What are the opportunities for solo tourism from Europe?

The market for solo tourism products in Europe is booming. The number of singles is growing, as is the number of people that travel solo by choice. They increasingly tend to visit developing countries, seeking adventures, relaxation, solitude or connection. Self-development and unique experiences are important aspects of solo travel. Personal guided tours are especially popular.

1. Description of the target group

Solo tourism is travel undertaken by a solo person. This person can be either single or in a relationship. They can be travelling alone, but also in a group.

Solo travellers do not travel alone because they have to, but because they want to. They may be inspired by movies like ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’, ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ or ‘Into the Wild’. Solo travel can be in line with a person’s way of life. It can also be a trip someone makes once in a lifetime, at a crossroads in life (divorce, retirement) or to pursue a personal dream (pilgrimage, climbing a mountain).

There are no tourism activities that are strictly limited to solo tourism. In fact, most forms of tourism are suitable for solo travellers. For example golf tourism, religious tourism, rural tourism, cultural tourism and cruises. It is more interesting to look at why people travel solo and which people travel solo.

Reasons for people to travel solo include:

• being in charge of your own schedule
• solitude
• freedom
• meeting new people
• getting a sense of empowerment
• ticking off something on their bucket list
• self-reflection and ‘recharging’ for a next episode in life

Health and safety measures

Health and safety are important to European tourists. They often inquire about the safety of their destination. Especially safe driving can be a concern. Tourists want to know the qualifications of their drivers and how/when the equipment is tested. Unclean rooms and a lack of (or faulty) smoke detectors are an annoyance at the destination. This might result in bad reviews after the holiday.

Safety concerns are among the most important barriers to solo travel, so you will need to be clear about the safety situation at your destination. Install safety measures and talk about them on your website. You can dedicate a page to ‘safety’.

Political stability

Political stability is an important safety factor for solo tourists from Europe, especially because some developing countries are politically unstable. Most commercial tour operators don’t offer holidays to countries that their Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared unsafe. This has previously led to a drop in tourism arrivals in countries such as Mali, Egypt and Kenya.

Accommodation

Solo tourists often like to meet people during their travels. They prefer accommodation with shared social spaces, for example communal eating, a small bar, a lounge or a communal garden.

The prices of accommodation are generally based on two people. Providers often charge a ‘single supplement’ to solo tourists, of 10% to 100% on top of the standard rate. Solo tourists may consider this unfair and prefer accommodation that makes them feel welcome. With the increasing popularity of solo travel, more and more accommodation providers waive the supplement and/or offer single rooms.

Traveller profile

Some general characteristics of European solo tourists:

• higher socio-economic background
• medium to high income
• strong desire to travel
• considerable interest in culture and food

Solo tourists typically make long journeys (gap-year travellers, backpackers, volunteers) or relatively short trips (for self-development, a course or relaxation). They often travel off-season. The most important barriers are safety concerns and fear of loneliness. Many solo tourists cherish their independence, but they rarely really want to be alone. So even if they like to do their own thing, they still want the opportunity to connect with other travellers or local people at some point during their trip.

Meeting new people is key for many solo tourists. Dating may be a motive for some single travellers, but most solo travel isn’t specifically aimed at romance.

Although solo tourists can be of all ages, they are primarily:

• middle-aged single women
• young men who live in a multi-person household but travel alone

Older generation (50 and above)

The greatest increase in demand occurred among tourists aged 50 and above. This segment consists of more women than men. Many women solo tourists prefer exotic destinations and are looking for cultural experiences. Some are also interested in soft adventure.

Younger solo tourists (18-35)

Young solo tourists enjoy meeting new people on their holidays. Men are overrepresented in this category. According to 101 Singles Holidays, solo-travelling women typically enjoy active and exotic trips like walking holidays and African safaris. Men are more likely to go cycling and sailing.

2. Which European markets offer opportunities for solo tourism?

Solo tourism is on the rise

The market for solo tourism is booming. Tour operators around the globe have witnessed double-digit growth in solo tourism bookings in the past few years. For example, Intrepid Travel reports a 40% increase in solo passengers on group trips over the past five years.

In the same period, the number of Google searches for ‘solo travel’ has more than tripled. With a 593% increase in interest, Pinterest’s Travel Report 2018 lists solo (ad)ventures as a main trend. Mainstream media are catching on too. For example, British newspaper The Telegraph recently launched a channel especially for solo tourists.

A third of European households are single-person households

The number of people who are single by choice at various stages in life is increasing. In 2017, 34% of European households consisted of a single adult without children. This is the most common type of household in Europe and the fastest-growing type since 2006.

The percentage of single-person households is highest in:

• Scandinavia
• the Baltic States
• Germany
• the Netherlands
• Bulgaria
• Austria

Even though many solo tourists are not single, singles are more likely to travel alone. Therefore, this share is a good indication of promising source markets for solo tourism.

For other statistics on European source markets, see our study on European demand for tourism in developing countries.

Popular solo tourism destinations

As stated above, safety is especially important to solo tourists when it comes to selecting a destination. Married solo tourists usually often prefer domestic trips. Single solo tourists are more likely to choose international destinations. Cities and towns are the preferred locations for solo tourists, followed by beaches and mountain areas. According to European tour operators, solo tourists are increasingly looking for adventure.

Solo tourists are often set on their destination, but flexible about what they are going to do there. This offers opportunities for operators to attract tourists on the spot.   

Popular solo tourism destinations in developing countries include:

• Costa Rica
• India
• Laos
• Nepal
• Sri Lanka
• Vietnam

In 2017, Airbnb reported trending solo travel destinations including:

• Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Mexico City in Mexico
• Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam
• Johannesburg in South Africa
• São Paolo in Brazil

3. What trends offer opportunities on the European market for solo tourism?

More people living alone

In Europe, more and more people are living alone. Various developments drive this trend, including:

• the tendency of women to outlive their male partners
• the increasing rate of divorce and separation
• the affordability of living alone by choice
• the gradual shift of populations towards urban centres
• a ‘break’ in people’s lives (sabbatical, gap year - ‘re-positioning yourself’) leads them to appreciate this new freedom

As the number of single-person and single-parent households in Europe grows, so does the demand for solo tourism.

Ageing population

Europe currently has more than 200 million citizens aged 50+ (40%). This number is rising quickly, due to the ageing population. In 2017, 19% of the population in Europe was over 65 years of age. By 2030, this percentage is expected to have increased to 25%.

People over 50 (predominantly women) are largely represented in the solo-tourist target group. This growing segment, which is increasingly healthy and wealthy, is fuelling demand for solo-tourism products.

Unique and authentic experiences

Like most European tourists, solo travellers are looking for a unique and authentic experience. They are interested in the typical local culture of their destination. In recent years, authenticity has become a major factor in tourism. This is not expected to change any time soon.

Self-development

Recent years have seen a sharp increase in the demand for self-development and learning holidays. This is in line with the current trend of transformative or transformational travel, which offers tourists personal growth and enrichment.

Examples include:

• meditation
• yoga / Pilates
• weight loss
• detox programmes
• cookery courses
• creative writing

Such self-development activities are highly suitable for solo tourists. Many people who are planning solo holidays consider adding self-development components to their itineraries.

Flexibility and variety of activities

On long-haul holidays, European solo tourists generally seek a variety of experiences. For example, they may wish to combine cultural or adventurous activities with culinary experiences. Solo tourists with a specific lifestyle (wellness-oriented, food-minded etc.) like to include this in their holiday. When it comes to activities during their holiday, solo tourists from Europe are not very different from European tourists in general. However, they are very keen to book personal guided tours.

Increasing use of online research

European solo tourists increasingly research and plan their trip online. To gather information and share experiences they use:

• peer review sites, like TripAdvisor and Zoover
• travel forums, like Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum
• social media, like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

Solo tourists also increasingly use apps to plan or research their trips and meet fellow travellers.

Some examples are:

• btrfly
• SoloTraveller
• Travello

Online research is a trend that has increased exponentially over the past years. Although growth has peaked, the use of the Internet to research tourism will continue to increase. It is predicted to remain the most important research channel for years to come.

For more information, see our study on European tourism market trends.

4. What requirements should your solo tourism product comply with to be allowed on the European market?

For general tourism requirements, see our study on what requirements your services should comply with to attract European tourists.

In addition, there are some voluntary standards for where solo tourism meets adventure tourism.

Voluntary adventure tourism safety standards

For more adventurous solo tourism experiences, three ISO standards support safe adventure practices: 21101, 21102 and 21103. Additionally, some countries have their own voluntary standards. For instance, BS 8848 in the United Kingdom.

5. What competition do you face on the European market for solo tourism products?

Competition in the solo tourism market does not differ from the tourism market in general. For more information, see our study on what competition you face on the European outbound tourism market.

6. Through what channels can you get solo tourism products on the European market?

Selecting smaller specialised tour operators

Smaller European tour operators specialised in solo tourism or your destination offer the best opportunities. You can identify them via trade associations, events and databases.

Some examples are:

• Adventure Travel Show - annual adventure tourism trade event, January, London.
• Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) - global trade organisation for the adventure travel industry. Organises the Adventure Travel World Summit. You can search for members.
• ECTAA - national associations of travel agents and tour operators per European country.
• ITB - annual tourist trade event, March, Berlin.
• Top Resa - annual tourist trade event, September, Paris.
• Wanderlust - magazine for adventurous, authentic travel. You can browse their tour operator directory.
• World Travel Market - annual tourist trade event, November, London.

Another interesting option may be Solus magazine, a trade publication dedicated specifically to solo tourism.

Generating direct sales

European solo travellers increasingly book their holidays directly with service providers at the destination. To increase your chances of direct sales, you can promote your product on tourism websites/portals.

For instance:

• Solo Travel
• Solo Traveler

For an overview of the trade structure for tourism, see our study on the channels and segments of the European tourism market.

7. What are the end market prices for solo tourism products?

Tourists have many destinations and types of holiday to choose from. This makes tourism a relatively price-sensitive and competitive industry. The price of a long-haul trip is determined by three factors:

1. The exchange rate between the currency of the country of origin and that of the destination country.
2. The costs of transport to and from the destination country.
3. The price of goods and services the tourist consumes in the destination country.

European tour operators are not open about the purchasing prices of their tourism products. According to industry experts, their margins vary between 10% and 25%. Prices of holiday packages vary widely as they depend on a lot of factors, such as:

• availability
• destination
• modes of transport
• travel period
• number of travellers
• length of stay
• type of accommodation (surplus for single room options)
• activities included

Please review our market information disclaimer.