According to latest figures from the Association of British Travel Agents, the number of solo trip bookings have increased threefold over the last decade. So whilst many of us might love a trip away with our family, or a getaway with friends, it seems like solo travelling might well be the way to go.
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00:00 We've seen a massive increase in the number of people who book solo onto our adventures.
00:07 In fact, now about 63% of our bookings come from solo travellers.
00:12 According to latest figures from the Association of British Travel Agents, the number of solo
00:17 trip bookings have increased three-fold over the last decade.
00:20 So whilst many of us might love a trip away with our family or even a getaway with friends,
00:25 it seems like solo travelling might well be the way to go.
00:29 It's a kind of self-care, self-interest thing.
00:32 People maybe have seen somewhere in a book, in a TV or film or something in their lives
00:38 and they just thought, you know, I really want to cycle around Cuba, for instance.
00:43 And they don't need to then wait for their other half or their sister to do it with them.
00:47 They can just go for it.
00:49 And also Three Quarters said it's nice not having to plan around other people's annual
00:53 leave and other people's plans.
00:56 What kind of tips would you give to female solo travellers in order to just keep themselves
01:03 a little bit safe?
01:05 I'm really lucky.
01:06 I'm really well travelled, but I'm still nervous about doing things completely on my own.
01:11 I want the confidence of someone who knows, a local person who knows what's safe and sensible
01:17 and how to negotiate all of these things there to help me.
01:21 According to data from Travel Company Explore Worldwide, 76% of people asked said they're
01:27 choosing to travel alone to do exactly what they want without having to wait on someone
01:31 to join them.
01:32 And 6 in 10 people said they've found solo travelling to be empowering.
01:36 As many as 39% of travellers found solo travel to be a good remedy for loneliness.
01:41 Yeah, well one of the things, interesting things that people said was that it gives
01:45 them confidence to take more risks generally in life.
01:48 I think it feels like a bit of a risk, doesn't it, booking onto a trip?
01:51 And then if that goes well, it makes you think, wait a minute, there must be other things
01:55 I can do and I can be brave.
01:58 Just makes people a bit braver.
02:00 The most popular trips in 2023 included trips to Turkey, Madeira and Japan.
02:04 Are you wondering where you should start looking when booking your own getaway?
02:08 Well, here's a few tips.
02:10 I think there's a big advantage in joining a group on your own so you can choose to go
02:17 off and do something in the evening yourself or, you know, for half a day do something
02:23 different to the group.
02:24 But not having to sit in Google the whole time trying to work out how to make the logistics
02:29 happen because someone else is resolving all of that for you.
02:33 And there's a ramp to advise you.
02:34 So for instance, if you do want to go off to a restaurant on your own in the evening,
02:38 they can tell you which part of the city is sensible to wander along as a female on your
02:43 own and which part of the city they would advise you stay away from.
02:46 Most people say that they have a fabulous time when they go away solo, but 43% of them
02:51 said it was their best holiday ever.
02:54 It's sometimes the one that was about them and them choosing what they wanted to do that
02:59 really gives them those memories and that motivation for the rest of their life.