The ABTA released their eighth annual Holiday Habits report which analysed the habits of British holidaymakers. One of the key findings was in regards to solo travelling. According to the report there has been an increase in people opting to go travelling alone then ever before but the reasons are not due to not having anyone to go with.
Since 2011 the report claims that the number of britons travelling solo has increased by almost one third. “More people are choosing to take a holiday by themselves because they don’t want to compromise on where they go and what they do,” the report says. If you’re travelling alone you probably fall into two categories: someone who simply doesn’t have a companion or someone who just chooses not to bring anyone along.
Solo travellers today are no longer defined by their relationship status or whether they have travelling friends. Instead they are now choosing to leave their life behind in order to pursue their own dreams, goals and get some much needed ‘me’ time.
The most common reason why people travelled alone was to have the opportunity to choose what they want , 76% said this was the case which rose to 92% for people aged 35-44. This was followed by the chance to “take some time out” (63 per cent) and visit a new destination (37 per cent).
It would seem that choosing to travel solo is an increasingly an endeavour of self-preservation. As Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive said: “Going on holiday by yourself means you don’t have to compromise on your choice of destination, your itinerary or the activities you take part in. Whether they’re single or just want some ’me time’, people now have an incredible choice of holidays and destinations to choose from and it has become so much easier to explore the world.”
The only set back solo travellers suffer from is the cost of travelling alone, it’s much more expensive. Over half of them have had to pay a single person supplement as a result of going solo. The cost of travelling alone on average is an additional £2,049 more per year. Holiday providers are increasingly becoming more aware of the need to cater to solo travellers and offering better deals for them.
Given the current trend of solo travel offering the opportunity for more ‘alone time’, it is perhaps unsurprising that the biggest growth in solo travel was found in the 35-44 bracket where there was a staggering 11 per cent increase from last year (up from 5 per cent in 2017 to 16 per cent in 2018). According to the report Asia is the most popular destination for independent travel with 22% of solo travellers visiting over the last 12 months.