The world of travel has paid little attention to solo adventurers — challenging logistics and extra work have been a great obstacle. However, the urge for solo travel experiences is becoming more powerful. Data from Airbnb shows that during the first quarter of 2022, 50% of long-term stay reservations were made by solo travelers. Such bookings rose by 42% during the last two years — this shift is impossible to ignore.

So COAX didn’t ignore it! We did some comprehensive research on this topic. We want to share a detailed outlook on the solo traveling market and solutions.

How is the solo travel market growing and why? Let’s figure out.

The solo travel market was valued at $482.5B in 2024, and will potentially reach $1.5T by 2033! But what’s driving this rapid rise?

• It’s a way to avoid the constraints of coordinating with others, and a chance to travel on your terms. It was the main reason named by tourists from the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia.

• It gives opportunity to work remotely while traveling, with the number of digital nomads in the U.S. reaching 17.3 million by mid-2023, creating a whole new lifestyle.

• It’s a chance to be free and build your schedule without caring for anyone’s budget, plans, or interests. For 83% of women surveyed, it’s an escape from routine and a way for inner freedom.

Solo traveling sounds like a great adventure, but does it have downsides?

With all the solo travel attractions, it presents challenges. Safety concerns, particularly for female travelers, are a significant barrier, with 69% citing it as their main issue. Loneliness can also dampen the magic, as breathtaking sunsets and tasty local meals can feel dull and dry without good company.

Handling decisions and issues alone can be frustrating. Additionally, solo travelers often face extra costs, from single supplement fees to the inability to split expenses like private cab rides.

To help your customers handle these issues, you should spend significant time and resources on the specific service, offerings, and safety precautions. Is it rewarding? It is, and let’s find out how.

Why is it good for you to cater to solo tourists?

The rewards of caring for your solo travelers are numerous. Solo travelers stay longer (19 days on average) and spend more (especially people over 55). Your revenue can increase significantly when you embrace this new market. Let’s dive into the details.

With curated packages for independent travel, agencies can differentiate their offerings in a crowded marketplace. Moreover, they can expand their customer base beyond couples and multi-person travel parties, tapping into a vast, adventure-hungry demographic.

Younger and unattached explorers or digital nomads have the flexibility to roam year-round, providing agencies with firm revenue streams. Furthermore, we only live once, so why not jump with a parachute? Cost-conscious tourists drop their concerns for once-in-a-lifetime adventures, giving you upselling opportunities to additional activities.

Being solo-friendly also allows you to promote yourself as an eco-friendly company, catering to another bursting travel trend! Surprisingly, solo trips can be sustainable by taking advantage of off-peak seasons and eco-lodges, farm stays, or local homestays that benefit communities.

Now that the “why should I do it” is clear, let’s get to “how can I do it”.

Software solutions to tap into the solo travel market

To serve solo travelers, travel companies must adopt savvy software solutions tailored to their needs. Here is some technology to effectively serve this market:

1. Hotel reservation systems act as a database to easily find ideal single rooms across partner hotels. By positioning yourself as a solo-friendly agency, you can attract more customers to use this option and more potential suppliers and hotel listings for your website or platform.

2. Online booking engines let solo travelers build custom trip bundles — airfare, solo-friendly hotels, transport, activities, etc. — allowing you to double or triple your income from the packages you provide.

3. Customer relationship management (CRM) software provides personalized support, tracking each journey and noting special requests. This is handy for solo travelers concerned about safety and allows you to make your service more efficient. It also allows you to store data for personalized campaigns and urge repeat visits.

4. Reporting/analytics reveal popular packages, pain points like loneliness/safety, and areas needing more focus. Such insights help you reduce negative feedback. Tracking your brand mentions and reviews is vital and having the data at hand helps prevent issues.

Since we mentioned your brand image and marketing, it’s time to delve deeper into it. Effective marketing resonates with the solo travel mindset:

• User-generated content like customer photos/videos builds trust and shows that you are not just throwing loud words about your solo-friendliness into the air.

• Influencers on Instagram/TikTok give an authentic glimpse into solo adventures, speaking to the relevant target audience of young and free people who want to experience the world.

• Interactive quizzes recommend trips matching someone’s travel personality and let you personalize your offers.

However, adopting new technologies can be challenging for new and established travel businesses. At COAX, we have a full range of services aimed at building targeted, efficient new market strategies, and building solutions to simplify this process for you.

Travel business embraces the solo shift — come along!

Leading travel companies, agencies, and providers are prioritizing solo-friendly offerings. The growing market even caused the rise of very precisely targeted companies like Solo Travel that bundle adult-only hotels, tours, and transport, catering to the needs of independent travel.

Well-established companies are jumping in, too. Airbnb’s Solo Traveler tool provides safety tips and itinerary sharing. Airlines are not lagging — airBaltic allows purchasing an extra seat, while Lufthansa assists unaccompanied minors. Such initiatives, services, and offerings give the feeling of freedom to their customers, and the ease of safety- and cost-related concerns.

As demand surges, offering curated solo packages and promoting the freedom, flexibility, and sustainability of independent exploration allows agencies to lead this lucrative market.