Your First Decision to Travel Solo: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
11/11 is Single's Day, highlighting the solo lifestyle that applies to more and more uncoupled people. The decision to travel solo is among the biggest decisions a singleton makes.
This year will mark the first time many people decide to travel solo. They'll be deciding whether they should stay home or go it alone.
Janice Waugh of Solo Travelers explains why more and more people are taking the solo travel plunge:
It’s true that the trend for solo travel has been growing over the past decade. But, with the last year of restricted travel, it seems that people are less inclined to wait for every detail to be aligned. That includes the detail of having a travel partner. Instead, they are deciding to travel solo!
Booking.com's research indicates that “solo travel is likely to gather even greater momentum as people’s desire to travel will nudge them to take the plunge to travel on their own in 2021”. Their “data pre-pandemic saw only 17%* of travelers were planning a trip on their own, while 30% now say they will be planning a solo trip in the future”.
Tour companies say it’s true: They are seeing more people booking solo trips than in the past and there a several reasons why.
Do any of these scenarios describe you?
- The freedom to travel has become more precious. Before the pandemic, it seemed that you could be more patient and wait for the right time to travel. We have learned that this is just not the case. Many people are refusing to wait and making travel plans whether they have to go solo or not.
- We've had too much time with a partner. This is not a criticism of relationships, just a reality for many people. Couples can spend too much time together and with lockdowns and the like, this has happened. A solo trip by one or both parties can reset and refresh a relationship.
- The pandemic has had a financial impact. This has affected people in different ways. In our most recent reader survey some said they have done better during the pandemic and some worse.
- If the pandemic negatively affected your travel friends more than you, they may not be able to take a planned trip, which sends you off solo or not at all.
- If the pandemic hurt your travel fund more than that of your friends, you may still want to travel but not as luxuriously as your friends which, again, takes you on your own course to travel alone.
- On the flip side, you may be after that big ticket trip that others just don't prioritize the same way, which leaves you with the solo travel decision once again.
- We're not willing to put off that big trip any longer. Some solos have been pacing themselves over the past few years, taking trips when the price/destination/friends combination was right. Now, that trip of a lifetime has become a priority and, solo or not, they're going to take it.
- Time alone is more natural than it was. With stay-at-home orders and lockdowns, people have become more comfortable with their own company. Taking their sense of adventure out into the world solo now seems very normal.
- Financial priorities have changed. For some, the plan to travel solo was always in the offing. But that was the problem. It was in the offing. After living through a year when they couldn't spend as much, financial priorities have changed and moved travel – solo travel – higher on the list.
The decision to travel solo is, for some, a big one. For others, it's just the logical step given their personality, circumstances, or desires.
Whether your decision to travel solo is easy or difficult, your trusted travel advisor can help match your solo travel wishes, budget, and desired level of support and company, with trips with low or no singles supplements so you can get the most out of your decision to venture into the world solo.