Solo travel has been gathering momentum in recent months, as travellers forgo waiting for companions to join them, and rather head out when it suits them and to the destinations they feel like travelling to.<\/p>\n
In fact, data from travel search engine Cheapflights.co.za<\/a> shows that there has been around a 172% increase in flight searches for solo passengers over this Christmas and New Year period, compared to the equivalent search period in pre-pandemic 2019.<\/p>\n Insights into who\u2019s travelling solo<\/strong><\/p>\n Millennials are automatically thought of as the epicentre of this burst of growth in the solo travel trend. But Boomers seem to be taking up the solo travel momentum too, and there is a notable surge in Boomers travelling solo as well.<\/p>\n While Millennials represent the larger portion of the solo travel pool, mature globetrotters are closing the gap. Boomers had the equivalent experiences during lockdown periods, so are in the same position as Millennials with regards to their views on travel, and maximising their life experiences. \u201cBaby Boomers are either looking towards retirement, or are already in this life stage. For the portion of the population that has invested in retirement savings, this means that they will have both time and income to put towards travelling to the places they\u2019ve always wanted to visit,\u201d suggests Tony Mallam MD of upnup, Africa\u2019s first passive micro-saving and investing platform.<\/p>\n Women Accelerate Solo Travel<\/strong><\/p>\n While solo travel as a whole is seeing ballooning interest, an increasing number of sources are indicating that women are important drivers of this trend.<\/p>\n The flexibility of the remote work culture, women being financially independent, and the desire and confidence of women to travel where and when they want to, have dropped the constraints holding them back. \u201cWomen are more empowered now than ever before. They are using this sense of empowerment to embrace life and experience different countries and cultures around the world. There is no reliance on anyone – just themselves – and women are taking their travels into their own hands, to experience the best that the world has to offer,\u201d comments Nicol Carelse, Guest Relations Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront.<\/p>\n For those taking up the solo adventure, here are some top tips to help you enjoy your travels to the max, while keeping safety in mind.<\/p>\n Closely explore destinations<\/strong><\/p>\n With so many wonderful and popular destinations for solo travellers to explore, choosing a destination (or destinations) that offers a great travel experience and has a high safety ranking is a good place to start. Here are the top 10 countries with the highest safety rankings according to the Numbeo Safety Index Mid-Year 2022<\/a> – and there may even be a few that you didn\u2019t think of as a potential destination before!<\/p>\n Qatar (safety ranking 85.85)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n United Arab Emirates (safety ranking 85.13)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Taiwan (safety ranking 83.85)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Isle Of Man (safety ranking 81.72)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Oman (safety ranking 80.28)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Hong Kong (safety ranking 78.38)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Armenia (safety ranking 78.25)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Switzerland (safety ranking 77.88)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Japan (safety ranking 77.76)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Slovenia (safety ranking 76.83)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Do your research<\/strong><\/p>\n Make sure to research your destination thoroughly before your trip. Look at what the best neighbourhoods are (and which ones aren\u2019t); whether there are certain transport services that you should avoid (see what reviews are written up about taxi and bus services); and read up reviews on the accommodation facility you intend to stay at.<\/p>\n Also make a note of emergency contact numbers, medical centres in the locale, and find good travel insurance that will keep you covered.<\/p>\n\n