Why More Women Are Choosing Solo Travel Than Ever Before

The rise of solo travel isn’t just a trend—it’s a shift in how women are choosing to live.

The Solo Travel Boom Is Here

If you’ve spent any time on social media recently, you’ve probably noticed it too.

More women are booking flights alone.

More women are joining group trips without knowing anyone.

More women are deciding that if nobody else can come, they’re going anyway.

And the numbers back it up.

According to ABTA, 16% of travellers took a solo holiday in the year leading up to August 2023, up from 11% the previous year. Even more interestingly, the biggest year-on-year increase came from travellers aged 35–44, where solo travel more than doubled.

Why more women are choosing solo travel comes down to more than just cheap flights or flexible working. Women are prioritising experiences, independence and personal growth in a way we’ve never seen before.

This isn’t just something twenty-somethings are doing anymore.

It’s women rebuilding after divorce.

Women whose children have grown up.

Women focusing on themselves after years of putting everyone else first.

Women realising that waiting for the “perfect time” often means never going at all.

One of the biggest reasons why more women are choosing solo travel is because they’re tired of waiting for everyone else’s schedules to line up.

The WhatsApp Group We All Know Too Well

We’ve all been there.

Someone suggests a girls’ trip.

Twenty people react with excitement.

A WhatsApp group is created.

Three months later, nobody has booked anything. Life gets in the way.

Someone can’t get annual leave.

Someone’s saving for a wedding.

Someone’s partner can’t make those dates.

Before you know it, another year has passed.

Research suggests that the number one reason people choose to travel solo isn’t because they don’t have friends. It’s because they’re tired of waiting.

Life is simply too short to keep postponing the adventures you’ve been dreaming about. Understanding why more women are choosing solo travel also means recognising that the travel industry hasn’t evolved as quickly as the women it serves.

The Travel Industry Hasn’t Kept Up

Here’s something I’ve noticed.

The travel industry often feels like it expects you to fit into one of two categories.

You’re either:

• 22 years old, backpacking Southeast Asia and staying in party hostels.
• Or you’re looking for a traditional coach holiday with sightseeing and early nights.

But what about everyone in between?

What about women in their thirties, forties and fifties who still want adventure?

Women who want to snorkel with turtles.

Watch the sunrise from a volcano.

Dance on the beach.

Explore new cultures.

Laugh until midnight.

Meet incredible people.

Age doesn’t suddenly make those experiences less appealing. If anything, many women finally have the confidence, financial freedom and independence to enjoy them.

Adventure Doesn’t Have an Age Limit

One of the biggest misconceptions is that travel has an age.

It doesn’t.

Adventure isn’t something you grow out of.

Your priorities might change.

Your budget might change.

The way you travel might evolve.

But curiosity doesn’t disappear just because you’ve had another birthday.

The best trips aren’t defined by everyone’s age.

They’re defined by the energy of the people you’re travelling with.

Another reason why more women are choosing solo travel is that travelling solo no longer means travelling alone. More women are joining small group trips where they can meet like-minded travellers while still enjoying the freedom of travelling independently.

Why Community Matters

Travelling solo doesn’t always mean travelling alone. For many women, joining a small group of like-minded travellers offers the perfect balance. You get the independence of choosing yourself, without worrying about organising everything.

Without waiting for your friends.

Without arriving somewhere completely alone.

Instead, you meet people who share the same mindset. People who value experiences over excuses and ultimately, people who are ready to say yes.

This Is Why I Created Sol & Solstice

Sol & Solstice wasn’t created because the world needed another travel company.

It was created because I kept seeing women who felt like they didn’t fit anywhere.

Too old for the backpacking scene.

Too adventurous for traditional tours.

Too busy waiting for everyone else’s calendars to line up.

I wanted to build something different.

A community where the focus isn’t your age.

It’s your attitude.

Where adventure, connection and meaningful experiences come first.

Because I don’t believe women stop wanting adventure as they get older.

I think they’re simply waiting for someone to create trips that finally feel like they were designed with them in mind.

The Future of Women’s Travel

The way women travel is changing.

We’re choosing experiences over possessions.

Community over convenience.

Memories over “maybe one day.”

And perhaps the biggest shift of all?

We’re no longer waiting for permission.

We’re booking the flight.

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Ready to Stop Waiting?

If you’ve been putting off that trip because you’re waiting for the right person, the right time or the right moment, consider this your reminder:

The right time doesn’t arrive.

You decide it’s now.

Whether you join one of our group adventures or finally book that solo trip you’ve been dreaming about, one thing is certain:

The world isn’t waiting.

And neither should you.

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