Rural Tourism Blogs Perspective

Rural Tourism in India: Exploring the
Travel Blogger’s Perspective
5
introduction
Tourism industry has experienced a notable transformation with evolution of
information and communication technology (ICT). Internet has become the major
playertorevitalizetheindustrybyprovidingfastcommunication;easeofinformation
and hassle free transactions in the last two decades. The new media, such as social
media and smart phones technology are increasingly replacing traditional mass
media (Bruhn et al. 2012). Tourism enterprises face serious challenge by the rise of
internet as well as get numerous opportunities in the competitive market. Web2.0
and user generate contents (UGC) in online market has made a dramatic change
in the information seeking industry. Travellers’ information sharing in the virtual
medium has changed the traditional ‘word of mouth’ to ‘virtual word of mouth’
also known as ‘eWOM’ providing quick access to information and opportunity
of interaction. Tourism business mostly depends on expectation and experience
in which word of mouth has a greater impact. Though tourists and travellers take
advantage of the UGC and virtual information, question arises on the authenticity
and reliability of those information quite often. Are the information available
on the internet accurate, up-to date and usable? Can the information helpful in
decision making process and motivate the prospective tourist? In such cases travel
blog information is credible, authentic and trustworthy among the user generate
contents (Volo, 2010) as those information come from those individuals who have
experienced them.
rashmi ranjan Choudhury*, Saurabh Kumar Dixit**
* SRF Research Scholar; North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya,
Mail Id: rrcrashmiranjan@gmail.com
** Associate Professor, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya,
Mail Id: saurabh5sk yahoo.com

52 Rurality, Ruralism and Rural Tourism
Travel blogs are the chronological representation of experience of a traveller in a
story telling format in the internet or online medium. Travel Blog is the conserved
experience in elaborated format for the blogger and travel information for the
potential tourists (Chen, Shang, & Li, 2014). The format and content of travel
blog is different from conventional web portal and many blogs allows discussion
forum for the reader which provides an interactive platform for the prospective
traveller. In the digital era blog has emerged as a marketing tool for the information
driven tourism industry delivering valuable information for the customers. The
blog marketing can be very effective for the special interest tourism (SIT) targeting
specific group of customers. Rural tourism in India has a huge potential but lack
of information comes as huddle on the way. Blogs information in can fill the gap
for which Indian bloggers, travel organisation and administrative efforts needed
collectively.
The present study is an attempt to study the travel blog implications in tourism
industry to fill the gap in tourism academia in India. Foreign tourist’s expectation
and experience in India can be understood through blog content analysis. Finally,
bloggers effort to promote rural tourism in India and prospects of blog marketing
are analysed in the conceptual study. The study will provide basic knowledge for
the ICT implications in tourism industry, particularly on travel blog aspect.
objectives
This paper has been designed as a conceptual study with qualitative analysis of
blog contents to judge the bloggers perspective regarding rural tourism in India.
The primary objective of the study was to analyze the presentation of rural tourism
in India through blogs and foreign bloggers illustration on India was deeply
investigated from their blog contents. Finally the paper provides an elementary
indication about the blog marketing and its potential in Indian tourism industry.
Literature Review
technology and tourism
Tourism In present time, tourism industry is shaped by the information and
communication technology (ICT) with development of Web 2.0, advance internet
and fast growing mobile world (UNWTO, 2011). The internet has transformed the
tourism industry in last two decades linking the travellers and service providers
through a virtual medium (Lainie, 2018). Travel industry come to the reach of as
many people as it has ever before by the use of technology, resulting generation
Y travelers, better informed, and more tech savvy (Belokon, 2017). Booking a
trip, availing travel services and getting travel information are no longer hassle
now days because of online internet services. Werthner & Klein (1999) advocate
tourism as a hybrid industry since it is integration of sharing of information and

Rural Tourism in India: Exploring the Travel Blogger’s Perspective 53
physical services. ICT aids this integration providing ample of opportunities and
coordinating with the changing trends among the customers.
The new age travellers want to travel independently by their own convenience and
prefer to plan their travel by themselves rather than through travel agents. In that
case internet becomes the guide for them where the facility of travel information
search is open 24*7 ( Jadhav & Mundhe, 2011). Online information search reduces
operation cost of the customers and provides a wide range of options within a
shorter period of time making the online search more effective. It also maintains a
consistent interactive platform between the customers and suppliers (Pires, Stanton
& Rita 2006) and growing the business to customer (B2C) model which expands
the travel trade.
Consumers get information about the products in various ways such as: through
advertisement, promotional offers and word-of-mouth. The word-of-mouth
(WOM) medium is the most effective way for any industry and very important for
the service sectors where experience matters. The advice of previously experienced
costumers in tourism becomes preferred source for pre-purchase activities and
travel decision making (Loncaric, Ribaric, & Farkas, 2016). Studies examined
that WOM has a strong impact on the travel pattern, individual characteristics of
travellers and mostly encourages the backpackers market (Simpson & Siguaw,
2008; Murphy, Mascardo, & Benckend, 2007). With the proliferation of electronic
social media, WOM is growing and provides new opportunities for the customers
in the process of information search (Litvin et al., 2008).
travel experience and Blog Writing
Travel experience is a psychological process of interconnecting the concepts of
perception, expectation, knowledge and memory of any individual (Bosangit,
Hibbert, & McCabe, 2015) which further transforms the traveler’s conception
toward the destination or service etc. Tourist experience shared in public domain
has become important resources and motivational factor for the prospective traveler
(Boukhari & Sair, 2017). In past two decade blog has raised as user generated
experience sharing medium in internet (Akehurst, 2009).
Travel blogs can be understood as narratives of travel experience of the blogger
presented in an elaborative manner in the digital media. Travel blog writing is an
art of presenting the traveler’s expectation and experience regarding their travel
chronologically or in a record format (Volo, 2010). The technology has completely
transformed traditional travel writing to modern days moblogging (mobile
blogging) where traveler update their blog even during the travel.
travel information search and role of Blog
Tourism products are judged on expectation and experience hence it is hard to
assess prior to purchase. Tourists make their purchase decisions by building
expectation and anticipate maximum satisfaction from the service as well as from

destination to be visited (Gartner, 1989). To avoid the unfamiliar experience, for
better knowledge on destinations and safety features tourists seek information. In
the process of travel information search consumers depends on the views of the
previous consumers who have experienced the same before. With proliferation of
Web 2.0 in experience sharing changes can be identified in both the demand side
and supply side of the tourism industry. On demand side the number of internet
users increase significantly to search contents and World Wide Web provides
more in-depth content than traditional practices. On supply side internet became
a channel for the tourism stakeholders to provide information and service to the
consumers (Vincent, 2003; Stepchenkova & Morrison, 2006).
Prior to travel the traveller search for reliable information about the destination,
medium of travel and other related services involved for better experience. Internet
plays an important role where information is available on the click of buttons
(Pan, MacLaurin, & Crotts, 2007). Among several mediums of internet blog
takes a significant stand in travel information search because of its authenticity
and reliability. In tourism industry blogs are mostly composed by the travellers
who share their travel stories with real media contents and recommend others.
The systematic presentation of information with audience centric approach keeps
the information seekers and other audience busy with the blog while decision
making, planning and enjoying blog reading also. Customers rely more on those
blog webpages where they get more reviews regarding their search and desired
information. Blogs appear on the top of any search after the DMOs because of the
search hits and information richness. Now a days blog are not only provides inter-
personal communication, but also provides business to business (B2B), business
to consumers (B2C) communication helping as marketing medium for industries
(Akehurst, 2009).
travel blog and Destination image
In tourism industry destination image has an important role in consumer decision
making, marketing because of the intangibility nature (Gallarza, Gil & Calderon,
2002). Though study of imagery mainly depends on psychology of individuals, it
has many facets depending on its application. The multidisciplinary approaches
affects destination image in tourism since involvements of other disciplines like
geography, psychology, environmental aspects and marketing (Gallarza, Gil &
Calderon, 2002). Destination image impacts tourists behaviour, affects satisfaction
level of tourists, moreover influences future travel intentions and to recommend the
destination to others (Banyai, 2009). San Martin & del Bosque (2008) advocates
destination image as compilation of tourists perception and impression about

any destination. Destination image is a changeable aspect mostly affected by
recommendations, WOM communications, promotional activities by organisations
and DMOs and many more.
In that aspect web contents, social media presentations has the most impact on
destination image and bloggers and travel blogs have a significant role. In most
cases bloggers highlight the destination through audio visual contents rather than
their personal presentation.
Chen et al. (2014) illustrated that, the intention in choosing destinations has a
strong positive relation with the contents published in travel blogs while some
conditions stands like way of presentation of contents; understand ability of
languages and satisfaction on the travel blog. Blog contents reflect the perception
about the destination and transformation of travel-blogger (Sun, Ryan, & Pan, 2014;
Bosangit, Hibbert, & McCabe, 2015) with emotional presentation of experiences at
the destination.
Methodology
For this study 30 blogs were selected on the basis of regular posting of contents,
review updates and having a standard number of followers. The blogs were
selected from Google search which have contents of rural tourism and rural visits
in India. The web search was done using keywords like ‘Trip to India’, ‘visit India’,
‘rural India’, ‘visit to countryside’, ‘rural travel blog’ etc. Among the 30blogs
equal number of Indian blog and foreign blogs were chosen from the web search
(Table 5.1 & 5.2). In the next step a qualitative analysis was carried out through
content analysis on the available contents in the blogs. Further a netnographic
approach (Bowler, 2010) was used to study the bloggers perspective regarding
the travel intentions to India. The present study needs ethnic study of the blog
contents. Netnographic study is an qualitative approach whose name draws from
‘Internet’ and ‘ethnography’. Netnography is more or less similar to ethnography
can be understand as the advanced study of the traditional method. In ethnographic
approach study can focus on the current situation where as through netenogrphy the
archive online data helps to understand the history as well as present situation of
the subject. Netnography is an efficient approach where the researcher need not be
a part of the community and the study can be done externally by downloading data
from online sources analysing through personal observation. Finally the opinions
and the netnography outcomes of the Indian and foreign bloggers were analyzed
to formulate constructive arguments about tourism, more importantly rural tourism
concerns in India.

Table 5.1: Indian Blogs and Bloggers
S. no blog name blog Address blogger
1 The Shooting
Star-Just a girl who
travels
https://the-shooting-star.
com/2017/02/19/sarmoli-uttara-
khand-a-himalayan-village-where-
locals-run-marathons-and-their-
own-instagram-channel/
Shivya Nath
2 Map In My Pocket https://mapinmypocket.com/the-
story-of-pashmina-shawl/
Neeharika Satya-
vada
3 Travel with Lakshmi https://lakshmisharath.com/villas-
in-villages-3
Lakshmi Sharath
4 Inditales Travel Blog
From India
https://www.inditales.com/rural-
tourism-companies-in-india/
Anuradha Goyal
5 Be on the Road ...
traveller from india
https://www.beontheroad.
com/2018/04/how-i-spent-surreal-
rural-holiday-in-assam-india.html
Sankara
6 My Travel Diary A
Curious Girl & Her
Journey
http://www.traveldiaryparnashree.
com/?s=village+india&submit=S
earch
Pranashree Devi
7 Anki on the move http://www.ankionthemove.
com/2018/09/the-crafts-of-kutch-
ajrakh-block.html
Ankita Sinha
8 The Wanderer https://www.sid-thewanderer.
com 2015 11 peruru-heritage-vil-
lage-andhra-pradesh.html
Siddhartha Joshi
9 UNTRAVEL
City girl in the moun-
tains.
http: untravel.in 2016 05 06
the-simpler-life-what-living-in-the-
mountains-teaches-you/
Nidhi Thakur
10 Holidify https://www.holidify.com/blog/
rural-travel-in-india/
Holidify team
11 Travel ‘n Thrill
Exploring my #In-
credibleIndia
http://www.travelnthrill.com/
sikkim-the-isolate-indian-culture-
tradition-living-style
Deepak Patel
12 Romancing the
Planet
https://www.romancingtheplanet.
com/
Karthik Reddy
13 Fernwehrahee http://fernwehrahee.com/2018/04/
explore-manas-national-park/
Mayuri Patel
14 Ghoomakad http://ghoomakad.in/naddi-perfect-
place-unwind-dharamsala/
Sahil Singh
15 iShare https://isharethese.com/karni-mata-
temple-world-famous-rat-temple-
in-bikaner-rajasthan/
Indrani Ghose

Table 5.2: Foreign Bloggers on India
S. no. blog blog page address blogger
1 TripSavvy https://www.tripsavvy.com/rural-
india-tourism-ideas-1539791
Sharell Cook
2 Breathedreamgo https: breathedreamgo.com find-
ing-the-real-india-on-my-8th-trip/
Mariellen Ward
(Canada)
3 Mantra Wild Adven-
tures
http://www.mantrawild.com.au/
blog 5-authentic-ways-experience-
incredible-india/
Reena Tory (Aus-
tralia)
4 Flora The Explorer http://floratheexplorer.com/catego-
ry continents asia india-asia page 3
Flora Baker (US)
5 Eating Asia and
beyond…
http://eatingasia.typepad.com/eatin-
gasia/india/
Robyn (Ameri-
can)
6 Wandering Earl A life
of Travel
https://www.wanderingearl.com/
this-is-the-incredible-india-that-i-
love-so-much/
Derek Earl
(USA)
7 Sunshine.bg http://www.sunshine.bg/musicalno-
uchilishte-kerala-india
Adriana (Bul-
garia)
8 Travelling Buzz https://travellingbuzz.com/kerala-
blog-express-season-5
Maria (Bulgaria)
9 Moment Sketchers https://www.candaceroserardon.
com/?s=India
Candace Rose
Rardon (Uru-
guay)
10 Just one way ticket.
com
https://www.justonewayticket.
com 2016 12 14 10-best-places-in-
india-you-must-visit-at-least-once-
in-a-lifetime/
Sabrina Iovino
(Germany)
11 Merit Travel https://merittravel.com/blog/india-
lauras-first-time
Laura Main
(Canada)
12 Hippie in Heels https://hippie-inheels.com/travel-to-
india-made-easy/
Rachel Jones
(now in Goa)
13 Nomadic Matt https://www.nomadicmatt.com/trav-
el-blogs/women-safety-in-india/
Nomadic Matt
(USA)
14 Ytravel Travel more
create better memo-
ries
https://www.ytravelblog.com/travel-
to-inda-solo-female-traveller/
Caroline Make-
peace (USA)
15 The Travel Tester http://www.thetraveltester.com/cat-
egory/destinations/asia/india/
Nienke Krook &
Nick Vullings
Findings and Discussion
Travel blogs are considered as major source of information after the official
websites in tourism industry. User generated contents in blogs provides authentic
information and opportunity for inter-personal communication which influences

on traveller’s intention. Studies suggest that intention to visit a destination mostly
influenced by destination image perceived from the relevant information and WOM
communications (Chen, Shang, & Li, 2014).
Through netenography analysis data were collected from the travel blogs by taking
screen shot or copying the text or image to embed in the research. Another modern
method is used in present studies like presenting the web contents in word cloud
format. The repeated words are highlighted in the word cloud, provides opportunity
to understand the contents and analyse the contents ethically (Kozinets, Pierre, &
Earley, 2014).
Fig. 5.1: Word cloud presentation of blog contents for ‘Netenography’ study.
(Source: Prepared in wardart.com,data from blog)
(a) india as a travel Destination in Blogs
Bloggers describe the amazing country in their writings from their expectations,
experiences, and emotions. Most of the foreign travellers visit India to experience
the enchanting history, dance and music, archeology and moreover the unique
diversified culture across the country (Sharma, 2017). The contents of foreign
bloggers show that they are more enthusiasts to travel new destinations and to reach
out the people apart from their visit to the important archeological destinations.
Most of the travel bloggers left their regular job to take travel and share travel
experience as out of passion and mark a unique identification. Among the foreign
travel writers many are first time visitors where as some are return visitors to India.
Overall they portray mixed experience in their wittings and share many things that
can transform tourism industry in India. Traveller like Sharell Cook and Mariellen
Ward are the regular visitor to India and they show their love and understandings
towards the Indian hospitality and culture.

Ward (2017) has travelled India eight times and still she is passionate to explore
more in her next visits and her affection to Indian hospitality and culture can be
clearly identified in her writings.
“If there is space in the heart for someone, there will always be
space in the house.” (Ward, 2017)
Travel writers describe and narrate their travel experiences in stories which structure
a notable identity to the traveller as well as to the destination. Detached from their
own and transformed to a new culture and write about them, in that process the self
of the traveller is lost somewhere (McWha, Frost, & Laing, 2018). For her love and
affection Mariellen Ward was acknowledged by Outlook India as Traveller of the
Year Award.
Many first time visitors have a different perception about India prior to their visit
and completely altered afterwards which attracts them to visit again. They argued
about inconveniences in India, in a way worldwide where the destination with no
problem exists.
“India has always been on my wish list of countries to visit, but I’ve
never felt 100% comfortable about travelling there as a female on
my own. Twenty years ago, when I was backpacking solo around the
world for just over 2 years, I met many people who had been to India
and they seemed to either love it or hate it. I wasn’t ready for it at the
time – but now that I’ve finally visited, I wonder why I waited so long.
I can say that I definitely love India – and I can’t wait to go back!!!!”
(Main, 2014)
India becomes a highly recommended destination in some of the blogs for its rural
and spiritual tourism where the culture and tradition still exists and untouched.
“India is a huge country and can be overwhelming at times – but
I highly recommend it as a place to visit.” Merit travel
(b) exhibition of Rural tourism prospects in Blogs
Travel bloggers exhibits information with a conscious selection and elaboration
which they have envisaged and experienced in their travel (Boukhari & Sair,
2017). Mostly bloggers are the individual traveller or bagpacker; they prefer to take
the adventurous trip or trip to unusual destinations like rural destinations. Rural
tourism is a rich aspect of tourism in India with preserved tradition and diversified
culture. Several Indian bloggers present information about major archeological
and major tourist destinations whereas very less number of blogs found on rural
tourism presentation. Many interesting and attention-grabbing information about
rural destinations are revealed through those blogs which motivate traveller to plan
their trip.

In her blog Shivya Nath (2017), presented information about a village Sarmoli
from Uttarakhand, which runs their own Instagarm channel to promote tourism and
the traditional ways of life.
BlogsonruraltourisminIndiaarefoundtobeveryfewandpreciseincontents. Rural
tourism is the one form of special interest tourism needs information like service
provider’s information; hassle free access and other basic fact about destination
and its cultures. Several blogs share information on new rural destination, culture
and traditions apart from the Government recognized rural tourism destinations.
Indian bloggers attempted to clear the misconception of foreign travellers on rural
tourism like: rural tourism in India is unsafe and discomfort; unhygienic rural
practices etc (Lohia, 2017).
(c) Destination image to change
Foreign travellers count has seen a continuous growth from the last decade because
of the technological development. In the travel bloggers an impressive number of
bloggers are solo women traveller. Still there is a query always arises in the solo
female travellers mind that:
“Is India safe to travel for a solo woman traveller?”
Destination image of India gets affected by the question which appears in some blog
contents (Matt, n.a.; Rardon, 2013; Iovino, 2013) which impacts in the planning of
prospective travellers.
The problems faced by foreign travellers like over attention; excessive
photographed, also take a part in the travel writings which further become attention
seeker for others. Some foreign and several Indian bloggers develop a better image
for the country in their blog contents with affirmative reply to the reviews and
suggest certain measures to take care by potential traveller in their visit (Cook,
2018; Makepeace, 2015).
(d) Prospects of blog Marketing on Rural tourism in india
Travel blog as a marketing tool can help the blogger as well as business
organisations to build brand awareness; provides a platform for communication;
manage and maintain reputation and mostly aids in eWOM marketing in social
media. In developed countries like Sweden, Canada, New Zealand and Austria
blogs have been used on official websites where travellers can share experience
and administrator can judge demands (Akehurst, 2009). In India most of the
blogs are personal, though they assist in information search but growing in C2C
communication. Blogs use in business organisation will grow the B2C and B2B
business in which Indian organisation need to improve.
Blog marketing can attract more foreign travellers toward the rural India as they
prefer to experience culture and tradition than the conventional tourism practices.
Rural tourism as a form of special interest tourism (SIT) needs to be marketed

differently by those who have experienced it. In that aspect blog becomes an asset
for the marketing purpose.
A different marketing approach adopted by God’s own country, Kerala as 30
different bloggers across the globe participated in the outreach campaign of the state
tourism department called as ‘Kerala Blog Express’. The event was grand success
tangibly and has massive impact on the virtual media as the bloggers describe their
experience in their writings, help Kerala tourism to reach out to aspiring travellers
(Stoyanova, 2018; Bloggers are in all praise of Kerala, 2018).
These findings may lead to some practical implications. Government and business
farms should provide necessary support to the bloggers to highlight new destinations
in their blog content as well as encourage more travelers to share their experience
through blog (Chen, Shang, & Li, 2014). Tourism service providers can add blog
on their web portals to promote destinations in brand creation simultaneously with
business. Regional bloggers should come forward to share maximum on their region
with a regular posting and maintain a virtual network with foreign bloggers as well
as travelers. Tourists can be encouraged to share their experience and review the
blogger they followed in decision making process.
Monitoring attitudes of customers in tourism industry is a challenging task for
the stakeholders. Useful information about customer’s preference, stakeholder’s
performance can be tracked through blog analysis and it might be derive measures
for further improvement of the industry. In the digital eraWeb 2.0 and user generated
contents have a greater influence on consumer behaviour, hence blog readers or
potential customer’s intention can be assumed through blog review analysis.
Blog analysis study also provides deep understanding of shared contents.Authentic
content, deceptive and commercial contents can be differentiated through blog
study which further helps in evaluation of travel information sites.
conclusion
Technology driven market has lead the tourism industry worldwide. In the
information based industry social media, Web 2.0, user generated contents have
a greater impact but faster development needed simultaneously. Unfortunately in
India there have been very few efforts in academia to study the on tourism and ICT
and travel blog is such an aspect untouched. This conceptual study will provide
basic insight to fill the gap and to understand the bloggers perspective in the
intangible industry. The extrinsic motivational factors for foreign traveller to visit
India and their expectation and perception toward India can be understood through
blogs. Blog marketing can be a useful medium for rural tourism, targeting specific
segment of customers. Moreover the study appeals for practical implication of
blog marketing in business organisations and administrative action to use blog in
destination image development.

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