Go it alone: solo trips on the rise as travellers opt for ‘me time’

     

  More Britons are choosing to travel on their own, using apps and social media, as it means a holiday without compromises

     Solo travel is on the rise as a growing number of holidaymakers opt for trips that allow them to “do what they want”. Around 15% of travellers took a trip on their own in the last year, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta). The figure is up from 12% last year and 6% in 2011.

     The age range that showed the biggest increase was that of 35-44 year olds, with more than 16% taking a trip alone: the figure for 2017 was just 5%. Having the opportunity to do whatever they wanted was the most common reason given by three-quarters of people surveyed in all age groups, while taking time out and meeting new people have become less important, according to the report.

     The upward trend over the last decade is attributed to improved technology and a growing number of apps (alongside social media) that enable travellers to navigate the world with more ease and confidence alone: from instant language translation, free global messaging and other roaming options, to apps that connect people with other solo travellers or local hosts for dinner, tours or a bed for the night.

     Travel companies have responded to demand by offering a range of options for people booking by themselves. Tour operators, such as Intrepid Travel, have doubled its offering of independent trips this year and says “solos” now represent 50% of its customers. Its small group tours for solo travellers aim to offer a “ready-made group of friends”

     Abta reported that, overall, the number of British people taking a holiday remained high, with 86% of respondents taking a holiday at home or abroad in the 12 months to August 2018. Package holidays remain a popular choice for holidays abroad and city breaks were still the most popular type of trip: 48% of those surveyed having taken one this year, closely followed by beach holidays (40%).

     Despite the positive figures from Abta, the British tourist authority chairman Steve Ridgway’s response had a note of caution, in light of Brexit: “We face a number of significant challenges, the most important, the UK’s departure from the European Union. We want to ensure that the future relationship keeps our borders as frictionless as possible for visitors, our aviation as connected as ever and our economic stability on track, because tourism depends on this.”

Adapted from The Guardian 9th October 2018

Question 2 Answer the following questions in your own words.

1. Why are more and more people taking a holiday on their own?
2. How does technology help solo travelers?
3. In what way have travel companies changed?
4. What types of holidays do Britons prefer?
5. Why is Steve Ridway worried about Brexit?

KEY

a) There is a growing number of people travelling alone since this way of travelling offers them the freedom to choose what they can do; whereas before they wanted to have time for themselves or just meet new friends.

b) Technology helps solo travelers as they feel they can rely on it if they have problems with the language and can communicate easily with other people travelling on their own; what’s more, they can even contanct locals, who they can meet with for dinner or for accommodation.

c) They have adapted to this new trend because it means half of their customers; they are offering them tours in which a new group of friends is made to measure.

d) Apart from this new tendency to travel alone, they still opt for holidays which include everything you need to travel; they also enjoy their holidays in the city, followed by trips to the coast.

e) He fears Brexit will change the relationship with the EU in the future in terms of frontiers, flight connections and the stability of their economy.