The post-pandemic trend of travelling solo as free-independent travellers (FITs) or in small groups of people to locales tucked well away from urban areas is expected to give fillip to the rent-a-bike/bicycle business.
The mode of travel will ensure physical distancing while providing an opportunity for FITs and tourists in small groups to relish each moment of their trip with a spirit of adventure. There has traditionally been demand for rent-a-bike/bicycle schemes, with daily rents in the range of ₹400 to ₹1,000 for anything from scooters to an array of ordinary or off-road motorbikes.
That many popular bicycle models were in short supply due to demand from youth and others who got fed up of being confined to their homes during the pandemic is in itself a sign that people are biding their time to check out tourist locales in neighbouring districts. It was in sync with experiential tourism that got popular during the past decade, said a senior tourism official.
Firms from across Kerala that offered pre-defined or tailor-made travel packages for FITs and small groups of tourists are pinning their hopes on domestic tourists travelling in the coming months, followed by foreign tourists.
One of them has come up with chauffeur-driven bike tours, in which a tour guide will double up as a chauffeur for solo tourists to check out little-explored locales. “This service is common in places like Goa and Manali and encourages visitors who are not keen on travel by car or bus. They are also very cost effective,” said Jorphey Gabriel of Kochi-based Glenn Tours. “In Kerala, there is difficulty in getting permit for such tours from Kerala Motor Vehicles Department, even as conventional rent-a-bike firms abound. We hope to arrange a 60-day pan-India motorbike tour, once tourists begin coming to Kerala,” he said.
There are firms like Kerala Bike Tours that operate guided two-wheeler tours. “Most of our customers were foreign tourists. Our business model is based on organising guided tours that last a week or two weeks. We will arrange a guide to help the guests in groups of less than 10 two-wheelers discover destinations. A four-wheeler back-up vehicle that will accompany them will have a mechanic and a driver. Discerning guests, in their eagerness to leave minimum carbon footprint, used to come seeking electric two-wheelers during the past few years,” said Daniel Benster of the firm, which rented out 15 vehicles, mostly from the Enfield stable.
Of late, the demand is for single-day tours, including for off-roading. Tourists, especially foreign nationals, consider motorbiking in India an exciting proposition. However, obtaining licence from the MVD was often tricky and the firm’s licence application was pending, added Mr. Benster.
Deputy Transport Commissioner Shaji Madhavan said rent-a-bike firms must apply for licence from the Transport Commissioner’s office, following which an inspection would be done to ensure that there were minimum number of vehicles, fitted with GPS, and that the firm had computer and internet connection. Based on that, the State Transport Authority would recommend the issuance of licence. The possibility of licence being given to chauffeur-driven bikes had to be studied, he said.
