More travellers taking the solo option
Who would have dreamed that 50 per cent of the adult American population are now unmarried (according to government statistics)? And in terms of travel, since a separate percentage of the adult population prefers to travel alone regardless of their marital status, considerably more than 50 per cent are now traveling in that fashion, either totally by themselves or with a group.
That phenomenon is reflected in the decision of U.S. tour operators to offer solo travel and in the similar decision of the travel trade press to discuss solo travel at length.
The most prominent of those companies is the giant Intrepid Travel, which has begun promoting a number of tour departures that are limited in their composition to solo travelers. This well-known tour company apparently has negotiated with hotels for the elimination of the dreaded single-room supplement for people signing up for solo-only trips. The response, says Intrepid, has been nothing short of amazing.
Other tour companies and travel websites have reacted similarly to what they regard as an untapped market — the solo traveller.
Apparently, cost is not the only lure (though hotels are increasingly witnessing a positive response to their elimination of single-room supplements) — a growing number of single travelers are of the opinion that solo-only travel is more pleasant, more interesting and more informative.
To tap into that trend, tour companies are increasingly using the term “solo” rather than “single” in describing their woud-be clientele. If you search the internet for names that include the word “solo,” you will find a growing number of organizations promoting travel for people traveling without a spouse.
By contrast, travel companies appealing to singles, like those offering “singles’ cruises,” usually are focused on trips by people seeking partners or romance. The word “solo” is meant to denote a much broader community of people and one that you might prefer for your next vacation trip.