I was born in a still developing country, India in the year 1975. While growing up I was amazed with the beauty of my country, its history and culture. It always fascinated me to see magnificent remains of historical places. As a child, I always used to wonder about the old era of king and queens, the colonisation period and their lifestyle. I knew my country has a magnificent past and it was evident in its tourist spots. Whenever I go to any famous site, I get an unexplained joyful feeling that refreshes me of all of the stress of today’s busy world.
In the 90s, to know about the art and architecture of a particular place demanded sitting patiently for long hours in a silent library, browsing through hundredths of books. After the invention of Google, life became so much easier and anything we want to know was now available on web. A few years back, I discovered Google Local Guides. I was surprised to have found a site where we can get answers to all questions we have about a place we want to visit and get first hand experiences which I trust to be very reliable. In addition, I saw this as a perfect opportunity to post pictures, reviews and answer questions on Google Local Guides about my country’s world-renowned places and attract them to my country. Whenever I used to travel abroad, I used to compare reviews on Google Maps to find a suitable hotel and to confirm timings of places I wanted to visit. This is some of the many ways Google Local Guides have influenced my life.
As a CEO of an event management company, I have seen people shortlist a perfect location for their special occasions by using Local guides. This is a platform that has also helped businesses to grow and improve by making them aware of their shortcomings through sharing with them customer’s reviews. I have seen, besides from my own experiences, Google local guides impact on others’ lives too, and it is wonderful.
The following points summarise my thoughts well-
- It helps me to spread knowledge about my country’s beauty and culture.
- Helps to increase tourism.
- Helps to get reliable first-hand experiences.
- It provides me with local knowledge.
- Answers all the doubts I have regarding a place I want to visit.
- Help shortlist locations for occasions.
- Helps improve businesses and many more benefits.
Hence, Google Local Guides to me means a platform where I can spread knowledge about my country to others.