Solo adventure travel is booming, especially among women travelers. They are the core business of Adventures in Good Company (AGC), a women-only adventure travel company that’s been around for 25 years but has remained quietly under the radar for much of that time.
It offers trips like On the Camino Santiago, Tour du Mont Blanc Highlights, and Bulgaria’s Mountains and Monasteries. Closer to home, they have offerings like Hiking Lodge to Lodge in Shenandoah National Park and Slackpacking Georgia, which is hiking the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail with daypacks, forsaking carrying a heavy pack and camping for the comforts of a comfortable bed, hot showers, and freshly prepared meals.
Small groups, smart guides, intriguing itineraries, and a philosophy aimed at female travelers are the keys to its success. Founded by Marian Marbury, it was bought by Kelly Kimple in 2020, who came outside of the travel industry but had worked for decades in the nonprofit and education sectors. with a background in conservation biology.
“I recognized the opportunity it provided to further promote the mission and the belief that travel can be both personally enriching and beneficial for the places we visit,” Kimple says. “There are a multitude of benefits of traveling with a women-only group, but the biggest benefit, in my opinion, is the social connection and support. A small, supportive group of other women creates a safe environment to open up and share your dreams, fears, and perspectives. It also allows women to bond over shared experience, overcome challenges, and create opportunities to relate to one another.”
Underlining it all is the critical message of AGC, which is to create a “purpose-driven journey,” which Kimple defines as “one that includes thoughtful preparation, the intention behind the places and activities of an itinerary, and being mindful of what's experienced along the way. At AGC, we carefully consider the experience design to ensure our trips weave in elements of connection, reflection, and challenge by choice.”
In other words, this is more than travel for travel's sake.
“I think the growth of female-centric travel reflects a broader societal shift towards personal growth and empowerment, and women recognizing the importance of self-care and self-discovery,” Kimple says. ”Our travelers tend to be at a point in their lives where they are ready to take time for themselves but don’t want a solo vacation. They are looking for a group of like-minded adventurers and seek the safety and security that comes from an organized, guided experience.”
AGC has a range of trip styles, including hiking, paddling, and horseback riding. Kimple says their hiking trips are the most popular, particularly Level 3
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Looking for inspiration for your next big summer vacation? Or, perhaps you're in search of some suggestions for an exciting city break? Whether you're looking for far-flung travel suggestions in Europe or Asia or something closer to home on U.S. soil, we have you covered.
February air ticket sales totaled a record $8.9 billion in February for U.S. travel agencies, a figure that is 6 percent higher the same time last year.This February’s staggering air ticket sales also represent the second straight month that agency sales hit such highs, according to Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC).“Americans continue to prioritize domestic travel in the early part of the year, with year-over-year trips to U.S. destinations outpacing those of international trips,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC, said in a statement. “Airlines are seeing robust demand from both corporate and leisure travelers, signaling the continued health and anticipated growth in air travel for 2024.”February ancillary sales increased 34 percent year over year to $29 million, while ancillary transactions increased 47 percent to 476,633 over the same period.The ticket sales results are based on monthly sales data ending February 29, 2024, according to ARC.The information was gathered from 10,367 U.S. retail and corporate travel agency locations, satellite ticket printing offices and online travel agencies. The results, however, do not include sales of tickets purchased directly from airlines.Additional highlights from the latest ARC report include:
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For many practicing Muslim women, finding the right hotel and booking excursions is just one part of planning a vacation. There’s also the search for halal or vegetarian restaurants, pinning mosques with a women’s prayer space to Google Maps, and researching whether a destination is safe for them not just as women, but oftentimes as visibly Muslim women if they wear a hijab or niqab, or want to don a burkini.
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Planning the perfect summer trip can take weeks of research, preparation, and organization to ensure it goes off without a hitch. But before you get to the planning and booking phase, you'll need to decide where to go. There's a seemingly endless amount of great options out there, and while there's nothing wrong with heading to the same familiar spot over and over again, sometimes you want to get a little off the beaten path and go somewhere you haven't been before. Whether you're in the mood for a nature escape with jaw-dropping vistas, hiking paths, and secluded lodges, or are looking for a big city excursion surrounded by trendy restaurants, unique neighborhoods, and great shopping, we've got ideas for you.
AdventureSmith Explorations introduces a new sailing route in Indonesia, providing travelers with enhanced opportunities for immersive cultural experiences and wildlife encounters. Departing from Flores Island, the 9-day trip aboard traditional Indonesian sailing vessels offers a compact yet robust itinerary, featuring close encounters with Komodo dragons, whale sharks, and volcanic landscapes. A new sailing route in Indonesia offered by AdventureSmith Explorations, the leader in small-ship adventure cruising, is giving expedition travelers more opportunities to explore and immerse themselves in Indonesian culture and its distinct wildlife experiences. Aboard either the 24-guest Ombak Putih or 12-guest Katharina traditional Indonesian sailing vessels, the 9-day trip sets sail from and returns to Flores Island between April and August. The perfect introduction to Indonesia, the compact yet robust itinerary gets active travelers up close and personal with Komodo dragons, whale sharks and volcanic islands, while also connecting them with the people living and working in local villages.
Coastal and river beaches coalesce beside the Alentejo’s Vila Nova de Milfontes, a lyrical name meaning “new town of a thousand springs”. This resort at the mouth of the Mira River is a magnet for Portuguese families in high summer but largely unknown to British visitors, despite its glorious beaches, great food and fine walking.