In what is turning into a big season for Uber launches, the ride hailing giant has announced another new service: a boat-hiring service on Kashmir’s Lake Dal.
What is a shikara ride?
Uber Shikara gives tourists the chance to pre-book rides in shikara – a type of wooden vessel powered by paddle, traditional in Srinagar, in Jammu and Kashmir. Visitors can reserve their lake outings through the Uber app. The limited-period product will “help tourists pre-book their Shikara rides through the Uber app in advance so that they are all set to enjoy the scenic beauty of Dal Lake in Srinagar during the upcoming busy holiday season,” Uber said in a press release.
With a capacity of up to four passengers, the Uber Skikara rides last one hour and must be taken between 9 am and 5:30 pm. They can be reserved as early as two weeks prior to a forthcoming trip, or as late as just 12 hours ahead.
Not Uber’s first time in the water
It’s not the first time Uber has ventured into the water. Summer 2024 saw the firm expand its European boat-based services, with Uber Yacht in Ibiza, daily Limo Boat rides in Venice, Uber Boat in Greece, and Uber Cruise at the Paris Olympics. At the time, gondoliers in Venice protested that the Limo Boat service would create “impossible” crowding on the lagoon city’s waterways.
It appears that, as a result, Uber might have learned a lesson in how to keep locals on board with their developing offer. The US multinational has said the whole fee will go to Shikara “drivers” as part of an “initiative to promote tourism in the picturesque region.” According to the Uber newsroom, the “entire amount will go to the Shikara drivers, creating additional economic opportunities for the grassroot tourism workers.”
Locals divided
Nevertheless, local boat operators are “divided”, Reuters has reported, with some, such as Wali Mohammad Bhatt, president of the Shikara Owners Association, claiming Uber “will boost our business. There will be fixed rates, no cheating, and no scope for bargaining.” Others say the increase in bookings will be negligible as they have their own “customer base.”
As industry analysts note a wider trend towards “experience” in the travel and tourism sector, firms such as Uber and Airbnb have both been branching into the segment. Uber has previously proposed safari trips in South Africa for example, while Airbnb has also incurred the wrath of locals in Rome, after launching its Colosseum experience, which residents of the Italian capital said “Disney-fied” their ancient city. Champagne tours in France and hot air balloon rides in Türkiye give a further taste of the offerings “beyond accommodation” that the bookings platform has signalled are still to come.
