Solo Travel: A Path to Learning & Adventure

The National Geographic published a post about “Six Things Solo Travel Teaches You.” It’s telling that such an iconic national magazine published an article on solo travel, though we’ve known for some time now that vacationing alone is a huge emerging trend in the travel industry (see the Visa Global Travel Intentions Study).

The National Geographic post was aimed more at travelers who embark on trips totally on their own (rather than on a group tour). However, everything they talked about resonated with us and our experiences in hosting group trips for single travelers. Here’s why:

1. There is nothing embarrassing about solo travel. Truly. Honestly. In fact, most people believe just the opposite. Taking the step to vacation alone is actually very brave. It means that you are a strong and self-confident person. It shows that you are ready to learn and explore or rest and relax – to do something for yourself that is well-deserved.
2. Sometimes, being alone is really, really nice. Most of us are never really alone. Many of us have jobs where we are surrounded by people – colleagues, customers, clients, patients, students, fill-in-the-blank – all day. When the work day is done, even if we live alone, our phones are often connected to our hands, thus connecting us to all of our social networks. But when we take the time to just be – to take a long, wandering walk alone or to practice yoga or to just sit in the sunshine – our senses can awaken and discoveries can be made about the world and about ourselves.
3. Traveling solo provides great prospects for meeting new friends. For as much as traveling solo provides people with the chance to become comfortable on one’s own, it also gives singles an excellent opportunity to meet new people. On our group tours, travelers who were once strangers often become fast friends (and sometimes even couples). And there are often interesting interactions and conversations with local folks in the cities and destinations that we visit. What better way to understand the culture and vibe of a place than to learn from a local?
4. Singles group trips are great for career networking. Our singles vacations bring together groups of like-minded individuals. Very often, we find that career networking happens organically over a hike or evening cocktails. Two of our guests last year began a collaborative digital media project not long after one of our trips. When we see great things like that happen, we realize the old adage is true: You never know who you’ll meet.
5. Group tours for single travelers provide extra safety and security. Yes, the world is (mostly) good. But sometimes it’s not.  Sometimes unknown places can make even well-seasoned travelers uncomfortable. By traveling solo on a singles tour, travelers are afforded a level of comfort by knowing the group is always there.
6. Solo travel – with or without a group – is empowering. Simply put, taking a vacation alone is liberating. The end.

If you are ready to solo travel on one of our singles group vacations, contact us today.