TRAVEL BLOG 11/03/2019

With International Women’s day behind us and Mothers day looming, it seems an appropriate time to explore the opportunities available for women travelling solo in today’s holiday market.

Why travel?

Travel is incredibly transformative for any gender. Its benefits include reviving faith in oneself and challenging personal strength both mentally and physically. But what happens when work schedules or family commitments don’t match with the holiday plans of friends or loved ones? No longer constrained by money, attitude or opportunity, women now have more freedom than ever to travel. And it’s not just businesswomen who are taking advantage of the situation, aunts, sisters and mothers are joining the solo exodus and realising the benefits travel can bring to their lives.

Between 2015-2017 the travel industry acknowledged this shift. Hostelworld reported a 45% rise in bookings from solo female travellers. Google has reported a 52% increase in online searches for ‘solo female travel’ in the last few years. And TripAdvisor has added to the statistics recently by announcing that globally 74% of women have travelled solo or were planning to go solo.

Why travel alone?

There is an indulgence that accompanies the freedom of travelling alone. Time to sleep, eat, drink and explore at your own pace can be very refreshing, especially in our busy lives which are constantly full of busy people. Unfortunately, there is still a dark side to travelling alone, which for many lone female explorers is the issue of safety. Thankfully help is at hand. Research is vital for any travel plans, and there are now countless dedicated travel sites and female bloggers to offer advice. Go! Girl guidebooks exist with security in mind. They provide the inside scoop for women travelling solo and focus on women’s safety and health in many different countries.

Group holidays for solos!

If you are single and travelling solo makes you uncomfortable, then small group travel could be a solution. Offering comfortable, friendly destinations with core activities, travelling alone but in a group of like-minded people is a great way to enjoy the culture and scenery of a holiday destination. Calming holidays focused on yoga, wellness, culinary courses and art holidays are prevalent themes with many solo female travellers. Mid-range adrenaline fixes come in the form of skiing, cycling or walking tours.

With Women High On Adventure, there is the potential to go one step further. The ultimate challenges such as ascending Mt. Kilimanjaro, tackling Machu Picchu and trekking through the sacred mountains of the Kii Peninsula on the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage are just some of the high adrenaline holidays proposed on their website.

In the current travel industry, there is so much support and so many opportunities for solo female travellers, that women should not be discouraged from venturing out and exploring the globe, even if it is on their own.