It appears American Express' pilot program of a luxury vacation home rental platform is doing well enough to expand to new destinations and invite more members into the mix.
19.11.2023 - 17:35 / forbes.com
If you've ever thought about taking on your own, you're not alone.
A new survey by tour operator Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) and Solo Traveler suggests 68% of participants identify themselves as independent travelers. It's remarkable a shift from the past, when single supplements — which routinely doubled the price of a cruise or tour — made a solo trip too expensive for most travelers.
Will 2024 be the year of the solo traveler? I asked OAT's CEO, Brian FitzGerald, for his thoughts on what these survey results mean — and how it could affect your next vacation. Here’s our interview:
What are the forces driving the trend toward solo travel in 2024?
The solo trend started more than a decade ago and has continued to gain steam. Back in 2017, 27% of our travelers were solos. In 2019, it was 39%, and 47% in 2021. Today, it’s 50%.
Post-pandemic, many travelers didn’t want to waste any time. They decided if no one wanted to travel with them, they’d go alone. That’s continuing to have a big impact.
Life transitions such as retirement are a main driver of solo travel, especially for women. Many older women find that it’s a great way to meet new people and make connections, whether through group tours or even shared accommodations.
I think a lot of American travelers are reluctant to take a vacation on their own. And I'll admit, I'm one of them. What would you say to someone like me, who is nervous about traveling solo?
I would say: You can travel solo while joining a small group. It’s the best of both worlds, really. You can decide for yourself how much time you spend with other travelers and how much is on your own.
Nearly half of the solo travelers responding to the survey this year said they like the company of other travelers. That’s why they join a group.
But how do you help someone overcome their fears of being alone?
It's really personal. You need to connect with other travelers before your trip. We have a Facebook group where people can do that.
I think it's important to work with someone who will take care of you. They'll meet you at the airport. They'll get you to your hotel. They'll facilitate the entire process.
You also have to work with someone who is tuned in to what's happening on the ground. When the attack on Israel happened, we had 65 people on the ground in Haifa. We got them out quickly, thanks to the expertise of people on the ground. I think those types of stories give people confidence.
What are some of the obstacles solo travelers have faced? How is the industry addressing those?
The single supplement is the biggest obstacle for solo travelers. The extra cost can make travel prohibitive for some travelers.
Why do travel companies charge single supplements?
A single
It appears American Express' pilot program of a luxury vacation home rental platform is doing well enough to expand to new destinations and invite more members into the mix.
The narrative in the month leading into the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix was mostly negative. If it wasn’t locals complaining about disruptions caused by the Herculean construction effort, it was “ordinary fans” bemoaning the highest ticket prices (by far) on the F1 calendar. And when these high-priced tickets and hotel packages didn’t sell out—many being discounted in the weeks leading up to the race—critics were all-too-eager to call it a bust before even seeing cars on track.
‘Tis the season for planning an epic winter getaway and Southwest is helping by offering one-way flights starting at just $39.
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines made a big announcement over the weekend—they entered into an agreement under which Alaska will purchase Hawaiian for $1.9 billion.
Alaska Airlines plans to purchase Hawaiian Airlines in a transaction that will likely take more than a year to complete and may make flights more expensive for travelers.
When it comes to single malt whiskey, America has been, fittingly, like the Wild West. Sure, there are some basic rules that everyone follows—the whiskey must be produced from malted barley at a single distillery in the United States—but after that things have been wide open.
I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this. Pictures barely do it justice. I was passing through West Texas, having already visited the nearby White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks, and figured this would be the easiest time to visit Big Bend National Park. I’d heard from a fellow traveler that it was his favorite park, and he’d been to all of them. With that in mind, I purposely limited how much I’d see of the park before I arrived. I wanted to be surprised, and boy was I.
Booking.com and Warner Bros. Pictures have this week announced a new collaboration to celebrate the holidays and the debut of Wonka (in theatres December 15). The limited-time collaboration comes in the form of two sugar-coated stays at Wonka’s Sweet Suites in both New York and Los Angeles.
According to recent reports, Iceland’s tourism industry is on track for a banner year in 2023, producing record highs in visitation and spending.
Brightline opened in September as only the second high-speed rail network in the US, cruising along 235 miles of track between Orlando and Miami at 125 mph.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kelsey Frampton, a 21-year-old business student from Fresno, California, who's studying in Barcelona. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
The strong post-pandemic air travel boom continued across the globe this September, according to research conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), published November 9.