Gone are the days when dining alone felt awkward. These days, more and more travelers are embracing solo travel. In Hilton’s 2025 Trends Report, over 50 percent of respondents reported that they frequently travel alone, a rising traveler type the company calls “MeMooners.” And Windstar Cruises reported a staggering 81 percent increase in solo travelers since 2019.
“It’s a trend that has been picking up speed,” says Jessica Parker, travel adviser and founder of Trip Whisperer. “It has a lot to do with the new-found work flexibility of remote jobs, and a generation of women coming up that’s highly educated, making more income, and delaying marriage and having kids if at all. That financial freedom has really opened up the world to them.”
Women are overwhelmingly leading the way when it comes to solo travel. Social media has played a large role in the trend, Parker points out.
“There’s a huge Facebook group called Girls LOVE Travel that has spread like wildfire. It’s a safe space where women can ask questions, find fellow GLT’ers in the world, and much more,” she says.
Parker says these groups are showing how accessible traveling alone can be and that you’re never really alone.
There are also a growing number of travel content creators developing group trips that bring solo travelers together, such as Gals Abroad Getaways and Wander Women Retreats.
“Their Instagram followers share an affinity for the same style of travel, interests and want to travel with them. They find community and like-minded friends on these trips that they often are repeat guests,” Parker says.
Group trips are growing in popularity, typically in “places that are harder to plan alone and provide a level of safety and comfort,” Parker says. Not only is it a way to meet fellow adventurers, but joining a group trip, such as those offered by small-group travel companies like G Adventures or Intrepid Travel that offer to pair travelers in shared rooms on all-female tours, can be a way to save money on a bucket-list vacation.
The Hilton report showed that 44 percent of MeMooners “appreciate suggested activities or events where they can meet other solo travelers,” so it’s no surprise group trips are booming.
“If anything has taught us from the pandemic, time is fleeting and we don’t know what’s in store,” Parker says. “You always meet people on the trip and make friends. You’re never actually ‘solo.’”
Of course, traveling completely solo can have its own benefits, such as space to reflect, flexibility to create your own schedule, and plenty of time for sleep (sleep tourism is still a trend, Hilton’s report shows). At a time of increasing burnout, solo travel can be a form of self-care.
Where to go first? “Great places I recommend for solo travelers [are] in Southeast Asia like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, which are more affordable and very used to the solo/backpacker culture,” Parker says.
“Other places that are pretty easy are English-speaking countries like the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Those destinations generally have friendly locals too. You can’t go wrong with popping in a pub and chatting with the locals.”
What if you only have a night or two? A spa staycation at an area resort like Salamander Middleburg or Lansdowne Resort and Spa (look for midweek deals) might be just the ticket to recharge and get an introduction to the perks of solo travel.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
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