Looking at the year ahead, the indications are that solo female travel will be one of the standout travel trends. According to figures from Condor Ferries, 54% of British female travellers are more likely to take trips alone than they were five years ago, while a recent trends report from Virtuoso highlighted that females now make up 71% of solo travellers.
What we’re beginning to see is a growing confidence to travel solo, and this is backed up by the data. Searches for the term ‘solo female travel’ have increased by 800% post-Covid. So, what are the reasons for this growing trend?
Why is solo female travel on the rise?
The convenience of being able to travel whenever, without waiting on others, is one of the main reasons to travel solo. No waiting on travel buddies to get ready in the morning, to decide where they want to eat for dinner, or even to find free time that works for everyone.
Next is decision-making. From choosing the destination and accommodation to deciding what activities to take part in, solo travellers can make all the decisions without the input of others. This provides the ultimate freedom to craft the perfect holiday; data from the Solo Female Travel Trends Survey shows that 87% choose to go solo for freedom and flexibility.
Building a community
It may seem counterintuitive to label solo travel as communal, but women are coming together and sharing their holiday experiences online and offline. In fact, 26% of women, says research by Road Scholar, travel solo because it’s easier to make new friends.
Online communities are also places for sharing tips, tricks and acting as a support base. For example, the Solo Female Traveller Network group on Facebook has more than 556k members and is known to host meet-up tours, as well as helping newer members learn more about solo travel.
Looking again at the latest Solo Female Travel Trends Survey, 76% of those who have never travelled solo before would be more likely to do so on a group tour, while 40% would prefer a women-only tour. With travel companies such as Intrepid expanding their range of women’s expeditions, the choice is increasing. Women can safely travel to destinations like Morocco, Turkey and Nepal within small, female-only groups that are led by a female local travel expert.
Women-only accommodation is also an option, creating spaces where people can feel safe when travelling alone. Japan takes it one step further, offering female-only train carriages.
Work still to be done
While the points above may paint a positive picture, there are still concerns holding people back. Safety remains a major issue with 76% of female travellers saying they would feel unsafe on holiday by themselves, according to Condor Ferries.
Group tours and itineraries can help combat this, but sadly the vulnerability of being a woman travelling alone remains prevalent. It’s no surprise that the most popular destinations for travelling solo are cities such as Lisbon, with high scores for perceived security (scoring 97.5 out of 100, according to Mabrian’s Perception of Security Index).
Another obstacle is higher charges. Some operators have single supplement fees, but there are ways to cut the costs as a solo traveller, such as staying in hostels or hotels with single rooms.
Opportunities for travel companies
Put simply, this year solo female travel represents one of the biggest opportunities for travel operators and agents. Where possible, operators can help to lower the barriers that discourage some from going it alone by focusing on women-only travel and implementing experiences such as female-only tours and accommodation. Over the past few years, travel companies dedicated to women-only customers have increased by 230%, according to Condor Ferries – proving the demand is there.
Solo-dedicated operators such as Just You also continue to innovate with a variety of solo holiday types, such as wildlife-themed getaways, walking tours and a ‘relax and discover’ range, featuring slower-paced holidays.
It’s wonderful that female solo travel is becoming increasingly popular and many travel companies are helping to facilitate this by focusing on women-specific holidays. Creating spaces and opportunities where women feel safe to travel and enjoy holidays alone is extremely important. While there are still barriers in place, having communities to offer tips and advice can go a long way in encouraging more to travel solo in 2025 and beyond.
