Solo travel with impact: women choose their own path

According to a report by Condé Nast Traveler, the number of female solo travellers worldwide has increased by 45 per cent over the past five years. Platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com also signal a marked increase in searches for solo accommodation by women. The trend is clear: more and more women are choosing to travel alone, not out of necessity, but out of their own choice and conviction.

Solo travel has quickly grown from an exception to a powerful statement of freedom, self-determination and personal growth. It is travelling on its own terms, with room for reflection, adventure and connection.

Whereas solo travel used to be mostly associated with backpacking twentysomethings, we now see a broader group of women consciously going out into the world alone. From young professionals consciously choosing independence to women over 50 who are redefining their lives after a divorce or career switch. This development is not a passing trend, but a fundamental shift in how we experience travel.

Behind the rise of solo travel is a broader social movement. Women are more often choosing experiences that detach them from expectations, routines and roles. Travelling alone means literally and figuratively being at the wheel themselves. Not depending on a partner or group of friends, but making space for their own desires.

Several studies show that women travel primarily for freedom, self-care and personal growth. This motivation transcends age and background. What unites these travellers is the desire to connect with the world in a way and at a pace that suits them.

At the same time, this form of travel is not necessarily solitary. Travelling alone does not mean being alone. It is about the freedom to choose when to connect and when to seek silence. It is precisely this freedom that makes solo travel a valuable experience.

Although solo travel is gaining in popularity, safety remains an important factor. Destinations known for their hospitality and stability are more often chosen by women. Ireland, Sweden, Japan and Canada, for instance, score high on lists of safe countries for solo travellers.

The travel industry is increasingly responding to this. Female-focused tour operators, small-scale 'women only' group tours and accommodations that actively welcome solo travellers are lowering the threshold. Not from protection, but from recognition. Transparency, clear information and an atmosphere of trust make all the difference.

For many women, self-confidence grows with every trip. Making your own choices, dealing with unexpected situations and navigating through unfamiliar territory contribute to a sense of autonomy. Travelling alone is not only a way to explore the world, but also to get to know yourself better.

For many women, solo travel is more than a holiday. It is a moment of reorientation. Away from expectations and routines, it creates space for reflection, inspiration and new perspectives.

Change often happens not in grand experiences, but rather in the unexpected: getting lost in an unfamiliar city, joining a local diner, a spontaneous conversation at a train station. For some, the value is in rest and contemplation, for example during a retreat or pilgrimage route. For others in adventure, such as a trek or trip to a destination outside one's comfort zone.

Travelling alone is breaking free from the familiar and making space for who you really are. It is not escaping, but taking your place.

Autonomy and connection are not mutually exclusive. Many solo travellers seek to connect with others, but on their own terms. That balance between being alone and experiencing together is important for many women.

New travel formats respond to this. Small-scale group tours for solo travellers, female communities and platforms where you can meet like-minded people create opportunities for connection without obligation. The freedom to connect, but also to stay at a distance, is key.

This gives the social aspect of solo travel greater depth. Not fleeting contacts, but conscious encounters, often with lasting impact.

The rise of female solo travellers is also changing the tourism landscape. Hospitality needs to become more inclusive: not just focused on couples or families, but also on the individual traveller. That means attention to safety, but also to social accessibility. A solo traveller wants to feel welcome in a restaurant, on an excursion or in accommodation, without feeling like she doesn't fit in.

For destinations and travel companies, this requires a different approach. Not standardising, but offering flexibility. No formats, but room for personalisation. And above all: a tone of respect. Travelling alone is not a second choice, but a powerful and conscious choice.

In spring 2024, I travelled by myself to the remote island of Socotra, part of Yemen, with a group of like-minded women. Adventurous, intense, but at the same time safe and inspiring. What stood out was the atmosphere of trust and freedom to follow your own path within a shared experience.

Everyone travelled for their own reason, but openness and respect for each other's boundaries made for a close-knit group. We swam in turquoise bays, hiked through otherworldly landscapes and shared stories by the campfire.

It was intense and enlightening. A trip like this shows that adventure, safety and connection can go perfectly well together, especially if women support each other in it.

Solo travel by women has long since ceased to be a niche. It is an ongoing development that touches on broader themes such as emancipation, self-care and cultural openness. It offers space for personal growth as well as for reappraisal of the world around us.

Women who travel alone don't just step into the unknown. They choose their course, set their pace and make space for what matters. Their impact often goes beyond the journey itself.