The ‘solo’ revolution of women travelers: It’s all about offbeat destinations, ‘me-time’ and more

When Akanksha Bumb and Malini Gowrishankar star-ted F5 Escapes, a Bengaluru-dependent experiential travel business specialising in all-ladies excursions, in 2013, a girl travelling by herself, specially for leisure, was not a thing extremely commonplace and mainstream in India. Currently, they have had ladies travelling with them for the duration of some of their most vital phases in life—healing by means of a complicated existence condition, adjust of metropolis/ situation, changeover stage this sort of as a new occupation, sabbatical or split calendar year in the course of schooling, among the some others.

“We are delighted to have played a minuscule element in their life journey,” says Bumb.

F5 Escapes also experienced women of all ages realise their very own model of travel—preferring to go solo than in a group, adds Bumb, whose enterprise has so significantly booked over 300 excursions, held around 30 local community events and touched about 7,000 life and counting.

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“When a female joins an all-women of all ages team tour, the drive tends to be liberty, working experience, exploration, empowerment in addition the more factor of the experience of security that comes by natural means in an all-girls team tour. In that sense, she is not automatically ‘alone’, just that she is not with their personal pals and household. That also sales opportunities to the chance of new social networks and friendships,” points out Bumb.

F5 Escapes is concentrated on Indian locations for domestic and global travellers: all-females set-departure team excursions, customised holidays for solo travellers and experiential itineraries. “We get the job done with midrange boutique homestays, hotels and heritage homes to give a relatives-like environment and an immersive remain encounter to travellers,” provides Bumb.

Likewise, Anuj Jain, the ‘chief gallivanter’ of Wander Womaniya Travel, commenced his business in 2018 for the sole purpose of giving safe and solo visits for girls.

“There is a sensation of pleasure and accomplishment when they venture out. They also get to meet up with a new unfiltered version of by themselves, about which they both never ever knew or had hidden since of societal tension. On a solo vacation, no a single will decide them,” states Jain, whose vacation itineraries selection from beaches to mountains like Bali and Thailand to Sikkim and Ladakh in the mighty Himalayas with packages to go well with journey teams for women-only visits.

Far more and far more females are now travelling by yourself or stepping out with out speedy enterprise to experience empowered, appreciate flexibility or just discover. Solo visits are on the increase for ‘me-time’ and offbeat destinations, and there is large pent-up demand and higher client self esteem driving this segment. The superior information is that the industry is also responding well by catering to their wants and offering customised itineraries for solo women travellers.

Girls on the shift

Following struggling with assorted issues and operating “very hard”, 35-yr-previous Bengaluru-based expert Nikita Das last but not least resolved to give up her 13-calendar year-outdated advertising and marketing occupation to finally consider a split final yr. “Now, I desire to pause and regard myself by taking time out for matters I often preferred to do but could not and then get back to operate for the upcoming 35 several years,” says Das, who travelled solo to a 3-month residency study course in Ashtanga Yoga from Mysore, stayed and realized the art and science of yoga to channelise interior religious vitality, and remaining for hiking solo in the east coastline in the US. “The ideal element of solo travel is to explore… the more you take a look at, the superior you know the entire world,” she provides.

From solo hikes like Catskills on the outskirts of New York, Freedom Path in Boston, Vermont hike that is recognized for its breathtaking fall foliage and George Falls River Trail in Washington DC, Das uncovered this new way of heading solo in a trip a wholly meditative practical experience, obtaining a route, a put to stay, experiencing community foods and regional residents and studying distinct dwelling cultures. “Travelling is practically like an ode to yourself… to thank your brain, body and spirit,” admits Das.

Likewise, Neha Bhandari, an impartial media consultant, loves to travel solo as “one has no other alternative than to converse to locals it basically will help a good deal in understanding the culture and history of a place”, she explains. “No app can defeat the details just one can get from the locals. They will explain to you about all the stories similar to the put, festivals, off conquer areas and neighborhood cuisines that no dining places provide. Meeting new people today from various locations, cultures and age teams, be it neighborhood or other travellers, widens our horizon,” provides Bhandari, who has been to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and now designs to journey to one location every quarter.

For some like Delhi-based mostly company qualified Niti Thakur, travelling solo is also an enriching practical experience. “It empowers and offers a feeling of independence and plenty of time to believe about lifestyle,” she says.

Thakur reads a large amount about the spots she strategies to visit and attempts to understand the lifestyle, values and its background. “I normally book my entry tickets for tourist sites beforehand to preserve on-ground time. I never compromise on basic safety. I am picky about the inns that I shortlist to make sure just about every reserving is completed on the basis of correct investigation making use of on the web scores and references from trusted resources,” she suggests.

Solo is marketing

Solo travel is ordinarily affiliated with adaptability, and group excursions are observed as rigid. Which is why several prefer travelling solo as it allows them fulfill new persons and open up their minds to one of a kind encounters that encourage and enrich them.

Street journeys to sites like Dehradun in Uttarakhand from drivable locations like Delhi, Punjab and Haryana have contributed to a considerable improve in footfall.

“Quick getaways, neighborhood experiences and adventure treks or just family vacation time by itself are most popular alternatives for solo travellers. We can see a major increase in the phase on the lookout to rejuvenate and remain absent from everyday chores,” claims Harkaran Singh, GM, Hyatt Regency Dehradun.

According to investigation carried out by vacation lookup engine Kayak, ‘me time’ is getting to be a thing to consider for Indian travellers, with 38% indicating they prefer to journey alone rather than in a team in 2023. Bigger regulate, freedom, and versatility in scheduling holiday getaway itineraries could be major factors that push solo excursions.

Interestingly, checking out the earth (62%) was outlined as the major purpose for the regained Indian travel motivation, adopted by residing their goals (61%), trying to get thrills (55%), acquiring them selves (48%) and escaping their problems (43%).

Up to 60% of those people surveyed consider themselves curious travellers. Curiosity also will make for much more enriching experiences, as 75% of respondents also quenched their curiosity by commonly exploring new and offbeat locations. About 73% outlined that they found new meals experiences when travelling, and 70% satisfied new individuals and made mates from distinct cultures through preceding outings, as for every Kayak.

Insights from the most current American Convey Travel: World Journey Trends Report, which appears to be at the motivations and issues of travellers in Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India and the United kingdom, also counsel that about 58% are eager to journey solo to visit their desire vacation spot.

Monitoring consumer journey sentiment throughout India, international vacation technological innovation corporation OYO, as well, published a mid-summer holiday index previous yr, where by 13% of respondents wished to go solo in the peak summer season period and in excess of 25% of girls would like to go on a solo vacation as very well. OYO Travelopedia Report 2022 also states consumers intend to head out on a solo vacation as aspect of their resolution to scenic spots this sort of as Manali, Shimla, Ladakh, Kashmir and Kerala, among the some others.

In fact, as the ‘live and do the job anywhere’ phenomenon has taken off among people who are able to do the job remotely, in accordance to Airbnb internal info, somewhere around 30% of domestic and international bookings involving Q2 2021 and Q2 2022 have been by solo travellers from India. In general, solo domestic travel amid Indians has developed by about 120% in Q2 2022, when as opposed to Q2 2019.

SOTC Travel has also witnessed close to 15-17% uptick in demand for the solo vacation phase vis-a-vis the pre-pandemic times. “The travellers from this phase want abnormal and non-standard itineraries that permit them to immerse into the destination and expertise lifestyle like a local” suggests Daniel D’Souza, president and nation head—holidays, SOTC Journey.

Rajeev Kale, president and country head, holidays, MICE, visa, Thomas Cook (India), provides, “Indian ladies are rising strongly on the radar for solo travelling. Our internal data signifies a 10-12% boost in need for solo gals travelling for the winter season period, as as opposed to the pre-pandemic stage. Solo women of all ages travellers are in search of quality time by on their own along with focussing on rejuvenation and psychological wellness. They want to knowledge a feeling of flexibility, rejuvenation and a implies to go after their enthusiasm, be it tradition, cuisine, architecture, wellness or even buying. Most gals solo travellers are in the age team of 20 to 35 many years and are involved about their safety although travelling.”

Sectoral aid

While girls travelling solo is in vogue and in demand, gurus in this field and organisers are also producing a concerted energy in providing the best experiences for solo girls travellers. Nitesh Chauhan, founder of Jugni, who organises solo journeys for girls, observes a large hole in choices for solo women travellers in the sector. “We envisaged making a harmless space for them to solo vacation throughout the world. We talk about males, they have been travelling solo with out feeling unsafe for clear factors. It has been substantially much easier for them. However, currently we see a paradigm change in the way females vacation now,” he claims.

Chauhan curates itineraries ensuring a good stability of touristy moreover offbeat expertise. “A safe atmosphere in which everybody feels inclusive and simple to convey. Solo journey is the most effective way to investigate the particular person within just and have the exposure wherever trivial difficulties of lifetime appear much too little like a small particle. Solo gals travellers are not metropolis or nation certain. They want to vacation solo after in existence for their individual explanations. As a subject of truth, we have started off acquiring a ton of solo gals travellers from tier 2 cities now,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Kerala has released a specific project to established up ladies-friendly tourism centres and empower women. An initiative by the State Accountable Tourism Mission (RT Mission), the project will make a community of women’s units and tourism centres manned by girls. As portion of the task, schooling will be presented to chosen women to get the job done as tour coordinators, storytellers, community tour leaders, automobile/taxi motorists (guest dealing with), homestay operators, and many others. The project also aims to appeal to extra women of all ages travellers to the condition.

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“We think every person should experience travelling solo at least at the time in their lifetime. There is a diverse thrill in checking out new spots with new individuals and it teaches us so much about ourselves. Despite the fact that this can be difficult for some, when done the appropriate way, solo travel can be 1 of the items one can give them selves,” shares Pushppal Singh Bhatia and Ravneet Kaur of That Couple Although, a Jalandhar-centered influencer duo.

For Airbnb, the security of the community —including solo travellers—is a person of its best priorities and at the really heart of all the things the system does. “As component of this, we are rolling out a safety products in India that aims to make it possible for solo travellers to encounter all that the country has to present with additional peace of brain,” states Tara Bunch, Airbnb’s international head of functions.

The ‘Solo Traveler’ in-application knowledge is specially developed to better guidance risk-free solo travelling on Airbnb. The product has expanded to Hindi—making it only the second language soon after English in which this product has expanded.

In the meantime, SOTC Travel’s holiday break professionals help solo travellers by helping them style the great holiday finish with trailblazing encounters primarily based on their choices, in addition to giving the needed guidance and reassurance to prospects, as per D’Souza.

Thomas Cook, far too, has released a dynamic customisable device which empowers solo women travellers to choose, pick and develop their possess itinerary. It also offers remarkable/eye-catching benefit-adds, anywhere achievable, like discounted/complimentary upgrades, transfers, eating, etc, during their continue to be.