Abta research reveals year-on-year rise in solo travellers

Newly released data from ABTA points to a growing appetite for solo travel, with 16% of travellers saying they went on holiday by themselves in the 12 months to August 2023, compared to 11% of travellers during the previous 12 month period.

This represents a significant increase year-on-year and is also up on 2019 figures, when 13% of travellers said they had holidayed alone in the 12 months to July 2019. 

Almost 1 in 5 (19%) 25-34-year-olds said they had travelled by themselves, the highest of any age group. But the biggest year-on-year increase was among those aged 35-44, where solo traveller numbers more than doubled to 13% in 2023 from just 6% in 2022. 

This increase in solo travellers and how businesses are meeting the demand is one of many topics that will be explored at ABTA’s Adventure Travel Conference on 18 April. As well as getting to grips with solo travel, the conference will take attendees through the many other exciting opportunities in the adventure travel market – one of the fastest growing sectors in the travel industry – and look at how to manage the inevitable risks and challenges.

Graeme Buck, Director of Communications at ABTA, said:

“Our research shows that people are increasingly looking for solo travel experiences, so we’re excited to explore why this style of travel is growing at our Adventure Travel Conference next month.

“As the fast-growing adventure travel sector represents so many business opportunities for our industry, the whole day is designed to ensure attendees have the necessary insight to connect with the adventure traveller so they can confidently deliver unforgettable experiences.”

At the Adventure Travel Conference, moderated by Managing Director of G Adventures, Brian Young, expert speakers from the adventure travel sphere will be delving into the latest innovations in product offerings and marketing strategies, offering best practice examples for developing a sustainable business model. There will also be a dedicated session for travel agents exploring how to best tap into this market and sell the adventure dream to clients.