Every year, 5,000 women take part in the annual Solo Female Travel Trends Survey, the largest, most comprehensive and only global research study on solo female travel statistics, trends, preferences and behaviors. On this page, you will find the 2024 results.
Solo female travelers should matter to your business
A 2019 non-gender specific study found that 76% of travelers had gone on a solo trip or were considering going. Among women, the interest is is growing exponentially.
Travel is important and women know that.
Searches for the term “solo female travel” increased 6 fold during the 4 years preceding the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, recovered in 2022, and have, at the beginning of 2024, surpassed the January 2020 peak.
Women make the overwhelming majority of travel bookings; for themselves, for their families, for their parents, for their colleagues and for their friends, and represent 70% of the hotel website visits.
Women are the real travel influencers.
Building trust with women offers the opportunity to connect on a deeper level with the decision maker in travel beyond the solo trip.
A positive experience with a brand as a solo female traveler will open the doors to future bookings as a family, couple, group of friends or even for a business trip.
“Employ more women in executive roles at travel companies so they actually know what it’s like to travel as a woman. Without a seat at the table, decisions are made about us, not with us.”
Respondent, Solo Female Travelers Survey
Women also occupy the majority of jobs in the travel industry, yet they make up only a small percentage of the executive positions.
Male decision-makers in tourism cannot understand or relate to the challenges women traveling solo face, resulting in the segment being neglected and underserved.
In communication campaigns, the travel narrative is mostly focused on couples and families and does not speak to the solo traveler, let alone the solo female traveler.
This presents an enormous opportunity for savvy brands and destinations to get to know us better and to offer products that understand our challenges, needs, and motivations.
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Summary of Solo Female Travel Statistics
Below is a summary of the top-20 statistics from the 2024 Solo Female Travel Survey. In the next section you will find the detailed analysis.
1. Travel companions: 72% of solo travelers have also traveled with others in the last 12 months; solo travel isn’t a lifestyle but a travel style suitable for some trips.
2. Interest in group travel: 13% plan to travel on a women-only trip in 2024, 16% on a mixed-gender group trip. This figure has decreased from 2022 and 2023 results.
3. Why do you travel solo: The main reasons women travel solo are: 1) Freedom and flexibility (87%), 2) Get away from routine and responsibilities (81%), 3) Relax, self-care and enjoy me-time (78%), 4) Challenge themselves (78%). This ranking holds for all age groups and has remained stable since 2020. 53% of women travel solo because they have nobody to go with.
4. Solo female travel worries: Women worry about many things when traveling solo: 1) Personal safety (70%), 2) Higher costs vs splitting costs with a travel companion (65%), 3) Something bad happening (40%), 4) Language barriers (39%), 5) Getting lost or feeling lonely (34% and 32%). 20% worry about dining alone.
5. Barriers to solo travel: Those who have never traveled on their own worry about safety (69%) and about higher costs (65%). 48% do not travel solo because they wouldn’t have someone to share the experience with. 24% would feel guilty leaving loved ones behind and 20% don’t travel solo because their husband or family are against it. 18% didn’t know solo travel was an option for them. 78% would be more likely to book a solo trip if joining a women-only tour, down from 96% in 2022.
6. Experience helps: Safety worries decrease from 78% to 59% for those with more than 10 solo trips vis-a-vis those who have taken less than 5. Even though experience helps, safety remains a universal and unanimous concern for solo female travelers.
7. Dangerous situations: 25% of solo female travelers have feared for their safety in the last 12 months during a solo trip. 1% of the respondents did not manage to keep themselves safe.
8. Safety devices: 24% of respondents carried self-defense items when they traveled in 2023, from guns (predominantly US domestic travel) and knives to key rings or pepper spray, to alarms or whistles. 30% used anti-theft bags on their trips. The older the traveler, the higher their likelihood of using one (Boomers 48% vs. Gen Z 23%).
9. Insurance: On their solo trips in 2023, 52% of respondents bought travel insurance and 47% bought medical insurance.
10. Start with what you know: 17% of respondents recommend one’s own country for a first solo trip.
11. Best international destination for a first solo trip: European countries (56%) are the best destination for a first solo trip. The top countries are UK, Italy, Spain, Thailand, and Portugal. These are the same countries mentioned in the previous year.
12. Most trustworthy recommendations: Women traveling solo trust the advice of solo female travel Facebook groups (82%), more than they trust their friends and family (72%), Online review sites (67%), and Travel blogs (62%).
13. Most untrustworthy recommendations: TV and Online ads (52%), Influencers (28%), Online and print magazines (21%), Government travel advisories (17%).
14. Bucket list destinations: The most desired solo destinations are Japan, Iceland, Greece, Australia, Italy and Costa Rica.
15. Favorite city for a solo trip: London, New York, Paris, Barcelona and Rome top the list for a solo trip thanks to the cultural offers, the many things to do, relative safety and ease of getting around, English is widely spoken and people are friendly. Popularity makes it easier to meet people.
16. How do you choose a destination: Women look at a variety of aspects when choosing a destination. Cultural attractions (77%), Beauty of a destination (70%), the Local cuisine (65%), Safety (62%), Access to nature (61%), Good weather (58%), Friendliness of the locals (56%), Value for money (55%) and the Country’s reputation (52%) are top decision factors.
17. Unimportant aspects when choosing a destination: Opportunities for Instagram shots (11%), the way the destination handled COVID (10%) or good shopping opportunities (11%), are not important.
18. Meeting locals: 70% of respondents actively tried to meet locals during their solo trips in 2023 at least once.
19. Local guides: 56% of solo female travelers used the services of a guide during 2023 at least once. Likelihood varies with age from 60% for Boomers to 50% for Gen Z.
20. Purchase decision factors: Price drives the decisions of 61% of women when choosing a travel provider. Beyond price, 32% of women traveling solo care about a travel provider’s eco-friendliness and care for the environment, 30% care about whether a business is locally owned, and 21% values its social responsibility. 15% of women value female-owned businesses. These values are largely unchanged from 2022.
Also on this page: Detailed statistics | Get tailored reports I How to better serve solo female travelers
Detailed Solo Female Travel Survey Results – Analysis and Statistics
In this section, you will find detailed solo female travel statistics, analysis, graphs and insights. You can scroll to the bottom to find details of the methodology and the respondents.
1. Traveling solo is a choice not a lifestyle
Findings / Key Insights
- Only 28% of respondents only traveled solo in 2023, same as in 2022.
- Most solo female travelers combine travel styles and companions depending on the destination and type of trip; family trips, friends trips and solo trips.
For the majority of women, solo travel is just another way to travel.
They may go on some trips by themselves and on others with their friends, partner or family depending on many things such as the kind of trip, the availability of others to travel, etc.
If they want to visit a place and plans do not align with friends or family, women are increasingly simply setting off on their own instead of staying home or postponing their travel plans until they find a travel partner.
Women understand the many benefits that solo travel brings and are not waiting for others to reap them.
This is especially true for Gen X who don’t have children and want to continue traveling despite their social circle has shrunk.
Social media influencers on Instagram and TikTok have greatly contributed to dispelling various travel myths about traveling and solo traveling in particular.
“[The travel industry should] Acknowledge us as a legitimate and important category of traveller like they recognise and cater for business travellers and families”
2. Interest in group travel decreases as Covid-free travel returns
Findings / Key Insights
- 29% of respondents said they were interested in traveling with a group, either mixed or women-only.
- 19% traveled solo on a small group trip in the last 12 months, and 7% joined a small group trip with girlfriends.
- Around 15% are not interested in group travel while 58% could be, but are undecided.
- 76% Women who have never traveled solo before would be more likely to do so on a group tour; 40% would choose a women-only tour, 10% on a mixed gender group and 26% on either.
The pandemic made independent travel much more complicated by requiring the need to stay up to date with border controls and COVID restrictions. Travel professionals and group tour companies helped navigate this reality in 2020 and 2021 by providing up to date, first hand information.
In 2022, group travel has decreased in interest from the pandemic’s peak and this trend continued in 2023, while the number of global travelers continues to increase.
Group travel remains one the best ways for those who have not traveled solo before to overcome their barriers to get started.
3. Women travel solo because they want to
Findings / Key Insights
- 87% of respondents agree that they travel solo because of the flexibility it affords. Millennial and Gen Z agree more than the rest with this (89% and 92% respectively).
- 86% of respondents travel solo to get away from routine and day to day responsibilities. This is particularly true of Millennials and Gen X. Traveling during marked vacation periods such as Christmas to countries that don’t celebrate is an example of solo travel as a means to escape.
- 81% travel on their own to relax. Travel is one of the best ways to spend a vacation, re-energize and recharge, and solo travel gives that extra layer of quietness that does not depend on others.
- 78% of respondents seek to challenge themselves, a key benefit of solo travel. 64% look for self-improvement.
- 67% travel to connect with locals and 64% to meet people. There are differences here by age. Millennials are the least interested in this (66%). Dating when traveling is a topic of conversation in our online community that is closely linked to safety.
“Ask less questions and/or stop feeling sorry about solo travelers “imposed sadness”. We are not sad, we are not lonely, we are not looking for partners, we just want to travel!”
- No partner, no problem! Women are not letting the lack of company stop them from traveling. 53% said they travel solo because they have nobody to travel with.
- 36% travel solo to heal from a major life transition such as divorce, the loss of a loved one, illness, etc.
Women travel solo for a variety of reasons; While many assume that the lack of a travel partner is the main reason pushing women to travel alone, this is far from the truth.
Most solo female travelers do so because it is the easiest, most straightforward way to go on a bucket list trip without a travel partner. They want to challenge and get to know themselves better, grow and gain in confidence and strength.
“I wish society made us feel more comfortable. It’s like we are some black sheep who couldn’t get people to go with us so we HAD to go alone instead of choosing to go alone.”
We also see a growing trend for women to seek travel buddies online via Facebook groups exclusively set up for this purpose, or via various travel apps. Groups such as Host a sister have grown to over half a million members since the start of the pandemic.
4. 70% worry about safety when traveling, 25% feared for their safety on a trip, 1% could not keep themselves safe
Findings / Key Insights
- 70% of respondents worry about their safety when traveling solo, up from 64% in the 2023 edition.
- Experience solo traveling reduces the safety concern. 78% of travelers with fewer than 6 solo trips worry about safety vs. 59% of those who have traveled solo more than 10 times.
- Beyond safety, solo female travelers most worry about the higher costs of traveling solo (65%) due to the lack of a travel partner to share costs with. Travel saving hacks and free accommodation options via work exchanges, home swaps and alike are fast growing in popularity.
“Less judgment. I feel like I’m always making up excuses like “I’m visiting or meeting a friend” rather than “I’m exploring this place myself” due to the safety concerns of traveling as a solo woman.”
- Language barriers (39%) which can be alleviated by learning the basics through language apps or the fear of feeling lonely (32%) are some other worries of solo travelers. Going to a restaurant, a bar or a concert alone continues to come up as a worry for solo travelers that gets asked frequently in our online community.
- More safety measures remains the number one request from solo female travelers to the travel industry. 23% of the respondents mentioned this in the unprompted question: “How can the travel industry help solo female travelers?”
- Worries about higher costs are the only concern women traveling solo have that increases with experience, as if more solo travel just makes women more aware of the financial constraint of not having someone to share the costs with.
Fears related to COVID have now practically disappeared and given way to the rest of the structural worries of women traveling solo.
Concerns over safety are unique to the female experience, although they decrease by 10-15% with experience, and have remained stable in importance in the four years since we started conducting this survey.
Women’s safety worries when traveling solo affect the decisions they made with regards to activities and providers they use. “I miss out on the nightlife of my destinations because I’m not comfortable going out after dark on my own.”, says one respondent. This opens a world of opportunities for companies to focus on products that address these concerns.
Although some measures required to improve safety are structural and societal, small changes can be made to improve the overall experiences.
“I stayed in a hostel before where they had a number printed on the wall in your bunk to message incase of any problems through the night. I didn’t need to use it but I thought it was a good idea and it’s nice to know you can easily get hold of someone if you needed to.”
In this year’s edition of the survey, we asked respondents to tell us if they had been in a situation where they feared for their safety in the last 12 months, and if that was the case, whether they had managed to keep themselves safe.
24% of the respondents said they feared for their safety on a solo trip but managed to keep themselves safe, while 1% indicated they had not.
We asked respondents who felt comfortable sharing their experience to let us know what happened; responses ranged from cat calling and street harassment to sexual assault.
5. Small group trips can help women go on their first solo trip
In order to complement our research, we also drew a sample of 1,100 responses from women who have yet to travel solo and we asked them what is stopping them from booking their first solo trip.
Findings / Key Insights
- 61% of women who haven’t traveled on their own yet cite safety as the reason for not doing it, but there are also a range of other barriers stopping them from booking their first solo trip.
- 65% said they can’t afford the higher price, 43% worry about getting lost, 38% mentioned the fear of feeling lonely (up from 33%), or language barriers (35%).
- 46% of women would rather have someone to share the trip with.
- Society’s expectations on women also prevent them from traveling solo; 15% said their partner is against them traveling alone, 21% indicated they would feel guilty leaving their family or husband behind. 7% said their community is against it.
- 78% of women who have never traveled solo would be more likely to do so in a women-only small group trip, down from 96% in 2022. Travel groups are a growing trend helping many women book their first solo trip.
- Between 12% and 18% did not know solo travel was an option for them.
“I actually just wish my family and friends were more supportive. Any resistance I get always comes from someone closer to home.”
Traveling solo as a woman faces a lot of stigma and is subject to the opinions of many.
Some do not know this is a possible travel style, others need permission from those around them, including the society they are a part of.
Many women have been socialised to believe that they need a partner to share life’s most joyful moments with, especially when traveling, and consider solo travel as a failure.
Small travel groups can help women feel safer when traveling solo for the first time, and removes a lot of the uncertainty and barriers. It is also a great way to dip their toes into the world of international travel and a means to gain the confidence they need to then book an independent solo trip.
6. To feel safe, women carry self-defense tools, book local guides and use anti-theft bags
In the 2024 edition of the Solo female travel survey, we included a few new questions around the measures women take to minimise the risks associated with solo travel.
Findings / Key insights
- Around 35% of respondents never purchase medical insurance when traveling solo.
- Women use a variety of strategies and measures to improve their safety. Regulated safety devices such as pepper spray, guns or knives, are carried by just over 7% of the respondents and mostly on domestic travel within the USA. A similar percentage of respondents mentioned items that can be considered legal to carry in most places around the world such as hair spray, keys, personal alarms, or whistles.
- Women are creative when thinking about safety items and have started to use items such as airTags / Tiles to track their wallets, their suitcases and other valuables that may be stolen.
- Hotel safety devices such as door stoppers or locks were also mentioned by 3% of the respondents.
- Boomers are more cautious than younger women when it comes to putting measures in place to minimise any risks that may arise from traveling solo. They use anti-theft bags more often, they buy insurance on more than 50% of their trips and are more likely to carry other safety devices.
There is a booming industry designed to help women feel and be safer at home and abroad. Self-defense tools have proliferated and range from travel pepper sprays that can be clipped to a backpack strap to personal alarms and safety apps with SOS buttons that alert the authorities in case of an emergency.
Female travelers are also growingly concerned of their safety at hotels and rentals, with the subsequent use of door stoppers, alarms and locks.
Anti-theft bags continue to be the best way for travelers to protect their belongings at destinations where pick pocketing remains a concern such as most touristy European cities.
7. The ideal first-time destination is your own country or Europe
Findings / Key Insights
- 16% of solo female travelers recommend their country of origin as the best destination for a first time solo trip. This is because the culture shock is lower (same country, language, similar culture and traditions, etc.), thus reducing a lot of the uncertainty.
- 50% of solo female travelers recommend Europe as the ideal first time solo travel destination for women.
- The top countries for solo female travelers are the UK, Spain, Italy, Thailand, and Portugal, this list remains unchanged from the previous year. In the 2024 edition of the survey we asked respondents to explain why they suggested these countries:
- They are major tourism destinations.
- They offer high levels of safety.
- They have great tourism infrastructure.
- They are affordable (though not all).
- They have friendly locals.
- They are easy to meet others because of the constant stream of solo travelers.
- Women who haven’t traveled solo yet have Italy, Greece, France, UK and Japan on their list for a first solo travel destination. This list also remains unchanged from last year.
Women consider many factors when choosing their first solo travel destination. While unplanned opportunities occur (eg. a planned girls trip ends up being a solo one when the friend cancels), most women decide their first solo trip based on safety and easiness / convenience.
Besides destinations, conversations in our online community also show that women minimise the risks involved in a first solo trip by booking stays at all inclusive resorts, joining groups or going on cruises. Holidays that are particularly interesting for women over 40, over 50 and over 60 are gaining popularity.
8. Friends & Family and SFT online communities are the most trusted sources of advice. Influencers are not trustworthy
Findings / Key Insights
- Solo female travelers trust relatable (with solo travel experience), reliable (honest) and relevant (like them) sources for advice on solo travel. Friends and family, solo female travelers, online review sites and blogs are most trusted.
- Influencers are considered less trustworthy than the brands who hire them. Influencers, Instagrammers, YouTubers and other content creators have very low trust levels with around a third of respondents considering them untrustworthy or very untrustworthy. This is a lower level of trust than enjoyed by travel brands’ social media networks (20%).
- Levels of trust towards Influencers, Instagrammers, YouTubers and other content creators is stable since 2020 at around 22%-23%.
- Government advisories trustworthiness has ben eroding since 2020 and decreased from 60% in 2021 to 50% in 2023.
- Online and TV ads are not trusted by solo female travelers with over 51% of respondents considering them as untrustworthy sources (same as in 2022).
- Boomers are skeptical of online marketing channels but 54% trust travel agents and 64% Government travel advisories.
When planning a solo trip as a woman, getting trustworthy and relevant advice is critical and can make or break a trip, especially when it comes to safety tips and recommendations for things to do or places to stay.
Recommendations from Solo Female Travelers Facebook groups are most trustworthy. In 2021, they overtook Friends and family in all age groups except for Boomers.
Context and relatability matter, and solo female travelers want to hear from other women who travel solo within the safe environment of an online community of like minded individuals.
Facebook groups for women traveling solo have sprouted online catering to various age ranges and ethnicities.
This reinforces the previous finding that safety is a multi-faceted issue and women traveling solo demand reliable, accurate and actionable safety data from a relevant source and the practical tools to keep themselves safe.
“I don’t trust the beautiful Instagram photos or collaboration ads on social media. I would like to trust influencers but they don’t share the true story.”
Recommendations and advice from Influencers are mostly distrusted, especially by Boomers and Gen X. They could remain a source of inspiration and information but their recommendations are taken with a pinch of salt as audiences realise they have a vested interest in promoting a brand / destination disingenuously or without sharing the complete picture.
9. Solo Female Travelers dream of places far away and exotic to their own
Findings / Key Insights
- Top countries on Solo Female Travelers bucket lists include Iceland, Australia, Japan, Italy, Greece. Japan tops the list in 2023 and Australia loses momentum vis-a-vis 2022.
- Each age group has their own top bucket list country: Italy is no.1 for Gen X, Gen Z favors Japan, Boomers are most keen to visit Greece and for Millennials it’s a tie between Greece and Iceland. In previous years, some countries made entries for certain age groups but in 2023, all age groups have the same bucket list of countries with a different country at the top.
- Besides age, the traveler’s nationality determines the bucket list and places that are farther away from home are most desired.
The bucket list destinations remains largely similar year after year with some small variations in the order. Japan and Iceland continue to be the most desired destinations, the latter benefiting from 2024’s showcase as the year to see the Northern Lights and the former from the full opening of its borders to tourism after a long pandemic.
Did you know that we organize tours to all of the top bucket list destinations for women? Join our curated small group trips to Iceland, Amalfi Coast, Venice, Tuscany, Australia or Greece and meet likeminded women with a passion for travel. Register on our waitlist to be the first to know when our new tour to Japan is live.
10. Women traveling solo choose destinations based on their culture, their gastronomy, their beauty and their affordability
Findings / Key Insights
- 77% of women traveling solo find the local culture extremely important or very important when deciding on a trip, followed by 70% who look for a beautiful destination. Both factors are largely unchanged from 2022.
- Safety at the destination or its crime rate comes up again as an important decision factor when choosing a solo travel destination for 62% of respondents, which is a decrease from 2022.
- The local cuisine is a decision factor for 65% of respondents, up from 60% in 2022.
- 52% of respondents said they care about a country’s reputation, its human and social rights track record and the way it treats women. This shows that solo female travelers are aware of social justice issues and will consider whether a destination aligns with their values when deciding where to go.
- 17% of respondents consider COVID restrictions when picking a destination, down from 30% in 2022 and 57% in 2021.
- Availability of small group tours is important for 22% of respondents.
“I wish the travel industry wouldn’t glorify solo travel in certain countries in the name of female empowerment and in the process, make certain places appear more safe than they actually are.”
When choosing a destination, solo female travelers look at several decision factors, from culture to nature, beauty, safety, affordability, food, seasonality, accessibility and friendliness of the locals.
Shopping or IG photo opportunities are not relevant to the vast majority of women when deciding where to go.
The top-5 decision factors remain unchanged from 2022 and 2023 though gastronomy scales positions and safety decreases in importance.
Judy: “Do away with single-person fee supplements. Make it an incentive for companies who advocate and accommodate solo female travelers”
11. Price drives travel decisions
Findings / Key Insights
“I wish it was better advertised on hotel, restaurant, bar sites that it was female-owned.”
- When choosing a travel provider, price is important to 61% of solo female travelers and saving for travel is one of the most discussed topics in our online community. However, that also means 39% said that price was not that important to their decision.
- Beyond price, women really care about a business’ impact on the environment and its eco-friendliness and 32% said that this was important or very important.
- A business’ ownership is a relevant decision factor for solo female travelers and 30% said they find local ownership important.
- Women also care about about a travel provider’s social impact (21%) and whether it participates in projects or contributes to charities that have a positive impact on the society they operate in.
- There are also elements that do not factor into solo female travelers decision and those are whether the brand is recognizable and whether the business has an affinity with them (same religion, same beliefs, same ethnicity).
- We see relevant importance (15%) placed on whether a business is female-owned, and expect this to be a growing trend as more women become aware of the female gap in the travel industry’s senior positions and their ability to have an impact.
Also on this page: Summary of stats I Detailed stats | Get tailored reports I Previous year’s reports
Solo female travel statistics – Wishes and requests
We asked our survey respondents to tell us how the travel industry can do to better support them and the responses were in line with previous surveys in asking for action in the same 4 areas:
- 23% wants the travel industry to help them stay safer when traveling solo.
- 22% wants the travel industry to scrap the single supplements, or the higher cost associated with not having someone to share a trip with. This is a growing concern and complaint from solo travelers.
- 10% would like women-only travel offers / products / services. They want to support female led business, and also feel safer with another woman instead of a man guiding them, driving them, picking them at the airport, etc.
- 5% asks for solo travel to be normalised and de-stigmatised. At the same time, they also want for the travel industry to encourage it more, beyond stereotypes, making it more accessible to women from all walks of life.
“Being more inclusive of different perspectives. A lot of the travel industry in reference to solo female travelers caters to white women, it doesn’t take into account the various experiences of other races. For example, my experience as a black woman is not frequently discussed outside of other black female travelers. I need to know when it is safe, when to be aware of racism, are there signs or local words unique to that country to be aware of? What stigmas or stereotypes are currently present in the country in the way women who look like me are perceived. Add into that intersectionality of being queer and again there are unique things to be aware of and to look out for.”
With solo travel on the rise and women at the forefront of this trend, travel companies who capture this opportunity early, by focusing on the needs and wants of this segment and their pain points, will unlock the next big opportunity in travel.
Improve safety
The topic of safety is a very complex topic but helping women stay safe when they travel starts with providing accurate data on the risks so they can prepare with tools such as our Solo Female Travel Safety Index or our Safety Tips.
It also requires hospitality staff to be trained to better serve women traveling solo and give them adequate advice and support that is tailored to their needs.
Lastly, it requires institutional support.
The travel industry often ignores and hides the real safety concerns of a destination especially for women, putting many in danger; it’s time for the travel industry to be honest and realistic.
“Be more transparent with local customs and attitudes, not just talk everything up and ignore the negatives for women.”
One respondent summed up the opportunity for booking portals and agents well, “Have a list of all the laws that may impact us for a destination ON the booking portal (not links outward), that’s regularly updated/translated by legal staff, or add badges to hotels based on review keywords (like “bad area”, or “difficult to get to from public transport” or “noisy at night”). I’ve heard so many horror stories and seen some really weird things, and keep thinking I should read up and make sure but it’s so hard tracking down all the diff websites. Finding out about the “on the ground” situation about hotels and train stations etc is just as difficult (those reviews sometimes get buried). So it’d be nice if travel agents/booking portals made themselves relevant again by showing they’re looking out for their clients instead of just trying to sell us stuff and then let whatever happen since the money is paid already.”
Single supplements
Single supplements are the bane of solo travelers.
The travel industry’s historical pricing quotes trip offers, rooms and cruise ship cabins on a per person sharing basis and charges solo travelers a single supplement that is often twice the sharing rate.
Have better solo supplements. If you’re going to pay more, just add in something to make you feel you’re not just paying extra for nothing.
We price all our group tours on a per person basis and pair travelers so they don’t have to upgrade to a single room if they don’t want to, and more travel companies should follow suit.
Our single room upgrades are a fraction of the full price and simply account for the cost of the extra room which is the only additional cost of travelers not having a companion to share a room with.
Other complaints include women-only hostel rooms being priced higher than mixed dorms, “limited female only dorms and they’re always more expensive than the mixed dorms”.
Pricing policies of many day tour companies or excursions such as tours and activities having a minimum of 2 people to go ahead, penalise solo travelers.
Same as in 2022, in addition to the general complaint with regards to single supplements, we have also observed an increasing new trend: Respondents asking for solo travel specific offers, that is, a discount for women traveling on their own, since we tend to be more respectful, quieter, cleaner and take up less resources than 2 guests.
De-stigmatise solo travel
It’s time the travel industry normalises solo travel, especially since 76% of travelers have been or are considering going on a solo trip.
Solo travel is not niche, it is mainstream, and travel industry marketing materials need to catch up with this reality and start showing realistic solo travelers as much as they show couples and families. This encourages more solo travelers by making them feel that they don’t need to wait for a travel partner to set off.
To date, most promotion around solo female travel has come from social media influencers and posts of women traveling on their own.
Group travel companies such as Intrepid, Trafalgar or Insight Vacations, now offer tours specifically catered to women traveling solo.
Efforts need to continue in that direction and in showing solo travelers, especially women, in the marketing campaigns of travel companies and destinations, instead of focusing only on couples or families.
“I wish more hostels offered female only rooms, the rooms were actually properly secured, hotels offered pads and tampons along with other necessities, receptions had a list of safe and reliable taxi services (especially in countries with weaker women’s rights), restaurants had more small tables for solo people, pepper spray and other self defence items were available outside airports, public transportation was easier to orient in and most importantly I wish people would destigmatise females traveling solo so that people would stop assuming I’m lost, need a man to accompany me and no one would harass me”
Provide products designed for women who travel solo
Just like products are designed for families and couples, women traveling solo have their own needs and wants as illustrated in our survey results.
The industry needs to better understand what women traveling solo need, and adapt their offer accordingly, rather than making assumptions based on incomplete or incorrect data.
“I’d like to see ‘Great for solo travellers’ as a search option on travel sites in the same way they list short breaks, beach escapes, adventure holidays etc.”
This survey was created to provide the travel industry with specific data to better serve us and should be the basis for defining a solo women traveler specific offer.
This includes offering the wrong product or neglecting the specific needs and worries of women traveling alone by basing them on the needs of women who haven’t traveled solo, on the advice of men, or the needs of families.
“We need more variety of female friendly products and services, from tours that aren’t centred around shopping and spas (because women have a variety of interests!), to backpacks designed for women – not pink ones, but ones built for shorter backs and more hip weight distribution, which is GENERALLY how our bodies are built – we aren’t short men!”
It also includes treating solo travelers, men and women, as “less than” and lower value customers that can be provided a sub-par experience. As one respondent puts it, “More options specifically for solo travelers that aren’t the worst options, i.e. a table in the hallway or next to the kitchen, the worst room, being put in the corner, etc.”.
We are the future, and brands need to start realising that.
Train travel staff to support solo female travelers
Our group members often report hospitality staff commenting on the fact that they are alone with “Is it just you?”, “Don’t you have friends?” or “Where is your husband”, observations that perpetuate the notion that a solo traveler is incomplete and that travel is an activity done in pairs or as a group.
“Train hospitality staff, especially male staff, to be more aware of the dangers solo female travellers face, and be able to pick up on cues that some situations might need intervention.”
Besides the stereotyping and uncomfortable situations, this neglects the implications of such comments on the safety or needs of solo female travelers.
Instead, travel businesses should train staff to be more conscious of solo female travelers needs. For example:
- Avoid language or behavior that could unintentionally make women travelers uncomfortable.
- How to spot solo female travelers in distress and offer sensitive help.
- Take note of details that could put female travelers in danger such as announcing their room number out loud at check in or at the breakfast room.
- Assigning rooms that are safer, such as those without direct window access to the street, far away from emergency exits or on ground floors.
- Provide solo women travelers specific advice such as safe / unsafe areas, the hotel’s telephone number in case of emergency, recommendations for getting around, common local scams or safety tips.
- Know how to deal with sensitive situations such as what to do if a guest reports an incident.
Who participated in the Solo Female Travel Survey
Respondents were split between women who had traveled solo (approximately 4,000 responses) and those who had not traveled solo yet (approximately 1,100 responses), and each were asked to fill a unique list of questions, with the objective to:
- Provide the travel industry with accurate, updated and detailed solo travel insights, specifically of the needs, preferences, behaviors and challenges of solo female travelers;
- Shed more light into the attitudes of solo female travelers across the world, globally and by region, age group and experience solo traveling, towards marketing efforts, travel providers and destinations.
- Understand the travel preferences of solo female travelers and help the travel industry make data-based decisions on product launches, product details and pricing with solo travel statistics and facts.
Below is a summary of the key socio-economic and demographic variables of the respondents who had already traveled solo before.
How We Can Help You: Our Services
Are you looking to better tailor your offer to Solo Female Travelers? Do you want to better understand this segment to adapt your offer? Are you a hospitality leader who wants to train their team to be more aware of the needs and challenges of women who travel solo?
Reach out to us to discuss how we can help you with in-depth data or with our in-depth expertise.
1 Request a bespoke report
Have a query that our published statistics didn’t cover? Would you like a tailored report looking at a specific solo female traveler segment?
Contact us to request a bespoke report, cutting / segmenting the data in a way that makes a difference to you.
2 Learn how to serve solo female travelers
We provide consultancy services on how your business can better serve / cater to Solo Female Travelers, based on our annual survey insights and our 20+ years of experience as solo travelers and as leaders in the community.
Learn how to adapt and enhance your product to perfectly suit the type of solo female traveler you want to target.
3 Staff training for Female Travelers
We provide corporate and staff training to equip your employees with the knowledge and skills to properly serve Solo Female Travelers.
We offer a range of learning options and can help you adapt your guest welcome processes or your concierge service.
Previous year’s reports
Read the 2021 Solo Female Travel Survey results here, the 2022 report here and the 2023 report here.
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Solo Female Travel Trends is a publication of Solo Female Travelers. Reproduction of this page / report without express permission is not allowed, except in the case of brief quotation. To quote or reference the survey results, it must be accompanied by a link back to this page as the original source.
This article contains information about Solo Female Travel. The information is not advice, and should not be treated as such. There are no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the information provided. We do not represent, warrant, undertake or guarantee that the use of guidance in the report will lead to any particular outcome or result. The authors do not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption due to use (or misuse) of information, conclusions and insights.