Solo Travel Is Thriving — Here's How Travel Advisors Can Tap Into This Lucrative Market

If your email inbox, social feeds and news alerts look anything like mine, you are probably seeing a near-constant stream of influencer content, trend reports and product launches related to solo travel — be it special packages at hotels, single cabins on cruise ships, solo-specific group tours or waived supplements for river cruises. And there’s actually a very good reason for all of it.

To put it simply: The solo travel market has exploded.

According to United Airlines, Google searches for “solo travel” have shot up 223% over the past decade, and last year alone, United saw 5% more single fliers compared to 2023. A recent report by Kayak and OpenTable found that 50% of Americans plan to travel solo this year. And an October survey by Skyscanner revealed that 43% of respondents had traveled alone over the past year, with 62% planning to take two to five solo trips in 2025.

Even more growth is predicted: The Skyscanner report also cites data showing that the global solo travel service market is anticipated to expand at an annual growth rate of more than 9% between 2023 and 2030.

“We are now in the golden age of solo travel,” said Ignacio Maza, senior advisor for Signature Travel Network. “There simply have never been more options, more incentives or more ways to see the world as a solo traveler.”

We are now in the golden age of solo travel.

What’s more, Maza sees major potential for travel advisors who tune in to the needs of this niche.

“I think it is one of the largest opportunities that we have in the travel industry, because there are so many people who want to travel solo, but hesitate,” he said. “If you take care of a solo traveler, the loyalty you get back is through the roof. But we need to do a better job of making the consumer aware of all the ways that they can see the world solo with as much, or as little, support as they want … and how [travel advisors] can connect them with the right opportunity.”

Ashley Theis, luxury travel advisor and owner of The Constant Wayfarer, agrees, noting that the solo travel market is currently underserved by advisors, perhaps because they see these bookings as less lucrative, or due to a lack of consumer awareness of available options.

“I think it’s an untapped market for travel advisors,” she said. “A lot of solo travelers may not think they should go to an advisor. So, there’s a lot to get out about our services and how much support we can provide for a solo traveler.”

Here’s what advisors should know about what’s driving travelers to explore the world alone, and how they can better serve this valuable market.

If Not Now, When?

So, why is solo travel seeing such incredible growth right now?

For one thing, there are more single-person households than ever before. November estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show that 29% of all U.S. households are made up of just one person, a figure that has risen 10% in the last 50 years.

Shifting mindsets and global events are also playing a role. Theis is seeing the uncertainty of the past few years — from the pandemic to ongoing political and social upheaval — drive travelers to live out their vacation dreams, even if it means doing so alone.

“The world is uncertain,” she explained. “Our political landscape is chaotic. Post-COVID-19, I think we’re still seeing people not want to wait around for life to happen to them. When we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, it’s like, ‘Let’s grab life and go.’”

When we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, it’s like, 'Let’s grab life and go.'

Theis, who has already worked on five solo trips for clients this year, notes that current economic turbulence is also affecting mindsets in different ways. While she has seen an overall slowdown in the first quarter of 2025 compared to last year, she also has a lot more “big, bucket-list, once-in-a-lifetime” bookings for clients with a “life’s too short, let’s do it” attitude. Among her solo travelers, that includes multiple trips to Europe and one itinerary for Singapore and Laos.

RELATED: A Solo Traveler’s Guide to Sao Paulo, Brazil

Leah Winck, founder of Journey On Travel: an affiliate of First in Service Travel, has also seen an uptick in solo trip requests this year — including one for gorilla trekking in Rwanda and another for a yoga retreat in Costa Rica — that she attributes to mental unease caused by current events.

“I have a lot of female solo travelers who really want to go on a wellness retreat,” Winck said. “People are feeling the stress of the world today and are putting aside more materialistic wants and wishes. Instead, they’re saying, ‘Travel is the best recipe to help myself feel better.’”

Signature’s Maza also points out that the ever-increasing complexity of modern lives and schedules is encouraging people to travel solo, even if they don’t have to.

“Even if you’re married, if it’s a two-career couple, it’s very hard for timetables to align perfectly,” he said. “And also, their interests might not align. The husband may want to go play golf, while the wife may want to spend a week in Greece visiting archeological sites. So, I think we’re bound to continue to see this growth [in solo travel].”

Proliferation of Product

Another factor driving the surge? The rapid expansion of solo-focused travel products.

Last year, G Adventures launched its line of Solo-ish Adventures, designed to meet the needs of solo travelers (and women in particular). Alex Sanchez, U.S. consumer marketing manager at G, notes that Solo-ish trips are “front loaded” with social opportunities to help travelers make connections, before offering more independent time on the back end.

In just a short time, the product has really taken off.

“In terms of numbers and trips booked, it’s our fastest product to hit our expected targets, which, to us, really signals that it was something the market was looking and waiting for,” Sanchez said.

Signature’s Maza points out that many operators — such as Abercrombie & Kent, Alexander + Roberts and the Globus Family of Brands — often reduce or waive solo supplements to better welcome single travelers. Cruise lines are also significantly improving their offerings.

“Many cruise ships now have dedicated solo staterooms and programs,” Maza said. “You’ll find single guestroom categories on upscale ships such as National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions’ Endurance; Quark Expeditions’ Ultramarine; Oceania’s Concierge Level on its new ships; and AmaWaterways’ newest vessels, including AmaCello and AmaDolce. Silversea has a reception for solo guests on many voyages, and Seabourn, Ponant and Quark invite solo guests to have dinner with crew members.”

RELATED: A Guide to Solo Cabins on Ocean Cruise Lines

He says Ponant and Paul Gauguin Cruises offer hundreds of voyages with zero single supplement, and names Norwegian Cruise Line as an early leader in catering to solo cruisers.

In the river cruise space, Riviera Travel has been selling cruises with no single supplement, as well as offering dedicated solo departures, for at least seven years, according to Marilyn Conroy, executive vice president of business development

“We don’t waive single supplements to get rid of distressed inventory,” she said. “We plan a selection of different itineraries, over various seasons, and we have more than 55 departures scheduled between this year and next.”

Courting Clients

Digging into the demographics of solo travel, it becomes clear that the niche now encompasses a wide range of ages — United found that 70% of its solo fliers are Generation Z, 65% are millennials and 57% are boomers. It also spans socioeconomic levels, including high-net-worth individuals.

“Solo travel is definitely one of the fastest-growing segments in luxury travel,” confirmed Melissa Krueger, CEO of Classic Vacations. “Our bookings are up 24% since last year for solo travel and, in total, 20% since 2019.”

Women, in particular, are at the forefront of the surge — and it’s not just single ladies, either. Recent Virtuoso data indicates that women now make up 71% of solo travelers, and Road Scholar (a nonprofit, learning-focused travel company) found that 60% of solo senior travelers are married women.

G Adventures’ Sanchez says solo female travelers are a core demographic for the brand and the inspiration for its Solo-ish tours, all of which are led by female “chief experience officers” (tour leaders). What’s more, the average age is 43, and top Solo-ish destinations are adventurous and far-flung, ranging from Japan and Portugal to Morocco, China, Vietnam and Peru.

According to Krueger, Classic is also seeing women lead the charge.

“We’re seeing women travel with their families, their friends and on their own,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be an either/or.”

When it comes to finding potential clients for solo travel, sometimes the failure to launch one trip presents a new opportunity. The Constant Wayfarer’s Theis, for instance, has a single mom among her clients who was planning to take her sons to Switzerland, but scheduling complications led her to take the trip on her own — with a little encouragement from Theis.

“If the opportunity presents itself, sometimes clients just need a little extra boost of confidence that they can do it alone,” Theis said. “We provide a lot of that support.”

RELATED: What Are Solo Travelers Looking For on Vacation?

Journey On Travel’s Winck also notes that a client going through a significant life change can be a great candidate for a solo trip.

“I had one woman who got laid off and said, ‘If I don’t do this now, I’m going to hop into the next job and regret that I never took a break and did something for myself,’” she explained.

Krueger also suggests that travel advisors think about the growing “bleisure” travel trend as an area of opportunity for solo sojourns — and points to herself as a case study.

“I’m a big believer in making the most out of every journey by adding an extra day or two before or after business trips,” she said. “This weekend, I head to Istanbul [for] a conference. But Sunday, I’m staying at The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul. I’m doing the Turkish hammam [baths], I’m exploring the Blue Mosque, and I’m going to shop and go to the spice market.”

Krueger notes that even clients who wouldn’t necessarily opt for a seven- or 10-day vacation alone may be open to adding one or two days to a professional trip.

One more tip? Think about clients who work (or used to work) remotely. In a post-COVID-19 world, more people are comfortable being alone — and may even crave it, Krueger says.

“If you’re living and working in a remote environment, you get comfortable being with yourself,” she said. “You’re like, ‘I’m good, I like the solitude and space.’ Or, if you were working remotely and are now back in an office, you might think, ‘I just need a bit of time by myself.’”

Planning Tips

There are, of course, a specific set of considerations when it comes to planning solo trips, especially for women — chief among them, making the traveler feels safe and confident.

“I think it’s baby steps for solo travel,” said Winck, who has planned everything from local spa getaways to a trek from Bolivia to Chile for solo female clients. “I always think about confidence. How would that client handle a glitch? Would she stress out? Would she be able to roll with the punches? If it’s a more fragile traveler, I’m not going to send them too far away.”

Similarly, Theis starts her planning by considering where clients have been in the past and if they have traveled solo before. When recommending a destination, she thinks about factors such as language barriers and ease of travel (including the availability of direct flights) to help clients feel confident and avoid hiccups.

In destination, Theis creates a balance of security and independence by arranging transfers; choosing hotels in central, safe locations; and working with destination management companies that can provide support and serve as an in-country contact.

“It’s finding the balance between feeling safe and secure, but also experiencing new things,” she said. “[I try] to slow down the pace and give them time to reflect and wander. But I also have them meet great guides who can provide extra context and suggestions.”

Signature’s Maza is also a proponent of creating a local support network for solo travelers. That can mean booking private guides at the start of a trip (or throughout the itinerary), having hotel concierges welcome guests and provide tailored recommendations, or opting for a solo-friendly group tour or cruise.

“I think cruising is a great opportunity for solo travelers, because you are with an instant community,” he said. “I traveled by myself with Silversea last summer and every evening there was a cocktail reception where solo travelers were hosted. You start a conversation and before you know it, you have lunch together, meet for a drink and then you have a new friend.”

In the end, matching the client to the right experience comes down to how much handholding they want (or need) — and an honest assessment of the client’s comfort level.

RELATED: How and Why Travel Advisors Should Be Booking Solo Female Adventure Travel

“Advisors need to be frank with travelers,” Maza said. “They need to explain that it will be [up to the client] to decide everything, every single day of the trip. For some people, that’s a bit overwhelming, but that’s where your resources come in. By understanding the client’s concerns, the advisor can fill in those gaps with destination specialists.”

Classic’s Krueger also reminds advisors that even the most independent clients might enjoy a few “social connection options,” such as a group activity or simply a hotel with excellent public spaces to mix and mingle.

Solo travelers want the best of both worlds. They want the freedom and flexibility of independent travel, combined with normal social connections.

“Solo travelers want the best of both worlds,” she said. “They want the freedom and flexibility of independent travel, combined with normal social connections. We’re human beings, and we thrive around other human beings.”

Striking the ideal balance is a tricky proposition, but the rewards for advisors who do it well are extremely loyal clients who are very likely to return and refer. Theis, for instance, has a client who takes a solo trip every year, uses Theis for additional trips with her friends or with her son, and is one of her main referral sources.

Winck, whose solo bookings also come almost entirely from referrals, sees personal benefits from working with these clients, too.

“They [say], ‘This was the best trip I’ve ever taken in my life; I’m never traveling with anyone else again,’” she said. “That makes my job so fulfilling, knowing I helped someone feel confident enough to travel on their own.”