Innovation

Sole Travelling tries to do something unique and provide a distinct experience in the field of traveling. According to the company, traveling shouldn’t be undertaken only when you need a break from your hectic schedule; rather, it should be a part of your daily life. The company aims to create unique stories about places and especially Goa. This is made possible through a range of activities like a trail on foot through the city with a local guide to navigate the city or dwell into the life of village and outskirt excursions to understand the totally different lifestyle of the locals residing there. From boat rides to cooking meals with the Valpoi Tribals while engaging in active conversations with them, Sole Travelling offers a lot. These experiences are created by partnering with the local communities.

It’s not that Sole Traveling doesn’t face competition from the conventional tourism industry in Goa. People have always been and will always be attracted to the casino-party-beach aspect of tourism. However, Sole traveling ensures that all the activities they undertake are fun and revolve around a richer experience and ‘making memories’-based traveling.

Inspiration

One of the founders of Sole Travelling previously worked in a corporate environment. Passionate about traveling, he soon realized that people no longer travel for vanity rather than engage, explore cultures, places, and imbibe some learning from experience. This has also helped in clarifying the Goan culture image. Goa often is prey to stereotypical questions like "cheaper beer," "all Goans practice Catholicism," "drink beer for breakfast," "is there anything apart from the tourism industry in Goa?" Fortunately for only a few, Goa is beyond the shackles of such stereotypical questions. Sole Travelling, therefore, helped innovate the chain of tourism by introducing the aspect of learning and embracing the culture in its truest sense.

Overall impact

Sole Travelling impacts the local communities directly and indirectly. It has a direct impact by generating employment and being a source of income for the locals passionate about Goa and its culture. In indirect impact, Sole Travelling has its share in nature conservation as well. It follows in nature, friendly practices and works with several entities who are engaged in waste-less practices.

Business benefit

The innovation here is changing the way the tourism and hospitality industry works. Due to this innovation, the company was able to partner with the local communities. This partnership brought in money not only to the company but also to the poverty struck communities.

This also helped the company employ local talent, which increases the employment opportunities in Goa. During Corona times, the travel industry was hit badly still, this company rose like a phoenix and did not fire any employees and did not break any relationship with the partners.

Before this innovation, the hospitality industry of Goa was all about parties, cocktails, and beaches, but after this company's innovation, it revolutionized Goa's travel and tourism industry, which was at one time was held floccinaucinihilipilification.

This innovation opened up opportunities and the probability of a better life for the local population and was the genesis of its clients' exclusive experience. The company showed unknown and untouched the crux of Goa, which was not known to the people residing outside Goa.

Social and environmental benefit

We have always heard that if your passion is your career, it’s the best thing that can ever happen to someone. However, the founders believe that if your passion is not sustainable in the long run, it’ll die. So, when Sole Travelling was founded, the creators put their heart and soul into it and worked on it full time. Apart from promoting the local culture, they aimed to create a source of earning and support the local communities. Developing a sustainable revenue model was also an important facet. Also, the local government representatives were included in the process to assure the locals that Sole Travelling wouldn’t take any undue advantage and leave their villages and surroundings in a mess with tourist engagement. The founders also made sure that the representatives and people engaged in the hospitality industry were made a part of the process as they have a wide reach and portray Goa tourism to the outside world.

Interviews

Varun Hegde, Founder

Kedar Borkar, Co-Founder