Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- One in six adults take solo holidays
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- Figure 1: Holiday companions, July 2017 vs July 2018
- Fall in percentage of older singles…
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- Figure 2: Marital status profile of solo holidaymakers, July 2017 vs July 2018
- …but solo Boomers offer opportunities
- Solo holidaymakers are more active
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- Figure 3: Type of holiday taken, by travel companions, July 2018
- Solo travel driven by desire more than necessity
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- Figure 4: Reasons for taking a solo holiday, July 2018
- Price, security, and 24/7 contact are key opportunities for brands
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- Figure 5: Factors rated as ‘important’ or ‘very important’ by solo holidaymakers, July 2018
- Escorted tours have biggest growth potential
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- Figure 6: Interest in types of solo/group holiday, July 2018
- Small is beautiful for group travellers
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- Figure 7: Group preferences for solo/group holidays, July 2018
- Solo travel entering the mainstream but stigma remains
- Mainstream industry still seen as falling short
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- Figure 8: Agreement with statements about solo travel, July 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Solo concierge
- The facts
- The implications
- Agents can become solo travel experts
- The facts
- The implications
- Empowering ‘me-time’ travellers
- The facts
- The implications
- Groups need more flexible formats
- The facts
- The implications
- Helping solos to create DIY group holidays
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Domestic and overseas markets reach new peak
- Shift from older to younger singles…
- …but demographic trend points to older singles opportunities
- The price of solo living
- Budget/premium polarisation
- P2P sector could disrupt hotel pricing for singles
Market Background
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- UK breaks beat ‘staycation year’ record
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- Figure 9: Trends in the number and value of domestic holidays taken by UK residents, 2012-17
- Holidays abroad finally surpass pre-crash levels
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- Figure 10: Trends in the number and value of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, 2012-17
- Singles to solos
- Younger singles percentage rising
- One in three solo travellers live in a couple
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- Figure 11: Marital status profile of solo holidaymakers, July 2017 vs July 2018
- Never married population has risen sharply…
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- Figure 12: Marital status of population age 16+, England and Wales, 2002-17
- …partly due to cohabitation growth
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- Figure 13: Living arrangements age 16+, England and Wales, 2002-17
- Over-50s solos are the largest growth opportunity
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- Figure 14: Those not living in a couple aged 16+, by age, England and Wales, 2002-17
- Single boomers offer potential
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- Figure 15: One-person households, by age, UK, 2002-17
- Solo living to account for 29% of households by 2023
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- Figure 16: UK household size, number and forecast, UK, 2013-23
- The cost of living alone
- Single-person supplement
- P2P sector could help to drive change
- Supplement-free is a key selling-point for groups market
- Solos lose out on railcards
- Price-sensitive singles…
- …but better-off solos offer premium opportunities
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- Figure 17: Financial situation of UK consumers, by marital status, July 2018
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- One in five Saga customers travel solo
- Groups sector drives innovation
- G Adventures takes leading stake in singles market
- Other leading escorted tour brands
- Group-adventure brands
- Special interest brands
- Solo-only escorted tours
- Adventurous over-50s
- Solo cruising
- Support tools for solos
Companies
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- Singles specialists
- Escorted tour operators
- Group-adventure brands
- Special interest – a highly fragmented market
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- Figure 18: Latest reported turnover of selected tour operators of relevance to the solo holiday market
- Travel agents/expert advice
- Social TripAdvisor offers opportunity for solo experts
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Escorted tour sector targeting solos
- Solo adventures
- Just You
- Saga Holidays
- Intrepid
- Solo cruise innovation
- Solo wellness
- New solo price-tracker tool
- Tech tools for solo safety
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Solo holiday-taking up two points
- Female influencers
- Solos shun the beach…
- …and head for the city
- Freedom and time to myself are main motivations
- Single supplement and safety are key issues
- Social elements important for Millennials
- Groups potential
- Solo travel still carries stigma amongst young
Holiday Companions and Solo Travel
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- Courting solo travellers can benefit mainstream brands
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- Figure 19: Holiday companions, July 2017 vs July 2018
- Men and under-45s most likely to travel solo
- Household income is a key driver of solo travel
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- Figure 20: Solo holidaymakers by demographics, July 2018
Types of Solo Holiday
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- Solo holidays are more active
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- Figure 21: Type of holiday taken, by travel companions, July 2018
- Younger solos more attracted to specialist holidays
- Cruises and escorted tours under-represented amongst older solos
- Solo-friendly cities
- Millennial solos are diverse holiday-takers
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- Figure 22: Number of holiday types taken by solo travellers in the past five years, July 2018
Reasons for Taking Solo Holidays
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- Freedom and self-determination are key drivers
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- Figure 23: Reasons for taking a solo holiday, July 2018
- Couples doing their own thing
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- Figure 24: Reasons for taking a solo holiday, by marital status, July 2018
- Non-solo travellers also recognise the benefits
Important Factors for Solo Holidaymakers
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- Room rates and safety are most important issues
- Solos seek 24/7 support
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- Figure 25: Factors rated as ‘important’ or ‘very important’ by solo holidaymakers, July 2018
- Technology can be used as a social facilitator
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- Figure 26: Factors rated as ‘important’ or ‘very important’ by solo holidaymakers, Millennials vs all solo travellers, July 2018
- Older female solos require greater assistance
Solo Travel and Group Holidays
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- Over half of solo travellers interested in escorted tours
- Adventure and hobby-based groups appeal most to solos under-45
- 40% of solos under-35 interested in beach-party groups
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- Figure 27: Interest in types of solo/group holiday, July 2018
- Group dynamics – age and gender
- Group dynamics – size
- 19% of solo travellers interested in singles-only groups
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- Figure 28: Group preferences for solo/group holidays, July 2018
Attitudes towards Solo Holidays
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- Stigma still attached to holidaying alone
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- Figure 29: Solo Holidays – CHAID – Tree output, July 2018
- Spirit of adventure
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- Figure 30: Agreement with statements about solo travel, July 2018
- Many see solo travel as lonely and dangerous
- Breaking down negative perceptions
- Brands can bring solo travellers and locals together
- Me-time gender dispute
- Six in 10 solos say industry does not cater well for them
Attitudes towards Group Holidays
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- Group holidays can cramp style of freedom-loving solos
- Making group holidays more flexible
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- Figure 31: Agreement with statements about group holidays, July 2018
- DIY group holidays
- Love Island holidays
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations, and Supporting Information
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- Definitions
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- CHAID methodology
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