Why solo travel? Untangling the reasons why women travel alone.
“Solo travel not only pushes you out of your comfort zone, it also pushes you out of the zone of others’ expectations.”
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Ever had the experience where there is something on your mind and suddenly everywhere you look that “something” is there? You know, you buy a new car and see the same model everywhere, you’re pregnant and see nothing but other pregnant moms….it’s crazy! Actually it’s the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon and is completely normal. That's what’s going on for me and solo travel. I started thinking about solo travel and now everywhere I look it's there.
And I’m not alone. Solo travel is on the radar of a lot of women.
Women are significant influencers in the travel industry.
Women make two thirds of all travel decisions.
In 2019, 76% of all travellers had gone on a solo trip or were considering going.
Out of all solo travellers, 84% are women.
The average age of the solo traveller is 47.
Most who travel solo once, go on to repeat the experience.
Solo travel is not an all or nothing phenomenon. Solo travel is simply a travel style or option and 80% of women who travel solo also travel with others. Women may go on one trip by themselves, and then on a different trip with their partner or family.
Sources: www.thewanderingrv.com ; www.solofemaletravelers.club ; www.hospitalitynet.org
But WHY? What’s the appeal of solo travel?
My current conclusion is that there isn’t a common denominator or single reason for wanting to travel solo. Like reasons to travel in general, it appears to be a unique combination of factors. To verify, I asked a couple of people in my life about their solo travel motivations and, along with my own reflections, discovered three very different reasons for solo travel.
Solo Travel Friend #1 - Julie
Julie’s fascination with history and peoples stories takes her across Europe whenever she can, typically on her own. She is passionate about appreciating diversity and started our conversation with a travel story that highlighted how travel allows her to meet people she would not likely interact with at home.
Solo travel - exploring castles in Edinburgh.
For many years, Julie was not able to travel widely as a mom to 2 kids, one with autism, a wife to the love of her life whose health didn’t allow for travel, and, like many, a mortgage, work and unrelenting responsibilities. Solo travel, experienced briefly as a teen, resurfaced after her husband passed away and her children’s care became easier to arrange. Now Julie’s zest to explore the world is a powerful force! She is a happy introvert and an urban backpacker, driven to experience the diversity of cultures and immerse herself in history.
I asked Julie for the ‘why’ behind her choice for solo travel. Without hesitation, she replied that it was the sense of freedom that solo travel brings. When she travels on her own in Europe, she can be herself, untethered by home and work responsibilities in a place that doesn’t constantly remind her of the loss of her husband. She is free to pursue her interests and passions without compromise and soaks up the energy and excitement of new places.
Julie’s next solo adventures are in the works and include the UK for the Queen’s Jubilee with a jump over to Prague and then Mongolia in 2023!
Solo Travel Friend #2 - Helen
Helen first travelled alone as a teenager to visit relatives in the Netherlands in the years following her family’s emigration to Canada. Then, as a young woman in her twenties, she packed a bag and headed west, visiting friends or just showing up in new places. Solo travel started early for Helen and often included seeking the possibility in new places to feel a sense of home.
Later, married, juggling motherhood and a career, Helen continued to be pulled to strike out on her own. In the busy years with young children, she managed weekends away. Then when her daughters became young women themselves, she went farther afield to South East Asia and Europe.
Why? I asked.
Upon reflection, Helen believes that her drive to go solo was a need to look for something ‘out there’ but found, in fact, that whatever she was looking for lived within her. Each trip brought her closer to that realization. “Solo travel is really self care for me” she explained, noting travel is the vehicle to get away from the busyness of everyday life and to make space to access that introspection. Stress and worries seem huge at home but when you are away you experience a sense of geographical vastness that can entirely shift your perspective.
Solo travel - waiting for a cup of mint tea in the Jardin Majorelle, Marrakesh.
Helen loves that ‘everywhere’ is someone else's home. Being immersed in new cultures has uncovered how other places do things differently. Never a better or worse comparison, the differences end up being part of a rich observation on how our lives are part of something much larger.
Certified as a Guided Autobiography instructor, Helen writes a weekly blog on the collective journey of older women at www.agelesspossibilities.org. Her next solo adventure isn’t fully planned yet but she says that ‘home’ is calling once more. In addition to the Netherlands, there is something intriguing about diving further into her family history including some ancestral exploration to figure out her unknown Norse roots.
Solo Travel Friend #3 - Me 😉
I’ve written before that I turned my nose up at the idea of traveling by myself …until now. I used to consider solo travellers as people who were missing out on sharing an experience with a travelling companion. I saw these women as having way more confidence than me, either extroverts happy amidst strangers or introverts who just hadn’t been lucky enough to find a compatible travelling companion. My eyes have been opened.
My initial awakening to the lure of solo travel took the form of a challenge when I hit 50. To be honest it wasn’t that I thought, “I want to travel by myself.” It was more of a, “I wonder if I could do that?” I can be fiercely independent when I choose, yet I also struggle with anxiety and self-confidence. My lifelong habit is to push and challenge myself in order to prove to myself that I can do something. Healthy or not - that’s how I roll.
I explored my curiosity about why so many other women were so into it! The more I read and talked, the more I had a dose of FOMO (fear of missing out). If solo travel was so amazing, why wasn’t I doing it? Is my fascination with the concept really only to boost my own confidence? Is it just so I can belong to the solo travel community? Or is there something more?
Sorry folks, I am still working on that answer! But my first solo journey is definitely satisfying my novelty and growth travel motives even before departure!
What I HAVE discovered is that the transformation to solo traveller begins much earlier than packing your bags. It includes the entire journey from being curious, to committing, to second guessing, and then to actually completing the solo journey. At the time of writing, I haven’t even hit the road and I have battled inner voices of doubt, questioned my long held beliefs about myself and other people, and drawn on my resilience as I plan to soon leave on my solo travel.
Solo travel survey says
Based on the survey results mentioned earlier, women choose to travel solo for the following reasons:
90% for freedom and flexibility
86% to get away from routine and responsibilities
84% to challenge themselves
83% for self-care and me-time
“Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one thing that is going to require the most from you.”
Caroline Myss
Other reasons why to travel solo are captured in a blog by Janice Waugh of solotravelerworld.com. As a solo traveller you:
are free of a companion's ‘baggage’ and free to work on your own
expand your comfort zone.
can prioritize your personal interests and passions.
meet more locals - versus sticking in your travel group bubble
discover who you are when no one's looking
have time to reflect
learn your own strength and resilience
strengthen a positive outlook
experience freedom
feel younger
grow as a person
don’t have to compromise
Another perspective
One more take on things - check out this video of comedian Jen Kirkman. (so funny)
Have you solo traveled?
If yes - WHY?
If no - is there any part of you that is curious?
If not - why not? If yes - what does your heart say?
Let me know in the comments below or send me an email.
