Tours & Groups
The sisterhood economy: women-only group travel goes mainstream
Women-only tours have moved from niche to growth engine. Operators are scaling fast.
By Jamie Lutz · September 2026 · 5 min read
Brand-ready travel brief
- Audience
- Women travelers · Tours & Groups
- Headline signal
- 230% — increase in travel companies catering specifically to women (ATTA)
- Prepared by
- Jamie Lutz, MBA · jamieleightravels.com
Moves for your brand
- ✦Build a women's group package with single rooms and a private welcome dinner.
- ✦Pitch women-led operators and community founders directly.
- ✦Partner with local women guides, artisans and chefs.
230%
increase in travel companies catering specifically to women (ATTA)
+59%
year-over-year bookings for Intrepid's Women's Expeditions in 2024
+18%
interest in Responsible Travel's women-only holidays over three years
From niche to zeitgeist
The Adventure Travel Trade Association reports a 230% increase in companies serving women specifically. Intrepid saw Women's Expeditions bookings rise 59% in 2024, and Natural Habitat Adventures expanded its “Women in the Wild” capacity by 75% before planning to double it again.
Why women choose it
Safety, yes — but also sisterhood. Women-only groups offer instant community, female guides, access to local women and experiences often closed to mixed groups, and the freedom to travel without a partner's schedule.
The hotel opportunity
Group operators need reliable partner properties: room blocks with single options, private dining, a space to gather, and a team that understands the audience. Hotels that court these operators fill shoulder seasons with high-value, high-sharing guests.
For brands & hotels
- ✦Build a women's group package with single rooms and a private welcome dinner.
- ✦Pitch women-led operators and community founders directly.
- ✦Partner with local women guides, artisans and chefs.
- ✦Capture group content — it markets your next season.