It’s incredibly exciting to step off a plane and into a new country by yourself. You can explore the world at your leisure without any restrictions or expectations. Traveling alone can be like Marmite for women; you either love it or hate it.
Some people who fall into this category believe that traveling alone means spending days in solitude and nights worrying about your safety. But that is not the case. We explore the ways in which the travel industry puts women first, from female-only companies to hotels with a floor reserved for them.
A trend that is growing steadily
Women make up the majority of solo travelers (84%), so it is clear that women are eager to travel alone.
“Solo female travelers are an important market that is growing rapidly,” said Zina Bencheikh, Intrepid, managing director of EMEA. “Attitudes are changing. Solo travel used to be reserved for the bravest and most adventurous. Now, it is seen as an opportunity for self-discovery and empowerment. Women are choosing more adventurous travel, such as hiking the Inca Trail or going on a Serengeti safari.
According to The Wandering RV, the average woman traveler takes three or more trips per year. 72% of American women choose solo travel. This is not to say there aren’t any improvements that can be made.
Priyanka Junja is the founder of Hera Travel. She said: “I realised I needed to improve things for women in the travel industry when I was discouraged from taking a solo vacation to Cairo, Egypt. I was told that it would be unsafe and I’d feel very alone.”
This was the turning point that inspired me to launch Hera Travel. A digital platform that connects women with other women so that they can travel alone, but not alone.
Here is a travel company that aims to reduce the stress of traveling. But Hera is different from other companies because it caters exclusively to women. Here is a travel company that works in an effective but simple way. The women who join the trip are all booked in the same hotel, which is either owned or run by women. They’re also added to a small group. Women can choose to either explore the country alone or reach out to others in the community.
Hera Travel will also launch a membership in October to empower women to travel alone. You will have access to monthly solo trips and a community of women travelers. The doors will be open only for a short time, so click Here if you want to stay up-to-date so that you don’t forget!
Hera understands the frustrations that can accompany travel and offers services to make it as stress-free and liberating as possible. Hera offers airport pickups and drops, as well as starter packs for solo travelers.
Intrepid Travel has also created packages that cater to the solo female traveler trend. Intrepid Travel offers a variety of tours in specific destinations to help women who want to travel alone with extra support. The agency aims to remove barriers, promote discussion, and provide immersive local experiences.
Traveling alone can be difficult. “A group tour takes care of all the logistics so that you can focus on having fun,” says Zina. The safety of female travelers is also a concern. Our tour guides know which areas to avoid in the city after dark. They know how they can haggle in markets, avoid scams and pickpockets, and have a great time without any risks.
Next step
If you want to give your solo trip an extra level of privacy, consider staying in a hotel with rooms and floors dedicated to women travelers. Some hotels change their amenities. Others go one step further by providing extra security and banning men from the women-only rooms.
The luxurious Eva rooms at ITC Hotels are the perfect option for women who want to experience India. The Eva rooms were created with single women in mind. They are located in an area of the hotel that is secluded, and only female staff will attend to them. The Eva rooms have additional security features and are manned 24/7 by a female guard.
Dukes Hotel in London has offered its Duchess Rooms service since 2010. The service is so discrete that it’s hard to find any details on the internet. A female attendant will accompany the guests to their rooms and take care of any room service or housekeeping needs. There are also the feminine touches that you would expect in your room, like smaller slippers and a bouquet of fresh flowers.
Another hotel where female travelers can enjoy the “princess-treatment” is The Ellis Hotel in Atlanta. The elegant hotel offers a special service to female guests on an entire floor.
This floor is accessible only by a special keycard. The corridors of this floor are decorated with silk flowers and floral scents, as well as original artworks from the Chelko Foundation. The deluxe accommodations offer guests a comfortable sleep, with amenities such as a hair straightener, curling irons, fluffy robes, slippers, and a relaxing sleep mask.
The Bliss Sanctuary for Women welcomes female solo travelers to Bali in Indonesia. Solo guests can enjoy unlimited yoga, massages, and sightseeing tours, along with a variety of Southeast Asian and Western cuisine, through The Bliss Experience. The Bliss Experience offers a variety of traditional Southeast Asian and Western cuisine, as well as a hostess who will organize the guests’ itinerary to make sure they enjoy a stress-free vacation. Each guest is also provided with a driver for ease in moving around the island.
Ready to depart
Unfortunately, there are not many options available for women only.
Priyanka says that depending on where you are going, it may not be possible to book a hotel with women only. But if this option isn’t available, she always tries to stay at a woman-owned or woman-managed accommodation.
“For our upcoming trip to Seattle, for example, we are working with a hotel managed by women.” They ensure that there is always at least one woman working on the shift so that guests can always get help from a female employee.
The women’s travel industry is booming, and we can now safely travel around the world. You can choose to travel the world alone or in a group with organized friends.
