Destinations
Solo, not alone: where women are traveling next
Solo women are the fastest-moving segment in leisure travel. Here's where they're going — and what makes them book.
By Jamie Lutz · October 2026 · 6 min read
Brand-ready travel brief
- Audience
- Women travelers · Destinations
- Headline signal
- ~40% — of women travelers planned a solo trip in 2025 — up 8 points in a year
- Prepared by
- Jamie Lutz, MBA · jamieleightravels.com
Moves for your brand
- ✦Put safety information on your booking page, not buried in FAQs.
- ✦Feature real women guests — solo and in pairs — in your imagery.
- ✦Create a low-pressure social moment: welcome aperitivo, communal table, morning walk.
~40%
of women travelers planned a solo trip in 2025 — up 8 points in a year
1,000%
growth in “solo female travel” searches over the past decade
85%
of Road Scholar's solo travelers are women
The shift
Solo travel for women has moved from a once-in-a-lifetime moment to an annual habit. Future Partners found nearly 40% of women travelers intended to travel solo in 2025, an eight-point jump year over year. The growth is strongest among women 50+, many of whom are married but travel without partners — “solo, not single.”
Where she's going
The shortlist favors destinations that are walkable, rail-connected and culturally rich: Japan, Portugal, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Italy and the Nordics. Secondary cities — Porto, Edinburgh, Kyoto, Copenhagen — are winning over capitals because they feel manageable on day one.
What tips the booking
Safety and cultural attitudes remain her top research questions. Properties that answer them plainly — well-lit arrival, 24-hour reception, central location, reviews from other women — remove the friction that a glossy campaign can't. Then she wants connection on her terms: a hosted dinner, a walking tour, a bar seat that feels welcoming.
Field note
On my own solo trips, the hotels I recommend most are the ones where a staff member gave me a hand-written list of places to eat alone without feeling alone. That detail costs nothing and earns years of word of mouth.
For brands & hotels
- ✦Put safety information on your booking page, not buried in FAQs.
- ✦Feature real women guests — solo and in pairs — in your imagery.
- ✦Create a low-pressure social moment: welcome aperitivo, communal table, morning walk.
- ✦Price single occupancy fairly; single supplements are her #1 complaint.