With the Millenials occupying more than 31.5% of the global population, there has been a recent shift in trend! Travel, over the years, has become more of a passion than a leisure activity. Millennials are less likely to head to party destinations, instead, they are investing in becoming a part of new cultural experiences.
“As Sarah Clark, recently wrote in a column on Huffington Post, 86 percent of millennials would rather experience a new culture, compared to 44 per cent who prefer to party or 28 per cent who prefer to shop.”
In other words, Millennials are setting new travel trends; shaping the culture by going for specific experiences they want to curate for themselves rather than just general vacations. For instance, when on vacation, Millennials, compared to their predecessors – the baby boomers, want to be anything but a tourist. Instead, this generation is even more likely than most to seek to immerse themselves in the destination, becoming almost a part of the location they find themselves in. They are likely to blaze their trails and travel on foot instead of stopping by just on the popular destinations to explore more than a landscape has to offer.
Thinking of it, this recent change in travel culture is one of the primary reasons why Andaman & Nicobar Islands, with its serene, white sandy beaches and sparkling blue waters, has managed to replace Goa as Millennials’ favourite travel destination over the years. In fact, in the last couple of years, Andaman & Nicobar Islands has received an annual footfall of 4 lakh tourists including 15, 000 foreigners.
There’s a lot more to their reasoning, of course, to why Andaman has become Millennials favourite. Let’s discuss them one by one.
1. Millennials Seek Authentic Experiences
Millennials, compared to their predecessors, unconventional thinkers and they are open to change. They seek authentic experiences, yearning to become a part of the local culture than observe it as an outsider. They are more likely to create their itineraries rather than taking up travel packages, savour the local delicacies at local shops than dine-in five stars, take the local bus instead of private taxis, and engage in conversations with locals for the information they require instead of depending on Google.
Compared to Goa, Andaman, with its local population essentially being a mix of Bengalis, Tamils, Local Borns, Aboriginal tribes, Burmese & Karen, and Chotanagpur Tribals; is a fusion of different cultures served in a single platter. One can experience different cultures, engage in their cultural activities, and taste the local cuisines which are nothing less than a treat for the tastebuds.
Additionally, Andaman lacks good internet connectivity, which is a blessing in disguise. Because of this poor connectivity, travellers are forced to spend more time enjoying their trips than wasting their time on the phone: playing games, browsing their news feed, etc.
2. Tread on the roads not taken
Millennials are known to blaze their trails to set themselves apart from others. Given an option, they would always go for offbeat destinations which others are less likely to consider. Considering that, Goa – the official party destination of Indians, has been the traveller’s hub for quite long. The famous music fests, beach parties, etc. that make Goa what it is, is losing the charm. In such situations, the unexplored hidden gem of India – the Andamans & Nicobar Islands, is diverting the attention of unconventional millennials looking for unique experiences.
Out of 572 Islands that make up Andaman & Nicobars, only 34 Islands are inhabited. Within that, some Islands such as Baratang, lacks basic tourist facilities, allowing vacationers a very limited time on the island, making the experience quite rare and authentic. Besides, as shared above, vacationing is no more only about partying for millennials. They want more than just long and loud parties on their platter – and Andaman, thanks to its wide offerings, hits just the right nerve.
3. And enjoy active vacations
Millennials enjoy active vacations. They loathe the ‘stop at the famous spots and stay in the resort’ kind of vacation and their to-do list will have more active activities. They are more into exploring the place on foot to stay active, make the most of their time while vacationing, and explore everything that a landscape has to offer.
Andaman, thanks to the diversity, offers a plethora of active activities which perfectly caters to the active weekend description of youngsters. For instance, if someone is into beaches and water sports, Scuba Diving, snorkelling and underwater sea walking on Elephant beach, Seaplane rides on Port Blair, Mangrove Kayaking at Mayabunder, Parasailing and Jet Skiing at Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex are a few good options. Alternatively, if someone is into trekking and hiking or even exploring nature, a small visit to the Mud volcanoes of Baratang, a peaceful evening walk while watching the beautiful sunset on Chidiya Tapu, trekking through the nature trail from Mt. Harriet to Madhuban, camping right on the shoreline and appreciating the uncommon woods life, verdure or even a simple visit to the Ross Islands can land you a chance to witness the local wildlife which includes peacocks, deer and ducks.
4. On Instagram-worthy destination
According to a study published by Reuters, Millennials are highly competitive and yearn for attention. This attitude along with the incisive influence social media has on them, has added fuel to their travel craze.“97% of millennials share their experience on social media while travelling.” Source: https://www.lsb.com/blog/4-insights-on-millennial-travel-behavior/
With their news feed littered with straight out of postcard pictures of places posted by their friends, Millennials are likely to reciprocate the same experience for themselves – and travel to destinations which are Instagram worthy.
Talking of Instagram-worthy destination, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, with the beaches, coral reefs, far-reaching seas, and islands that remain untouched by the hands of commercialization; is one of the picturesque Indian escape that offers a plethora of tourist attractions to make sure one has the best time on their vacation. You can visit places such as Havelock Islands, the famous Radhanagar Beach, Neil Islands, Diglipur, Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Chidiya Tapu, and Baratang Islands, for immaculate beaches, pristine waters and the picturesque beauty that’s sure to light up your Instagram timeline. If you don’t believe us, just take a look at the pictures.
5. Where they can #GoSolo
While travelling with friends and families is a driving factor, the differing budgets and schedules make such vacations impossible to plan. Therefore, solo travel seems to be more popular among millennials since it’s more budget-friendly and can be planned easily.
Considering that, a trip to Andaman seems more ideal for a solo vacation compared to Goa, which has often been associated with group travelling. Andaman offers an abundance of amazing and unique activities to choose from. For instance, activities like snorkelling, scuba diving, parasailing, trekking, island hopping, bird watching, etc. present travellers with an opportunity to explore themselves and fuel their pursuit of dreams and goals in their everyday life. These activities allow solo travellers a chance to enjoy their own company, find comfort in discomfort, taste the sweet experience of freedom, and finally discover their true self.
Indulge into a journey of self-exploration, smeared with lots of fun, adventure, beautiful landscapes, and curated experiences by booking a ticket to Andaman. While you are doing that, remember, the Islands receive tropical monsoon accompanied by thunderstorms during May and June – and the weather can be rough to step out for diving or exploring the place. Otherwise, Andaman is perfect for vacations all year round. The best part, just like Goa, you can get beachside accommodations to add the much needed authentic feel to your trip, without having to get overwhelmed due to overcrowding.
