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Save/ShareThe New York Times ran an article yesterday about explosive growth in solo travel. It's not especially surprising, given related, long-emerging demographic trends like high divorce rates, delayed marriage ages, and a new freedom in the expectations surrounding couple-hood. That it's not your grandfather's travel world anymore seems pretty obvious.
So I was about to give the article a quick once-over when my eyes fixed on the story of Absolute Travel, a website based in New York City that will play vacation matchmaker starting in January '08, sending strangers away on trips based on a questionnaire. This strikes me as a pretty good premise for a comedy. And a not-entirely-bad premise for a tragedy.
It's not that I think solo travelers should be stuck schlepping around the world alone if they don't want to. It's just that Absolute Travel, despite its efforts to break new ground, feels, well...a little old school. With social media sites finding automated, almost instantaneous ways to match you up with others just like yourself—right down to your taste in books, music, food, fashion, and everything else, too—there simply must be a thousand people just like you going where you're going, at roughly the same time, all only a few keystrokes away. Are there travel websites fully tapping into this potential?
So help me out: Who's the best in online travel right now for finding vacation companions for solos? Is anyone doing it really well, with great new tools suited to the modern digital environment? Or is it best, as NYT readers would have it, to leave home alone and make your friends along the way?—which, come to think of it, might be just old school enough to qualify as new school.
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I think there are tour groups like GAP and Intrepid where you will find most of the travellers are single, and you don't have to worry about being stuck with one 'match'. Beyond that, anyone willing to stay at a hostel for a night or two will definitely make enough friends to satisfy the need to have companions but also have the benefit of alone time if you want it.
Posted By Jessica on December 6, 2007, 12:20 PM
If you are looking for a singles tour with different tours try All Singles Travel (www.allsinglestravel.com).They have a variety of different trips to common and uncommon places.
Posted By Laurel on December 6, 2007, 2:04 PM
Go Solo! As they say, it's better to travel alone than to travel with a bad companion.
Posted By Beth Whitman on December 7, 2007, 10:36 AM
Is traveling alone such a dreary thought that you'd rather be stuck behind closed doors in a hotel, night after night, with a stranger that some travel company or a social networking site just matched you up with? Even if you don't share a room, you'll likely be sharing meals, museum tours, etc, because you've committed to do so. And yet, you may quickly find you irritate each other, or aren't compatible travel partners. Why would you set yourself up for that? Traveling with someone you know is hard enough. Why is it okay to find strangers at home to travel with, but scary to find strangers once you get where you're going? There are many ways to find people at a vacation location. Don't be the star of the "tragedy" written about in this blog by dragging along someone you've just met, but also have committed to, for your entire time away. Tragic, indeed.
Posted By boldlygosolo.com on December 7, 2007, 11:26 AM
Beth,
You're one of the nation's top experts on solo travel, so we're delighted that you've chimed in with your insights. Thanks for posting!
--Blog editor
Posted By Blog Editor on December 7, 2007, 2:49 PM
I agree - go solo - be free. I do, and love every minute of it. I do meet great people along the way, but I don't have to share my hotel room with a companion that snores etc... I talk more to locals and other tourists when I don't have a companion to distract me.
Posted By Debi on December 7, 2007, 6:36 PM
I don't really know of a website that would help you find a companion or really if you should have one. I'm currently solo traveling right now in Peru. I'm having a blast and I've met locals and other solo travelers here. I think the best thing to do is be prepared and expect the unexpected. You won't regret it.
Posted By Alden on December 10, 2007, 11:00 AM
I often travel alone, and like it! Traveling with someone else can be fun too, but it means adaptation and compromise and I want it to be with someone I already know and trust!
Posted By Freddie on December 11, 2007, 10:24 AM
As a travel agent for a company that specializes in travel to running marathons (marathontours.com) on all 7 continents, we offer single travelers the opportunity to be matched with another runner of the same sex to avoid the single supplement. Since everyone is a already a runner, most people usually match up well.
Posted By Cliff on December 13, 2007, 12:26 PM
The Single Supplement is the reason people are looking for traveling companions. I think if it wasn't for that problem many people would be happy to travel solo.
Posted By Carol on December 13, 2007, 1:38 PM
I have traveled a lot on my own in the United States, but I prefer to travel with others outside the country. Last September I took a trip with GAP Adventures, and I was among other single travelers. What I liked most *before* the trip was that GAP didn't charge the dreaded "singles supplement" that puts many trips out of my reach. What I appreciated most *after* was the opportunity to make new friends--several whom I hope I'll travel with again. The trip gave enough flexibility to explore on my own when I wanted to. I'm sure people sometimes have bad experiences rooming with strangers, but a good tour operator should do what it can to address those problems--trying to get roommates to swap, etc, offering the option of your own room (if you're really impossible, I guess!). Not everyone feels comfortable traveling alone, but there are lots of options out there to travel in a solitary way while still having the safety net of being with others. And you might make some friends along the way, too.
Posted By Janine Guglielmino on December 13, 2007, 1:40 PM
I don't mind traveling alone- but feel like I am ripped off whne it comes to the inspid "Single Supplement". Would'nt it be nice if there was a travel service that books whatever trip you may want for solo travelers- without matching you with a roommate. I would love to take a nice cruise- but the extra expense is ridiculous!!!
Posted By John Meissner on December 13, 2007, 1:53 PM
I've just returned from a cruise with a singles group organized by Vacations to Go, and I chose to be matched with a roommate to avoid the single supplement. It worked out great. I also arranged to room with someone I hadn't met at the hotel the night before the cruise. That also worked out great. Most people are decent and will try to be considerate. Of the many of us who had stranger roommates on this cruise, I heard only one horror story. I definitely recommend giving it a try--I met at least 3 more people than I might have otherwise met.
Posted By Stephanie Waldrop on December 13, 2007, 2:40 PM
Re: the dreaded single supplement.
I have recently started asking for a discount when I am staying at a hotel/motel - based on the obvious fact that I am using half the water, half the towels, etc. and, if there is breakfast included, I am eating one, not two, breakfasts.
Probably can't do that on a tour or cruise, but to be expected to pay full amount for a roomate that isn't there is ridiculous!
Tour operators, cruise lines, and others in the industry should get with the program if they want us singles to give them our money!
Posted By Marian Haines on December 13, 2007, 2:43 PM
I love to travel solo! I've done many trips with family and friends, but going solo allows me to do what I want when I want. I can change plans last minute, take my time when taking pictures, and not have to worry if my travel mate is having a good time.
I've even paid the single supplement on a cruise, and although I don't like paying the extra bucks, I do love the comfort of having a cabin to myself. I meet lots of people on board, so I never feel lonely.
Monica
Posted By Monica Pileggi on December 13, 2007, 6:11 PM
I would love travel more on my own but cannot because of the single supplement, especially on cruises. While I can justify a SMALL extra charge for the room, I use less of everything so don't think it appropriate for the high supplements I usually see.
I wonder how much the travel industry actually loses by barring singles like me from traveling more? Probably not enough or the practise would be discontinued.
Posted By Terry Mood on December 14, 2007, 3:31 PM