It is cool to travel again — and even more cool to do it alone. Data from booking.com shows that prepandemic, only 17% of travelers were going solo. By mid-2021, that number jumped to 30%. Last year, searches for single-person flights in 2023 were up 36% over the previous year, kayak.com reported in December. And multiple reports show a majority of solo travelers are women — 84%, according to passport-photo.online.com.
What could be driving this trend? For one thing, more people who live on their own and work remotely have gotten used to solitude, which in healthy amounts, can promote self-awareness. Being aware of your personal needs and desires can result in the self-confidence required to solo travel when others can’t join you.
Another appealing reason to explore alone is the overdose of family time during the pandemic. Rather than being a selfish response, the desire for “me” time is a completely normal reaction after prioritizing the health, safety and needs of our families for months or years on end.
As a travel writer and consultant for more than 20 years, I hear people say that the best thing about solo travel is the freedom to make decisions without consulting anyone. Eat without worrying if the food is too spicy for your kids. Stay out exploring without hearing complaints of others being tired or bored. Making your own decisions when traveling feels like a dream come true.
Achint Patel, a medical doctor in Charlotte, started solo traveling in 2019. “I kept telling myself I’d travel when I was with someone special. Then I realized, I am someone special,” he says.
Still, he keeps certain things to experience with loved ones. Patel has been to Paris at least five times but has never been to the top of the Eiffel Tower. “I want someone to witness my expression when I first see the view,” he says. He’s seen more than 20 countries solo, including Egypt, Portugal, Japan, Jordan and most of western Europe. “Traveling solo has given me a better understanding of who I am,” he says. “I prefer it and plan my trips spontaneously.”
For unseasoned travelers, solo travel without planning and intention can result in high stress. Here are some important insights that’ll ease your fears and help get you out there — on your own.
Krisha Chachra served eight years on the Blacksburg Town Council and has written for NRV Magazine for a decade. She is a member of The Mama Movement and a proud mom to a curious toddler. Krisha is a community advocate and connector and runs an event production organization that hosts Up on the Roof. Krisha has reported and hosted shows for public radio and television and has freelanced for USA Weekend Magazine, the Honolulu Advertiser and the Alexandria Gazette among others. Her book about returning to Blacksburg, Homecoming Journals, may be found online or in local bookstores.
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