Startup Story # 21: Meet the Journalist turned Travel Entrepreneur, Ritu Goyal

December 26, 2016

Travelling. “It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller”-Ibn Battuta

This quote stands to be extremely accurate when you meet Ritu Goyal, founder of Ease India Travel as she narrates countless experiences that came out of her travels. If you have been bit by the wanderlust bug, Goyal’s startup would be your ideal destination. ‘Ease India Travel’ is not just a travel agency, but one that creates a personalised itinerary to offer offbeat experiences that make it even more memorable for the traveller. “We focus on experience travel. I do not do every destination on the planet, and focus on the destination I have been to more than once. As a traveller, my experimentation doesn’t end with one trip. I always want to come back to explore more,” explains Ritu.

So how did a free-lance journalist turn into a travel entrepreneur? It was 2012, when Goyal decided to take a solo trip to Bhutan to break away from the monotony of a hectic lifestyle. It’s no surprise she did this, as Bhutan is known for its beauty. She did not take a tour guide herself, but Bhutan Tours is a great choice for those who don’t know the area well. An incidental meeting with a taxi driver John, introduced her to a different side of Bhutan. Learning about the culture and exploring offbeat avenues made Goyal fall in love with the place. By 2014 and 10 trips later, Goyal on insistence from friends, decided to undertake travelling as a professional pursuit. “I started maintaining a travel blog and a lot of my friends asked me to plan their trips since I had been to Bhutan so many times. It was suggested that I take this up professionally; Collaborating with John in Bhutan, I started ‘Ease India Travel’. More than the monetary gain, I am happy that my clients get a feel of what I have experienced,” says Goyal.

This startup which organises trips to Himachal, Kerala and Bhutan does not operate just as a travel agency as emphasised by the founder. “When I am curating an itinerary for my travellers, I spend time to understand their travel needs. Right from activities they enjoy on their holiday to food preferences and the kind of accommodation they would like. I make sure it is planned in a way that they imbibe the culture through home-stays, as well explore the place themselves,” The itinerary is planned with such meticulous detailing that it even includes receiving a SIM card as soon as you step foot into the destination. Some of the bonus points ‘Ease India Travel’ offer are, their adventurous activities such as treks/hiking, road tripping, camping and a passionate travel guide such as Goyal. She recounts a client’s story with much pride, “A couple who were avid travellers approached me once. They would travel every year on the wife’s birthday, so we planned a special dinner at a five-star hotel in Bhutan and got them dressed in the traditional Bhutanese attire. That day I got a call from the wife saying it was one of her best birthdays and it made her feel extremely special.”

With her personal touch, Goyal works on ensuring your travelogue is filled with memorable experiences, while she helps fuel the the Bhutanese economy. Through her startup, Goyal makes sure the tourism economy is not hampered with, by organising a local guide and transport.

Overcoming one of her biggest challenges- “reaching my target market,” Goyal is extending her destination list and curating themed holidays. “I am planning a Kerala temple tour and I also plan on going international, maybe Mongolia,” she announces excitedly.