Solo Traveler Shares New Research on Solo Female Travel
Data and crowdsourced explanations - plus a bit of fun!
Feb 13, 2018, 08:21 ET
TORONTO, Feb. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Women dominate solo travel in a 63/36 split. The Solo Travel Society on Facebook has over 225,000 fans and 63% of them are women. A Booking.com survey found that 65% of US women are taking vacations without their partners. This is consistent with the travel experiences of Janice Waugh, publisher of Solo Traveler. "I see women traveling solo far more often than men," she said. "In one case, I was on a train in India and, randomly, there were four female solo travelers in one row: a Brit, a Canadian, and two Americans."
Why do women travel solo more than men?
Posing this question to the members of the Solo Travel Society resulted in a variety of answers:
- There are more times in a woman's life when responsibilities are restrictive. Solo travel offers a break.
- Women are more adventurous than men.
- Women are more comfortable being on their own.
Mintel's Single Lifestyles UK 2017 Report might also give us a hint about why more women travel solo. It reports that "61% of single women say they are happy with their relationship status, compared to only 49% of single men." It may be as simple as the fact that women are more content on their own but it seems that "a break" is a big issue as well.
What do women want from solo travel?
Digging deeper with a second poll, we asked just the female members of the Solo Travel Society: What is your primary reason for traveling solo? The conversation was lively and long with over 250 people responding in more than 300 comments. 46% said freedom, independence and the chance to do what they want when they want is important to them. 22% said they weren't willing to wait around for others and 15% said they travel solo to challenge themselves and gain confidence.
"Essentially solo travelers want a break from accommodating other people's needs. But they get more. Solo travel, being responsible for every aspect of your travels, delivers a confidence boost that can't be experienced any other way." Solo Traveler, the definitive source and community for those who travel alone, has a section of the site specifically for women. At Solo Female Travel, Advice from Women Who Know, there is information for first-time solo travelers as well as those who have hit the road alone many times.
Finally, a bit of humor from the discussion on the Solo Travel Society on Facebook. From a man:
- "I'm not sure why there are more women than men. But as a single guy traveler, I'm not complaining at all!"
Solo Traveler is a website and community where people who share a passion or desire for traveling alone go for tips, advice, and encouragement. Founded in 2009, it currently enjoys a monthly readership of over 125,000 and a Facebook community called the Solo Travel Society with more than 225,000 avid travelers. New content is published three days per week offering recommendations for solo-friendly destinations, tips on how to travel solo and do it safely, musings on what it means to travel solo, and how to save money while traveling alone. The three pillars of the site's mission are inspiration, information, and advocacy.
Media contact:
Janice Waugh
[email protected]
Related Links
Solo Travel Statistics and Data : 2017-2018
Solo Female Travel Advice from Women Who Know
SOURCE Solo Traveler