Sisters are definitely doing it for themselves, by themselves, as proven by data showing that 14% of the female travel market is made up of solo female travellers.
This is according to a report released JUL24 by data company Mabrian that consolidated travel information for all of 2023, plus trends based on booked flights between JUN24 and SEP24, “Women who travel alone reflect a cultural change that emerged before the pandemic and gained momentum with the rise of experiential travel, in which active well-being is at the heart of preferences,” said Carlos Centra, from Mabrian.
While the study mainly captured the habits of women travelling solo from Germany, the U.K., France, the U.S., and Italy, the market for solo female travel is growing worldwide, including in Canada.
Carolyn Ray is the CEO and editor at Journeywoman.com, a Canadian travel site that provides advice and information for women aged 50+ who prefer to travel solo.
“Since JourneyWoman was founded in 1994, we’ve seen solo travel for women evolve from being a niche to a mainstream trend.” says Ray. “I think attitudes about solo travel have shifted as well, and there’s an understanding that solo travel for women is about self-empowerment and independence.”
Why are they travelling alone?
“For self-discovery, learning and curiosity, not because they’re sad or lonely. Many studies, including our own research, show that married women travel on their own too — it’s the best way to learn what you’re made of when you travel independently.” says Ray.
Is there a real difference between Americans and Canadians in this travel category? A recent survey by Journeywoman reveals that there is.
“Compared to Americans, Canadians travel for longer periods of time, leading in the two month-plus category, with 81% planning to travel more than two weeks per year in 2023. This is partly a cost-reduction strategy that includes slow travel (staying in one place), off-season travel (spring, winter and fall) and seeking less-travelled places and not following the crowd.” says Ray.
The habits of the solo female traveller could help to counteract the overtourism problem that is rampant in Europe, and other parts of the world; decisions driven partly by their desire to be cost efficient.
“In our survey, 48% of women ranked off-season travel as their primary way to save money, followed by looking for deals and discounts and longer stays.”
According to the Mabrian study, and backed up by the research conducted by Journeywoman, safety is crucial when solo female travellers are choosing a destination. Urban destinations are the most popular with this segment.
“In 2021, we conducted a global Solo Travel Women’s Safety Survey, that showed that 88% of women had been threatened or felt unsafe while travelling. Today, safety includes mobility and accessibility, transportation, health, and hygiene,” confirms Ray.
While current data shows that three out of four female solo travellers stick to destinations within their own countries, this could change as more tour companies and travel advisors cater to this market's unique demands.
Spanish, Italian, and Japanese women are leading the way, and they are the most likely to travel internationally.
Soeur, sister, senorita, no matter how you say it or where you come from, the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (or skirts) is more fact than fiction in 2024.
*Full disclosure: Kathy Buckworth is on the writing team for Journeywoman.com
