Key Highlights:

👉More than 60K female solo travelers traveled between 2018 and 2019. 

👉Search for ‘solo female travel’ pins on Pinterest has dramatically grown by solid 350% 

👉With more than $15 trillion of purchasing power, women spend more than men on travel. 

👉Women make 80% of all decisions related to travel.

Yes – The Travel Revolution Is Here!

Most people going on international trips currently are women, with the demand for female-led travel groups on the rise. If we look back at the travel landscape even a decade ago, it is obvious that traveling for leisure, particularly for women, was not something mainstream or prevalent in the Indian subcontinent.

Things have changed now.

Today, more and more women are going on solo trips, and that too during some of their most vital phases in life, like healing from something difficult, changing circumstances, transitioning to a new job, and going on a sabbatical, among other reasons.

And not just solo travelers, but female travelers, in general, are not taking no for an answer – from female solo travelers to women who prefer joining female-only travel groups, travel is our new hobby! Moreover, it truly depends on your personal style of travel.

Additionally, traveling alone in India might not always be a safe decision for women, which is why joining groups seems like the more logical idea. You might not be alone, but you will be with women you have never met before – so you won’t necessarily be alone.

At the same time, traveling alone or in groups always creates opportunities for new friendships and social networks.

Amidst all this craze and developments in the travel industry, the question we can’t help but ask is, what led to the rise in female solo travelers across India and the world at large?

Let’s find out – stay tuned!

The Rise Of The Female Solo Traveler: Why Did The Number Of Female Solo Travelers Increase?

For most travel companies, the rise of the female solo traveler has been surprising initially. But with time, these companies have started coming up with women-only departure groups, experiential itineraries, and custom vacations.

Moreover, these companies are choosing to work with midrange hotels, heritage properties, and boutique homestays that offer an immersive stay experience and a family-like atmosphere for travelers.

Additionally, if you look up ‘travel companies for women’ on Google, you will see just how many travel companies are catering to women for safe and solo trips. For instance, Google searches for ‘solo female travel’ have increased 11 times between 2011 and 2024.

There’s this feeling of achievement and pride when women venture out. Also, they get to come across new and unfiltered versions of themselves. Probably, they were never aware of this side, or they were hiding it because of society and its pressure. Plus, nobody will judge you on solo trips.

The exact reason beyond this development can range from traveling on your own to stepping out to places on your bucket list without any immediate company or feeling empowered.

The best thing that you can do is just explore – without any external pressure. With society focusing more on going to offbeat destinations and ‘me-time,’ there is an increase in consumer confidence and pent-up demand.

The good news? The travel industry has been welcoming to this change and Renaissance. These companies are catering to consumer needs and customizing itineraries for solo female travelers.

The truth is that the travel industry is witnessing the rise of female solo travel. Truly, the travel Renaissance is here, and we are pretty excited about it.

So, without wasting time, let’s look at the rise of female solo travel and explore all the possible reasons behind this incredible phenomenon.

1. The Increase In Purchasing Power:

Currently, women control more money than ever before.

According to the BMO Wealth Institute’s 2015 estimation, 51% of personal wealth is under the control of women in the United States. To make matters more interesting, Catalyst predicted that women across the world will be in charge of 40 trillion dollars in consumer expenditure.

Moreover, TripAdvisor reported in 2015 that 74% of women were either planning a solo trip or had already done so – and this was global data.

Additionally, VBT Bicycling & Walking Vacations and Country Walkers estimated in 2016 that female solo travelers made up 58% and 40% of bookings, respectively, with an increase of 5% in the number of female travelers every year.

While the increase in purchasing power is a major reason behind the rise of female solo travelers, the changing social and economic status of women also plays an integral role.

Of course, the rise in women’s purchasing power is a part of the reason behind the changing social and economic status of women. But there’s more to the story than just that!

In the past, women’s access to financial independence, job opportunities, and education was very limited. However, with the growth of the feminist movement in the past decade, women have become more free and autonomous in their daily lives.

This has increased the number of female solo travelers who exercise a sufficient amount of financial independence. As a result, these women possess the means to both travel and explore the world.

As per a recent study by the George Washington University School of Business, the majority of leisure travelers are women. In fact, in 2019, 65% of all leisure travelers were women, with the number increasing in the next few years. Moreover, this has also become obvious in the rise of female solo travelers.

According to Solo Traveler’s survey, 87% of their audience are women. Moreover, the survey also came across an interesting observation – the number of female solo travelers has increased by a solid 88% between 2015 and 2019 alone.

3. The Idea To Become Free And The Rising Demand For ‘Me-Time’:

As per KAYAK’s research, ‘me-time’ is gradually becoming an important factor that is boosting solo travel, specifically amongst women. In fact, in 2023, 38% of Indians said that they like traveling on their own as compared to doing the same in groups.

The reason behind choosing solo travel includes flexibility in terms of planning ideal holidays, freedom to do anything, and greater control over dreams.

The-Idea-To-Become-Free-And-The-Rising-Demand-For-‘Me-Time

To make matters more interesting, exploring the beautiful earth is the main reason behind this travel renaissance, especially amongst Indians. While 62% voted in favor of exploring the world, 61% picked living their dreams, and 55% were more interested in seeking thrills. Additionally, 48% voted for finding themselves, and 43% chose expecting their troubles.

Also, curiosity plays an integral role, considering 60% of respondents called themselves ‘curious travelers,’ with 75% saying they like satisfying their curiosity by exploring destinations that are new and offbeat.

Along with the ‘me-time’ trend, the ‘live and work anywhere’ idea has completely changed how travel enthusiasts look at daily life. As per Airbnb, nearly 30% of international and domestic bookings between 2021 and 2022 were made by Indian solo travelers.

Today, women have so much freedom as compared to the past. In fact, women are more likely to chase their interests and passions, including travel. Also, traveling solo enables women to meet new people, explore new places, and experience new cultures without compromising or even making any concessions for others.

Additionally, solo travel offers plenty of space and opportunities for both personal growth and self-discovery.

The Female Solo Traveler Wants To Explore: But Is It Safe?

Women are truly on a roll with spending, exploring, and traveling so much more than men. But the biggest threat to female solo travelers is safety and security.

As a result, women-only travel communities and clubs offer an environment that supports and protects women. These clubs are specifically important for women who enjoy traveling to potentially dangerous or unfamiliar destinations.

These clubs can actually ensure that you get to travel to your dream destinations without worrying about your safety.

The Female Solo Traveler is Here To Stay!

Statistics and data clearly show that more and more female solo travelers are taking charge and making the most of immersive travel experiences without bothering much about traveling in groups and clubs or opting for solo trips.

Moreover, the travel industry at large has also begun to take notice and interact with this trend by providing more supportive and tailored services for female solo travelers.

Moreover, today, all the resources that you might need for planning a solid trip are available at your fingertips – whether you are looking for a group of like-minded ladies or planning a trip alone.

Additionally, there are apps that exclusively cater to women who love traveling and connecting women to other women with mutual interests.

Always remember, at the end of the day, what matters is how you travel – it is not just about where you travel to but how the whole journey ends up shaping you.

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