Pottery to pickleball: Chennai techies turn to experience booking platforms for weekend recharge

Have you ever wondered how IT professionals in Chennai unwind after a relentless 9-to-5 shift? It is not merely about indulging in new activities out of curiosity; rather, it has become a form of respite, an antidote to the monotony of their work lives. This is where experience booking platforms come in, and why they have been gaining popularity lately.

Experience booking platforms list a wide range of activities, from hand-built pottery to astronomy clubs, allowing users to browse and choose events without any hassle.

“We are seeing an increasing number of customers, who are IT employees, booking art or adventure experiences, such as decoupage, rock climbing, kayaking, and pottery, among others,” says Aashish J., co-founder of Scene Booking, a Chennai-based experience booking startup, who has opened branches in Coimbatore as well as Hyderabad, with co-founder Madhavi Khemka.

“Some say they turn to low-tech activities to cope with the burnout of high-demand tech jobs. Recently, we also added new activities, such as competitive remote control car games,” he adds. The platform has as many as 70 experience and adventure-based activities, details of which are listed in the same.

‘Disconnecting from tech’

George Samuel, an IT employee from Chennai, recently spent a weekend with friends learning to surf at a surf school in Kovalam. Next on his list is pickleball, and he is already browsing experience platforms to see what other activities he might try. While the routine of trying something new remains unchanged, the activities change every weekend. “The goal is to completely disconnect from tech over the weekend and try the newest hobbies in town,” he says. “That way, when Monday comes around, you return recharged to tackle the challenges at work.”

The trend is not limited to a specific demographic — Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z are all exploring new activities. The only difference, says Mr. Aashish, lies in their preferences. “Recently, we set up a pottery session for a large group sponsored by an IT company for its employees,” he says. “A lot of couples in Chennai have been booking experiences like hug pottery and yacht outings through our platform,” he adds. He also notes that since launching the business post-pandemic, several new startups have begun following in their footsteps.

‘Much-needed boost’

Shiney Vinoth, in her late thirties, recently began planning weekend recharge activities to unwind after her Friday evenings at an MNC in Chennai, using experience booking platforms. “Before the pandemic, the IT crowd in Chennai had the usual weekend options. It is not the same now,” she says. “I have tried neon painting and pottery. Many of my colleagues have suddenly turned to art,” adds Ms. Shiney. With the grind of long working hours, creative hobbies that were once overlooked are now providing a much-needed mood boost for IT professionals.

“The main purpose of our experience booking platform is to make these activities accessible for people of all backgrounds, especially activities that were not well-known much, like tufting, but exists in Chennai. We are even trying to make golf pitches accessible to everyone,” shares Mr. Aashish.