Saakshi Gulati: travel blogger setting trends in sustainable travel

Delving in the brighter side of social media is a community of like-minded individuals exchanging great inspirations across gourmet, art, travel and more. Seatback Upright is one travel page offering travel enthusiasts more than just great reviews. Dr Saakshi Gulati is a dentist, wife to a banker and a mother; however, what we want to celebrate here is her ever-growing appetite and enthusiasm for travel and not just that, but taking up journeys that are rewarding for the community and the environment, in addition gratifying for the self. We were delighted to interview Saakshi and learn of her broad experience as a traveller, to discover her commitment to sustainability and how she believes that travel can inspire each individual to be more responsible and give back to the environment. This seasoned traveller thrives on a driven personal vision of promoting eco and community tourism, and the heartiness to empower women to take trips with their children is an inspiring initiative of Saakshi. She tells us that she has taken more than forty trips with mothers and kids, and each trip offered women their individual epiphanies, reviving personal vigour and aspirations. Mosaic brings you an unfiltered conversation with Saakshi on sustainability and her green-local travel ethos.

Q 1. Saakshi, the bio on your social media page tells us you are a Dentist, we would like to know what inspired you to become a travel blogger and how your journey began.
Travel happened very late in my life. It was when I had to go to Kerala for my Master’s degree that the splendour and beauty of the state took me by surprise. It is such a beautiful place, and at that point, I realized our country has so much to offer. In the following years, juggling between work and studies, I discovered immense happiness in me, every time I travelled. Later, my friends noticed my enthusiasm and encouraged me to travel and share my experiences with people on Instagram. That’s where it all started, and there has been no turning back.

Q 2. What is the acceptance of sustainability by the various stakeholders in the travel and tourism sector? Are you happy to see where it is headed?
I would say I like where it is heading, though I wouldn’t deny there is still a long road to cover. There is so much more that the hotels can contribute towards the environment regarding proper recycling of waste, water management and responsible energy consumption. Eco-tourism, agro-tourism and community-tourism form a considerable part in sustainability. In the last few years, I have noticed that the shift is positive, and people are aware of sustainable methods. However, there is huge gap in knowledge and opportunities, also, the entire travel ecosystem needs to participate: the service providers, the travellers and the benefitting local community.

Q 3. Have you noticed any positive impacts on local communities and their environment due to sustainable travel and tourism?
Yes definitely! Firstly, travel and tourism’s rapid growth, especially post-pandemic, has widened the scope of employment opportunities for the local people. Then, the emphasis on preserving local tradition and culture has increased due to awareness on its uniqueness. Travellers today want beyond a luxury resort’s stay and dining; they want to step out and interact with the locals and experience their culture. Hence, I believe the quality of local people’s living and the sense of pride in promoting their heritage has majorly improved. Then there are destinations that use profits to provide for wildlife or nature conservation.

Q 4. How do you incorporate sustainability principles into your travel experiences and digital content?
I try practising it in my travel journeys and sharing it in my blogs. I continually encourage my friends and relatives to visit the local places, explore what these places have to offer, and make the most out of these travels by engaging with the community. Also, travelling doesn’t necessarily imply only travelling abroad. The urge to visit Western countries has increased these days, more so because of social media. But I feel that is a wrong notion; for me, travelling is a very sacred experience, and it should be specific to one’s happiness rather than destination becoming the stronger voice. I feel choosing to travel within your own country, exploring places unknown or experiencing its local festivals, local art or food is equally fulfilling. Hence, this notion associated with travel destinations needs to be changed.
To your question, I would like to share that as I travel twice a month and in terms of travel, I am very cautious about the kind of hotels I choose to stay in. My first preference is to stay in a homestay, promoting local businesses. In places where staying in a hotel is inevitable, I carry my bottles, hand towels, straws, recyclable bags for shopping, etc., to minimize dependency on frequent purchasing of stuff I need. I am keenly aware that the amount of carbon footprint is highest when you take a flight, which is why I do a lot of road trips with my family, which helps to put the carbon footprint in check. This comes from my broad experience as a traveller, with each travel contributing sustainably as well as thriving through cultural experiences.

Q 5. Saakshi, what advice do you have for travellers who want to be more eco-conscious but may not know where to start?
Everyone needs to be environmentally conscious, especially given the times and struggles posed by climate change. One can begin by taking small steps, like avoiding the toiletries provided by the hotels and instead carrying your bag of toiletries. Preferring homestays over hotels, purchasing crafts of local artisans, and finding local places to eat compared to big and fancy restaurants might boost local culture and help us gain an unforgettable experience. For example, I got this opportunity to watch a local dance form in Kerala called ‘Theyyam’, which was so unreal to experience and see through my own eyes. You know, I could only watch it because I was staying in a homestay, and the owner recommended it to me.

Q 6. Seatback_upright, which is your platform, is multifarious and valuable in its content; how do you ensure to use your platform as a travel blogger to raise awareness on sustainable travel practices?
One must be extremely cautious of what one puts out on social media because of its reach. Also, the length of the content being time-constrained, one needs to curate content that is real and stirs a positive change. I consciously write my blogs and posts where I try to incorporate the concept of sustainability, telling people real stories of travel that foster a sustainable environment and the community. My travel content is an attempt to help people understand how they can travel sustainably, making small but cautious decisions – using public transport, preferring railways and road trips over air trips; doing so, they can help reduce the carbon footprint.

Q 7. Can you name any travel destinations, hotels, or community programs that offered you a wow experience with their level of commitment to sustainability?

Yes, there are many places that offer the little extra, if you can value their efforts in preserving natural beauty and promoting environment or community around, then these places should be on your travel lists. Amaryllis in Wayanad is one such boutique home stay that offers scenic views of backwaters of Karapuzha Reservoir and the mighty Western Ghats. Then, Bastar in Chattisgarh offers nature in the form of dense forests, encounters with wild animals, waterfalls and caves. Meghalaya for its misty mountains, floating clouds, immense charm of its wilderness. I have shared such destinations and best they offer in my blog seatbackupright.com