Most Indian women feel safe travelling solo in India, says survey

Notwithstanding various challenges, more number of women in the country do not think that travelling alone is unsafe though foreign destinations are still perceived to be safer, according to a survey.

"It is encouraging to see an increasing number of Indian women travellers planning solo travel despite the challenges that confront them. Also, it appears that lesser Indian women now perceive travelling alone in India as unsafe (only 11 % this year versus 33 % last year)," according to TripAdvisor India Country Manager Nikhil Ganju.

The leading travel site revealed the findings from its annual Women Traveller Survey 2015, collected from 1,300 female respondents in India. Around 10,481 women travellers participated in the survey globally, including in India.

Ganju said, foreign destinations are still perceived to be safer with only 1 % of Indian women indicating nervousness about travelling alone abroad.

"Clearly, much needs to be done by way of perception management as well as actual safety measures on the ground, for Indian women to feel safer in their own country, and for them to continue to pursue their desires to travel solo freely and confidently," he added.

The report further stated that among the 41 % women travellers, who have travelled alone, polled Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) as the most unsafe amongst the top 10 Indian cities followed by Jaipur and Kolkata.

Among the safest cities, Ahmedabad led the way followed by Pune and Mumbai. Bangalore has dropped to number 5 spot this year from number 3 last year. 

When asked about the precautions Indian women take while travelling alone, majority of them avoid going out late at night (79 %), they tell or text someone where they are going (45 %) and avoid quiet streets (41 %), the TripAdvisor survey found.

Further, it revealed that majority of Indian women travel alone because it gives them the freedom of doing whatever they want (47 %), they like the independence and challenge of travelling on their own (39 %) and their family or friends do not have the time or resource to travel with them (28 %).

Travelling alone also has helped them to be more independent and self-reliant (59 %), to be more confident (42 %) and to learn something about others or other cultures (39 %), it pointed out.

Of the 41 % Indian women travellers who have travelled alone, 70 % plan to take up to 4 solo holidays in 2015, 79 % are planning to travel alone in India, followed by Europe (38 %) and Asia (28 %). It revealed that solo Indian women travellers are way more cautious than their global peers on their journey with 79 % saying they avoid going out late at night compared to the global average of 64 %.

Among the top international destinations for solo women travellers globally, India ranks a dismal 53 behind countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Peru and China.