In the age of the Internet, where everything is just a Google keyword away, one would think that planning a holiday would be a very simple task, especially with a plethora of websites advertising and showcasing holiday packages across the planet. However, as one of the partners of >Polama.com contends, “There was no website that could offer a single place for people looking for travel packages to compare rates and select the one that suits them the best. It was a time consuming process.”
Dilip Panicker and his friend and classmate from IIT Madras, M.D. Ramaswami launched the website in mid-2010. “Being avid travel fans, we decided to create a website that would offer a comparative analysis of holiday choices from several holiday providers such as MakeMyTrip, Yatra, SOTC etc. The website started with domestic holiday packages, but now offers international packages as well.”
Panicker explains, “Based on the budget, number of days, affiliates, user interests and specific destinations, it provides an advanced search option that helps people zero in on the holiday package of their liking.” M.D. Ramaswami, the co-founder says, “We wanted to give an engine that would reduce the time needed to select and finalise travel plans. We do not sell any packages, the site just helps users find their perfect package.”
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“It is a very small venture currently. The concepts of holidays are changing. People are planning more extensive holidays to get away from the hassles of a stressful job. They want to experiment and try out new things. It is resulting in many changes in the travel industry,” says Panicker.
The duo also has their fulltime jobs. While Ramaswami is the founder and managing director of Celtycs Management Services, Dilip, apart from managing companies is also technical consultant to the European Economics community.
The duo has travelled across the world, but have enjoyed their annual treks to the Himalayas the most. “It has been a regular feature in our calendar. We used to undertake many trips to the Himalayas every year. It has always offered something new and provided the best experiences. During the last trip, I came face-to-face with a snow leopard in a remote village near Ladakh. It hunted a calf of one of the herdsman's goats.”
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Another trip Ramaswami remembers is a trek in Arunachal Pradesh that he undertook some years ago. “We used to pass through many small hamlets, where we would be asked to participate in a feast consisting of food and lot of rice wine. So, you would trek through the toughest jungles in the country, tipsy.”
This column features those who veer off the beaten track.