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More women than ever plan to holiday alone in 2025 with cruise lines, tour operators and travel agents reporting increased demand from solo female travellers, led by adventurous over-50s with disposable income to spend.
The solo female traveller category has risen remarkably in recent years with more women interested in holidaying on their own in 2025.
Google searches for ‘solo female travel’ rose 131 per cent in 2024 and Virtuoso’s latest trends report revealed 71 per cent of its solo clients are female.
This move has led cruise, expedition and tour operators to offer more options for solo female travellers with women-only trips, increased single staterooms and targeted deals that waive or reduce solo supplements.
Mature women are leading the solo female traveller category with disposable income to spend. Image: Shutterstock
When I first travelled overseas alone, many women I encountered repeatedly told me I was brave for venturing on my own when the reality is that solo travel can be because of choice or circumstance.
Friends and family might not have the flexibility and time to take off on an adventure, while other solo female travellers find that their significant other’s lack of interest in travel or loss of a partner means going it alone is the only option.
Older women also embrace the post-partner or family-raising period of their lives to travel alone. Virtuoso noted that almost half of its female clients (47%) are divorced, widowed or separated.
Tours, cruises and more for solo travellers
Insight Vacations Women-Only tour at sunrise in Taormina, Sicily with a local female expert.
While solo female travel isn’t new, it’s been trending upward for the last 15 years. Travel companies are eager to fill the gap, addressing the challenges of women travelling independently in certain countries.
Trafalgar created an initial collection of 13 Women’s Only Tours in 2022, recognising the demand and opportunity in the market for trips curated by women for women.
In 2025, sister brand Insight Vacations will launch 11 Women-Only small-group tours in Europe, Africa and the Americas led by a female Travel Director and highlighting women-owned enterprises and local traditions on each trip.
G Adventures Solo-ish trips let travellers meet the locals at Vietnam Hanoi Food Market.
Last October, G Adventures introduced its ‘Solo-ish Adventures’ category, which combines independent and group experiences.
With women making up 64 per cent of its clients, solo female travellers are its target market and all ‘Solo-ish’ trips are led by a female Chief Experience Officer.
In addition, the increase in solo female travellers has seen rising demand for local women guides with regions such as Bhutan and East Africa and operators like Intrepid Travel catering for this interest.
Intrepid Travel Managing Director EMEA Zina Bencheikh & Saudi Arabia DMC operator Sara Omar in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Since 2018, Intrepid Travel has offered Women’s Expeditions to Morocco, India, Pakistan, Nepal and now Saudi Arabia, allowing access to women-only activities that mixed-gender groups can’t do.
These all-female adventures aim to break down cultural barriers in tourism and provide employment and support for local women and women-owned businesses.
Solo cruisers are well catered for on river cruises. Image: Shutterstock
Luxury cruise lines are also jumping on board to cater for female solo travellers.
Karryon cruise writer Sally Macmillan says cruising ticks many boxes for women keen to holiday alone.
“Cruising solo on smaller, luxury or luxury-expedition ships that provide high levels of service provides a safe environment where you can socialise as much or as little as you want.”
Norwegian Cruise Line introduced purpose-built studio cabins aboard Norwegian Epic back in 2010 and followed up with 1,000 dedicated solo staterooms across its fleet last year.
Other ocean cruise lines, such as Oceania Cruises, Crystal, Ponant, Celebrity Cruises and Virgin Voyages, also offer a select number of solo-friendly staterooms for single cruisers.
River cruising has seen a surge in solo female travellers. Image: Avalon Waterways
River cruising, in particular, provides a boutique onboard experience on smaller ships that are ideal for solo female travellers.
Seek out AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Emerald Cruises, Riviera Travel River Cruises, Scenic and Tauck for European exploration.
Embark on the first women-only river cruise in France. Image: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will introduce its industry-first women-only river cruise in August 2025, catering for a 61 per cent jump in solo female travellers in 2023 compared to 2019. The one-off, eight-day Burgundy & Provence river cruise departs Arles to Lyon on 24 August.
Many ocean and river cruise lines now offer reduced or zero single supplements on select itineraries.
Travel advisors recommend keeping a keen eye on single supplement promotions for river and ocean cruises and booking early as these limited spots are often snapped up quickly.
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