From Travel Pulse (J. Christoff) about the rise of the solo female traveler:
“It has been said that 2018 is the “year of the woman.” While that may be debatable from a political standpoint, from a travel perspective, it’s definitely becoming a trend.
More and more women are traveling globally and they are doing so on their own. A new Global Solo Travel Study conducted by British Airways found that nearly 50 percent of women globally have taken a holiday by themselves, with 75 percent of women planning a solo trip in the next few years.
When American women are singled out, close to half of the women who took solo trips were between the ages of 18-25 when they took their first solo trip. That is the highest percentage among the age groups surveyed and shows that younger women feel freer to take a getaway on their own.
Research also shows that when women travel alone, they like it, with more than half have taken more than one solo trip.
When it comes to where they want to go, American solo female travelers overwhelmingly prefer the U.S. and Europe. Fifty-eight percent said that they had taken a solo trip in the States and 52 percent said that they traveled to Europe alone.
What drives these women to head out on the road solo? Independence is key. Fifty-six percent of women said they like having a room to themselves, and 45 percent liked being the one to choose where to stay and where to eat.
Many women, 33 percent, are traveling alone to get over a break-up with a significant other.
One of the more difficult aspects for solo travelers is extra expenses but as the solo travel trend grows, more and more tour operators and cruise lines, which typically book rooms and cabins based on double occupancy, are catering to solo travelers by waving single supplements on trips.”
I often see solo female travelers when I am traveling. But I am hesitant to ask them to join me for meals or excursions. I certainly do not want to make them feel uncomfortable or obligated.
But when Mr. Mike and I travel, it seems we are able to have people join us for meals or drinks. We often sit down at tables where solos are stationed. On our trip to Laos a few years back, we encountered a solo woman traveler, and asked her to join us for dinner, which she did. We had an enjoyable dinner, great conversation, and shared many travel stories. We hope it helped break the “monotony” of her solo travel.
Now that I am older, I hope the female travelers will find joining us (me) a little less intimidating. When I was on the Trans Siberian Railway a few years ago, it was quite easy. I think we were all resigned to a long journey, and welcomed some conversation to help pass the time. Even the Russian girls were friendly, wanting to practice their English with me!
But the message should be, for you lady travelers: just go, don’t be afraid of going solo. It is a life changing experience, you make your own schedule, and will see the world a little differently than couples travel.
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