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Do you enjoy traveling by yourself? Some studies indicate that solo traveling is on the increase across multiple generations.
Research: More People Taking Solo Trips
This Forbes article caught my eye. Specifically:
A study by Booking.com of 20,500 global travelers that was released in May of 2018 found that there is a surge in solo travel with 40% of global Baby Boomers having taken a solo trip in the last year, and a further 21% planning to take one in the future. And Baby Boomers are not alone.
A 2017 Princeton Survey Research Associates study revealed that 58% of Millennials worldwide are willing to travel alone… (and) 26% of millennial women have already travelled solo.
The new Destination Gen-Z report from Booking.com, for example, finds that independence is a top priority for those aged 16 to 24, with 34% planning to travel alone. Travel seems to be winning out in the battle for share of wallet among Gen-Z in some surprising ways. While younger people are often presumed to have a burning desire for technology and food-and-beverage experiences, travel ranks as more important than either of those spending options, the Booking.com research shows. And according to a recent Expedia survey, when given the ultimatum to choose between their mobile phone or a travel companion to bring on their next trip, 33% of Americans said they would choose to travel solo with just their device.
Why I Enjoy Traveling By Myself
No matter how much you love them, everyone needs time away from family, friends, and coworkers.
My solo trips are generally for mileage runs, business trips (where I meet up with others anyway), or the occasional trip to see a family member who needs help with something.
Despite being surrounded by other travelers, there’s still a nice solitude in solo travel. Plane rides and sitting around a hotel give me time to decompress, get caught up on work, watch TV shows on my iPad, and zone out.
But I do miss my people — especially my wife and daughter — when I travel alone. So I’m always reminded how lucky I am and reinvigorated to return home.
I appreciate being able to do whatever. Not everyone loves airport lounges (which blows my mind but OK 🙂 ). There are times I just want to chill out in my hotel room. Traveling solo means there’s no pressure to hang out with others or adjust to other people’s schedules.
Downfalls of Solo Travel
Plane rides are (usually) more fun when you sit next to someone you actually know.
I’m a big fan of relaxing with loved ones and colleagues, visiting sites, and sharing experiences. For me, those are the downsides of traveling by yourself.
Are You a Solo Act?
Do you enjoy traveling by yourself? Tell us your thoughts in the below Comments section!
— Chris
Featured image: ©iStock.com/Chalabala
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
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I have no choice. If I want to travel at the level I want to, I have to travel alone. But, after traveling the world alone for nearly 10 years, I have to say that I now struggle when I have someone with me. I’m so accustomed to doing what I want when I want that I am not happy to have company. On the rare occasion that I am traveling with a friend or relative, I prefer to be with someone who is secure enough to go off to dinner or the museum, etc. by herself. I don’t want to feel obligated to spend my day at museum X when I’d prefer to sleep in, grab a late lunch and walk around the town or go to museum Z. I’ve also lived alone for the last 12 years, so I’m rather used to doing things on my own terms. I don’t get lonely, so I guess those who need to have others with them for everything would think it’s no fun to travel alone. Were I still married, I’d usually (but not always) prefer to have my husband with me, but since my divorce, I’ve learned that a good travel partner is as rare as a good life partner. And, it’s way better to travel alone than to travel with someone who interferes with your pleasure.