In the last few years, the term "solo travel" has exploded in popularity in certain corners of the internet. Particularly for women, the rise of remote work as well as cultural shifts around marriage and family expectations in the last half-century have increased opportunities for many to take adventures around the world without being accompanied by a partner or friends.
The new 2024 Global Travel Trends report from American Express Travel (AXP) highlights these generational differences in attitudes toward solitary travel — while 69% of the 2,005 adults polled said that they were planning to take a trip alone in 2024, that number rose to 76% for Millennials and Generation Z travelers.
Related: I am a woman who hates 'solo travel' — this is why
Similar generational differences also exist for trips booked at the last minute. While 78% of respondents said that they generally like spontaneous trips, only 65% of Generation Xers and 52% of Baby Boomers said they actually booked a trip less than a week before they were to take off in the last year compared to 77% of Millennials and Generation Zers.
Solo travel, spontaneous trips and other trends identified by American Express
"People are traveling to make memories in 2024," Audrey Hendley of American Express Travel said in a statement on the findings. "While everyone's motivation for booking a trip is unique – whether it's taking a quick solo weekend getaway to recharge or embarking on an expedition cruise or safari – the trips that are trending are sure to be transformative."
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Those who enjoy solo travel tend to generally be more adventurous as 60% of respondents planning to go on a trip alone this year plan to take at least two others in the same 12 months.
While self-love and pampering oneself was a primary reason for wanting to travel alone for 66% of travelers, 57% said that they were more likely to go alone for a quick weekend getaway than a longer trip to a faraway country.
'Commemorate a special event or check a dream destination off a wish-list...'
Otherwise, the type of solo travel people plan on doing is pretty evenly split — 29% of respondents plan to visit a new city, 27% said they would travel domestically to a place they've already been to and 22% are specifically seeking out beach and island destinations.
52% said that they get inspired for trips they want to take by seeing what friends or family are doing while a respective 39% and 37% turn to social media and travel websites.
The rising cost of airfare and accommodation have also not seeped into decreased travel — 82% of respondents said they plan on spending more or the same amount of money on travel compared to last year while there has also been a rise in travel specifically for sports events.
Compared to 58% of respondents as a whole, 67% of Millennials and Gen-Zers respondents said that they are interested in traveling to see a sports game or other event this year.
"Whether they’re designed to commemorate a special event or checking a dream destination off a wish-list, 'major' trips are on the rise," reads the American Express report.
