Sabu’s Kerala Tour – Inspiration for Wetravel, a smarter way to organize tours

December 03, 2014
Wetravel Story Writer
1 min read

 

Wetravel.to - Fishermen in Kerala
Fishermen in Kerala

 

Strange, I thought. Are these three people at the other table really speaking Swiss German? The year is 2012, I was in Kerala, India, the last place I would expect to hear my native tongue. A while after, Sabu, the guide of the small group introduced himself to me. Little did I know that he would become the inspiration for Wetravel.to.

 

Wetravel.to - Sabu with his parents and his brother
Sabu with his parents and his brother

 

Sabu is originally from Kerala, but has been living in Switzerland for many years. He loves tourism and wanted to meet new people in Switzerland. So, a few months before our encounter, he posted a classified ad on the Internet: “Who wants to come travel to my birthplace in Southern India with me?”

 

Wetravel.to - In the backwaters of Kochin - Kerala
In the backwaters of Kochin - Kerala

 

Three people responded, despite not knowing Sabu at all. He organized a dinner, showing picture about the destination and they agreed to go with him. Sabu showed them his home town, took them to places no other tourists go and guided them through the challenging terrain of South Indian cuisine.

 

Wetravel.to - Traditional South Indian Thali
Traditional South Indian Thali

 

After the tour, all three travelers said that it was the best tour they ever had. Sabu was able to offer a totally personal tour, meeting local people and truly getting to know India through the eyes of a local. At the same time, Sabu was always able to help because he knows German and knows what Swiss people like.

 

Wetravel.to - A farmer in Kerala
A farmer in Kerala

 

They saw beautiful forests, rivers and beaches, all while traveling in a small group of 4 people. The great thing about it was that they ended up paying less money for the whole tour than if they would have traveled by themselves, despite paying for all of Sabu’s expenses. Why? Sabu got them all the local deals.

 

Wetravel.to - Fishermen in Varkala - Kerala
Fishermen in Varkala - Kerala

 

Sabu organized 3 more trips since then and has become an independent tour organizer. However, finding new travelers and managing the trip remained a challenge. This is why we have started Wetravel. We are building a community of travelers and organizers like Sabu. Our platform helps promote independent tours like Sabu’s. We assist marketing by provinding organizers with an easy way to present their trips, we facilitate payment collection from the travelers and help organizers coordinate all the travelers.

Through our platform, we enable people like Sabu to provide better, more authentic tours than traditional tour operators. Because as we all know, traveling is so much better with someone who makes the trip a truly personal experience.