More women over 50 are packing their bags and jetting off alone. And they’re not necessarily booking one of those lovely, lazy beach stays (as nice as that is).
Adventure Travel to new, lesser-traveled destinations was the most popular type of Travel for the 50-plus crowd, according to a global study from solo travel publication Journeywoman. Bucket List destinations included the U.K., Europe and Scandinavia.
But some solo adventurers are opting for ports even more far-flung. Per Forbes, citing data on older female travelers from the Adventure Travel Trade Association: “Among some of the most popular adventure-focused trips are Adventure Life’s Fly-and-Cruise Antarctica—an eight-day journey, starting in Punta Arenas, Chile. You then fly two hours to King George Island, board the Magellan Explorer and cruise among the icebergs, penguins, seals, and whales of the white continent.”
If that doesn’t whet your wanderlust, here are some other hot destinations for intrepid solo globetrotters, according to The Solo Female Traveler Network:
The solo trend isn’t just about adventure travel. Another survey conducted among Journeywoman’s global tour operator network showed that 77% of all bookings in 2022 came from female solo travelers over the age of 55. Another popular category was, unsurprisingly, wellness and self-care.
We recently reported on Japan’s “silver backpackers” – older women who embark on Bucket List, at times lifechanging, trips—and they often do it alone. They’re at a stage of life where they find themselves with newfound freedom. Children are grown, careers have wound down, and there’s finally time to prioritize personal dreams and passions, including the opportunity to reflect, recharge, and explore the world on their own terms.
A study from the non-profit Road Scholar, which specializes in educational travel for older adults, found that while some of their solo tourists were unpartnered (mainly those over 65), at least 60% of the women were married, but chose to travel without their spouse. When asked why, 42% of women surveyed said their spouse “isn’t interested in traveling” while 40% said “they have different interests when it comes to travel.”
Responding to the trend, travel companies and group tour operators are working to cater to these female jetsetters, providing safety-enhanced, curated experiences that combine the freedom of solo travel with the camaraderie of like-minded travelers, fostering a sense of community.
With a plethora of options available, it’s easier than ever for women to embark on solo journeys without feeling alone. Here’s a sampling:
Research tells us the rewards of travel extend far beyond the destinations themselves. Exploring new places stimulates the brain, enhances creativity, and can even delay cognitive decline. The activities involved in travel, such as walking tours or Yoga retreats, contribute to cardiovascular Health and overall health. Travel also fosters a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Meeting new people and experiencing different cultures promotes connection and combats loneliness, which can negatively impact longevity.
In fact, as we reported here, a 40-year European study published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, found that travel promotes overall wellness and Longevity. This backs up previous research from the State University of New York at Oswego which found that vacationing every year reduced the overall risk of death by about 20 percent, and the risk of death from Heart Disease by as much as 30 percent.
The big takeaway for us: the rise of the solo female traveler among older adults is a testament to the power of adventure and self-discovery at any age. In the true spirit of SuperAging, these young-at-heart globetrotters are proving that it’s never too late to embark on the journey of a lifetime.
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