel friend from the site.

Thanks to social travel, now you can connect and communicate with people you would otherwise probably have never met. Not only that, but you can search for a travel partner to travel and explore new places together while having a good time. Many people used to consider travel as a luxury and thought it was all about vacationing. But travel has become more affordable now and people understand the numerous benefits associated with social experiences in travel. Travelers who take on new adventures and engage with other cultures come back energized and inspired. They enjoy plenty of benefits including newfound creativity, a better understanding of how other cultures live, new connections, and unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Have you been cocooned up in your place for too long? Plan a social travel trip with like-minded travelers and reap the benefits.

Sign up at a social travel site to meet travel companions!