Travel companies bracing for rise in unexpected type of solo traveler

Travelers are ready to ditch their friends and head out by themselves – according to new surveys. 

As per tourism market research firm Future Partners, nearly 40 percent of female travelers expressed interest in embarking on a solo trip in 2025, up eight percent from last year.

The survey noted that men are more likely to travel alone for fun, but there has been an increased demand for women, which hasn’t been seen before.

Travel organizations have reported concentrated female focused travel has catapulted in popularity over the last 12 months.

Of these female travelers, 40 percent admitted they were seeking a ‘sense of belonging,’ with 27 percent craving an ‘expedition.’ Almost half of these women are widowers, divorcees, or separated from their partners, the research found. 

For example, Virtuoso, a lush travel company, reported 71 percent of their solo travel clients are females.

According to data from the Adventure Travel Trade Association, women now make up over half of the bookings with adventure travel companies – and many of those women are above 50-years-old.

Another travel group, Natural Habitat Adventures boosted its capacity by 75 percent over the last year and has plans to double it for 2025. 

The Boulder, Colorado-based company, which began as a small-group nature journeys group called Women in the Wild in 2023, and which now partners with the World Wildlife Fund for conservation-driven tourism, said it has seen particularly strong demand in older women.

‘There’s an emerging space that’s normalizing and encouraging travel for older women, particularly for those whose partners may not be able to travel with them, or for women who have lost a partner,’ said Renata Haas, head of adventure operations for North America told NBC.

Oliver Winter, CEO and founder of a&o Hostels, added that they’ve seen an increase in the demand for female-only dorms in the last 12 months.

‘There has been a remarkable increase in solo travelers since last year across the portfolio. Notably, we’ve seen a significant bump in solo female travelers,’ he noted.

He continued: ‘This trend continues to grow at such a rapid pace that we’ve added a significant additional number of female dorms to our hostels. As the largest hostel chain in Europe, female travelers can stay at our hostels in premier European cities such as Berlin, Venice, Salzberg and more.’

Melissa Krueger, CEO of Classic Vacations, said that women traveling in groups – either as lifelong friends, complete strangers, is on the rise.

‘Marketing to women often revolves around telling us what we need—how we should look, act or consume—but when it comes to women in their 50s, particularly regarding travel, there’s a glaring gap,’ she explained.

Melissa added that as a woman in her 50s, and a mother of three, she often travels alone for business, and finds having the opportunity to explore new places on her terms ‘incredibly liberating.’

Virtuoso, a lush travel company, reported 71 percent of their solo travel clients are females

‘In contrast to the prescriptive marketing women are used to, this stage of life is less about being told what we need and more about embracing our self-expression and autonomy,’ she explained.

‘As the mother of three daughters, I’ve seen first hand how the journey of self-identity is crucial for personal growth, and it’s no different for women in midlife,’ she continued. ‘The rising trend of female-focused travel aligns beautifully with this—helping women build resilience, adaptability and independence. Travel becomes a powerful tool for shaping us into well-rounded individuals and global citizens.’

In 2024, avid traveler Cherlynn Ng, assistant digital editor of Singaporean newspaper The New Paper, penned an article titled Things I (Should Not) Have Done as a Solo Female Traveler, candidly reflecting on her experiences and the lessons learned. 

In her article, Cherlynn details three significant mistakes she made that could have jeopardized her safety, along with the strategies she now uses to protect herself.

She advises solo travelers to share their location with loved ones, avoid walking the streets at night alone, and be open – but sensible – when meeting new people. 

Her experience underscores the importance of exercising caution, trusting her instincts, and setting clear boundaries when interacting with strangers.