Until recently, solo travel would have been a daunting concept for many people – a style of travel more often reserved for seasoned executives, uninhibited backpackers and intrepid researchers.
As humans, we have an inherent desire to connect with others and be part of a community, which is why some people harbored doubts about exploring alone. But the tide is turning – and fast.
We commissioned a global
Solo Travel Survey
last October which returned fascinating results. Of the nearly 21,000 people we surveyed around the globe, 76% indicated that they have either traveled alone already or are considering it – regardless of age, gender and nationality.
Yes, you read that right: The vast majority of people are interested in traveling solo.
And with this evolving trend comes promising business opportunities. To make the most of them, it’s important to first understand the reasons behind the modern travelers’ behavior.
As you might anticipate, motivations vary notably by age group: More than half (53%) of Generation Z respondents said the most important reason for solo travel was to have more “me-time” for self-care or to reward themselves and, amongst the younger group, 40% of both Generation Z and Millennials said they were keen to “meet or date new people.”
By contrast, 41% of Generation X and 37% of Baby Boomers said they are drawn to the “flexibility of traveling alone.”
Geographically, our data revealed that travelers in Asia are leading the solo travel trend by a large margin: Between 69% and 93% of travelers in Asia have either traveled alone in the past or say they are open to the idea, compared with 60-69% in western countries.
Within the larger region, the most influential markets are Korea (93%), Vietnam (84%), mainland China (84%), and Taiwan (84%), which leads one to wonder: Why Asia?
We asked travelers in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and mainland China – home to some of the largest cities and megacities in the world – what compels them to travel solo? As a testament to the infamously high-stress lifestyles in these markets, respondents’ top motivations are “getting away” from the daily grind and “taking a break from work.”
Based on current trends that we’ve observed in our Solo Travel Survey as well as internal booking data, all signs point to a growing demand for solo travel around the globe.
Whether travelers are seeking freedom or flexibility, new friends or more "me-time," the solo travel market will only expand as more people begin to feel comfortable with the idea of exploring alone. At Klook, we’re keeping close tabs on these developments and working on new ways to meet the specific needs of solo travelers to capture demand.
For instance, we’re working closely with local operators to forgo minimum participant requirements on tours and activities.
As of today, 91% of activities on Klook’s platform requires only one person to join, and we’re constantly striving to remove restrictions across the board to ensure our experiences are more accessible to solo travelers.
With the rapid rise of solo travel around the world, the tours and activities sector is poised to grow dramatically in the coming years.
Based on our internal booking data, we have seen the total number of solo bookings on local tours increase by over 85% from 2018 to 2019 globally. Furthermore, close to 30% of survey respondents around the world said signing up for a local tour is a "must-do" when exploring alone.
Of course, there’s still a huge, untapped market of travelers who have yet to embrace solo travel. Close to 50% of respondents indicated that a "fear of loneliness" is holding them back. To empower more people to travel alone, Klook is curating new experiences geared for independent travelers, as well as exploring innovative ways to connect like-minded people through technology.
Since close to a third of Klook’s survey respondents said "meeting new friends" is a must-do on a solo trip, we believe that we can greatly enhance the solo travel experience by creating a sense of community.
This brings us back to this natural inclination to connect with others and feel part of something bigger, a tribe of like-minded people – in this case, a community that shares a love for travel, self-care and learning about other cultures.
Whether travelers are exploring on their own or hitting the road with loved ones, we’re dedicated to helping them enjoy the best of every destination and feel part of a global tribe of curious, passionate explorers.