How solo travel is permanently changing the tourism landscape
By 2045, one in five Dutch people are expected to live alone, and more and more of them are travelling alone. What was once considered taboo has now become a powerful form of travel: solo travel. No longer just for brave backpackers or singles with no other choice, but for people who consciously choose freedom, meaning and personal development. This growing trend calls for a different perspective on destinations, policymakers and travel organisations.
The figures behind the trend
The rise of solo travel is no coincidence. In the Netherlands alone, the number of single-person households grew from 685,000 in 1971 to over 3.1 million in 2021. This figure is expected to rise to 3.8 million by 2045. This is partly due to ageing and divorce, but also to a growing group of people who consciously choose to live alone and lead an independent lifestyle.
Single-person households are more likely to engage in independent activities, work from home and therefore spend more time alone. The result? Holidays and travel are also more often undertaken solo. Add to that the fact that solo travel offers freedom, adventure and flexibility, and you have a structural shift in travel behaviour.
From taboo to normal
Ten years ago, you might have had to explain yourself if you went traveling alone, but that image has changed significantly. I took my first solo trip seventeen years ago. I remember well how I had to justify myself: why I was going alone, whether I was afraid, and whether I had no one to travel with. When I went to Bhutan alone a year after the birth of my eldest son, I was asked those questions again. Last February, when I traveled to Socotra with Janet’s Journey, I also received comments that people thought it was “cool” that I was traveling alone as a mother of two young children. To the outside world, it may seem unusual, but for me it’s mainly curiosity: the urge to discover, time for myself, adventure, and new inspiration.
Travel has also become more accessible, the range of options has diversified, and solo travel is more visible and normal than ever thanks to social media. What’s more, solo travellers are increasingly finding each other through online communities, platforms and shared interests. Influencers, YouTubers and communities such as Niet Nadenken Gewoon Doen (Don’t Think, Just Do It) and Janet’s Journey have made solo group travel more attractive and social. Travelling alone no longer means you are alone all the time.
Who are today's solo travellers?
The group of solo travelers is diverse and growing. Broadly speaking, there are three distinct profiles:
- Women between the ages of 30 and 70, often independent, divorced, or consciously single, who choose their own path with confidence and curiosity. They embrace their independence and shape their travels to suit them.
- People with a partner who consciously choose to travel alone, like myself. Not out of a sense of loss, but out of a need for freedom, reflection, and inspiration.
- Young travelers, often digitally savvy and independent, who seek meaning off the beaten track.
New forms and niches
Solo travel comes in many forms. There are solo trips with a group character, such as yoga retreats, walking holidays or adventurous group trips. In addition, there are individual trips, where someone consciously chooses peace and quiet, depth or a specific interest, such as photography or diving.
Within the group variant, there is a growth in niche providers: from women’s trips to Christian singles trips, from outdoor expeditions for men to mindfulness weekends. Large tour operators are responding to this with customisation, smaller groups and age-specific programmes. With providers such as Mohsin van NNGD or Janet’s Journey, you are not a participant, but part of a community.
Why this offers opportunities for destinations
The growth of solo travel opens new doors for destinations, tour operators and accommodation providers. Solo travellers are looking for connection: with themselves, with others and with the place they are visiting. They tend to travel outside school holidays and consciously choose the early or late season, or even midweek.
This requires a different way of thinking and acting: tailor-made hospitality, flexibility in what you offer and space for spontaneous encounters.
What you can do as a destination or provider to respond to this trend:
- Organise social activities that encourage encounters, for example with other travellers or local residents.
- Provide tailor-made hospitality: think of easy booking, flexible excursions and single tables.
- Offer packages that allow for rest and encounters, without too much structure.
- Respond to seasonal variation by offering discounts or extras during quiet periods.
- Address the need for meaning, me-time and reflection in your content and offerings.
- Practise fair pricing, including for solo travellers: avoid high single supplements and demonstrate that travelling alone does not have to be a luxury.
What are the benefits of solo travel?
Solo travel is all about freedom, peace, self-discovery and unexpected encounters. It offers space to rediscover yourself. You don’t have to compromise with travel companions: you set your own pace, choose your own route and create your own experience. Because you are travelling alone, you are often more open to contact with locals and other travellers.
Solo travel also brings personal growth. Many travellers experience greater self-confidence, independence and decisiveness. You have the freedom to change your plans without consulting anyone. Today a museum, tomorrow the mountains. And because you are on your own, you often experience other cultures more intensely and more authentically than when travelling with others.
The future of solo travel
Solo travel will continue to grow in the coming years. According to the UNWTO Travel Trends Report and CBS forecasts, the number of solo travellers worldwide is increasing, partly due to the growth of single-person households, greater flexibility in work and the increasing need for personal fulfilment. Demographic shifts, the desire for flexibility and the need for personal enrichment are creating lasting demand. And that demand is being met with more and more niches, customisation and hybrid forms between individual and group travel.
Solo travel has become a global movement, driven by Millennials and Gen Z. In 2024, 76% of these travellers plan to take a solo trip. They value the freedom, spontaneity and personal growth that solo travel offers, often inspired by content creators on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Women in particular feel empowered by safety tips and honest reviews from other solo travellers.
What is this group looking for? Local experiences that you can enjoy independently, shared spaces where encounters happen naturally, flexible bookings without single supplements and a safe, welcoming atmosphere. Accommodations that cater to these wishes with, for example, solo packages, workshops or clear safety tips are gaining ground.
It is important for tourist organisations and destinations not to fall behind. Those who respond to the needs of solo travellers now will not only gain market share, but also strengthen the quality and inclusivity of their tourist offering.
Isabel Mosk is a tourism strategist and founder of Sherpa’s Stories. She has worked for more than 50 destinations worldwide and specialises in tourism trends, positioning and storytelling.
