Women-Only Travel: An Emerging Travel Industry Trend

Women have literally never traveled more than they do at the present moment—and that’s a fantastic indicator of their socioeconomic independence. It’s also transforming the fabric of the travel industry in new ways. 

Women have been the majority of travel decision-makers for years: data shows that 80 percent of people who plan travel for themselves, their families or their group are women. 

A recent Bank of America report now says that 64 percent of people traveling are also women, likely because women tend to prioritize travel experiences above material goods at a higher rate than men, prompting women to travel more often. 

More women are also traveling solo than ever, empowered by solo tour options and solo traveler mavens who provide smart tips and inspiration on traveling safely alone via social media and are unwilling to wait for friends or family to accompany them on trips. 

A report by JourneyWoman found that 61 percent of women over 50 prefer traveling solo. The market for women aged 50 and up is expected to grow in the U.S. and Canada from $245 billion to $519 billion by 2035—and that’s only about two generations of women travelers. 

This has led to a growing new trend that’s really only taken off in the years following the pandemic: women-only travel experiences. 

Tour operators and even a luxury river cruise line are beginning to offer more ways for women to travel with other women. 

“The rise of women-only travel is one of the most exciting shifts we’re seeing in the industry, reflecting a growing desire for confidence, connection, and camaraderie among female travelers,” said Melissa DaSilva, Deputy CEO of TTC Tour Brands. “Women are shaping the future of travel, they’re making more of the travel decisions, traveling more frequently, and are increasingly choosing solo adventures.”

Why are Women-Only Travel Experiences Growing so Popular? 

There are myriad reasons why women-only travel experiences are growing. 

First, women are the biggest consumers of travel, so it’s understandable how there would be curated experiences just for them. Like how Disney Cruise Line and Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts are designed with children in mind, women-only travel experiences are often created by and for women and are led by women, too. 

Second, the post-pandemic rise of solo travel that stemmed from a desire to explore without waiting on family or friends led them to an increased desire for connection, even while traveling alone.

“Fifty-three percent of women in the U.S. are single, and most women who travel solo are over 45 and most of them are single…” explained Girls’ Guide to the World founder Doni Belau. “What I think happened to most women after the pandemic is that it woke us up to the fleeting time we have on the planet, and many of us vowed to use it well. This was a literal wake-up call to not waste our lives saying one day we’d do this or that on our bucket list.”

“So after 1-2 years pent-up, unable to travel, suddenly once freed, we all took advantage of this newfound freedom and set about to really live out the last half or third of our lives doing what we actually wanted to do after spending the first two thirds devoted to work and family obligations.”

Many solo-traveling women seek connection while traveling, making women-only tours a popular alternative to going completely solo. 

EF Go Ahead Tours recently began offering a selection of tours for women and conducted a survey on female travel trends. Their survey found that 86 percent of women are interested in traveling with women-only groups—and while nearly half of the women surveyed felt uncomfortable engaging in an adventure activity alone, 61 percent felt more confident in a group setting, demonstrating the power of community empowerment.

Tour operators offering women-only travel experiences promise connection and safety—and often encourage women to seek out experiences they wouldn’t enjoy alone, like visiting a women’s co-op or engaging in adventure activities like mountaineering.

Women-Only Tour Operators Leading the Way

Despite the newfound popularity of women-only travel offerings, it's not a new thing. 

AdventureWomen began in the 1980s and has since been operating what it calls "soft adventure" trips for women.

The operator has grown 200 percent since 2016 and experienced a 50 percent growth in interest following the pandemic. It's experienced a 10-15 percent growth in interest each year since then. Sixty-five percent of its guests are solo travelers. 

Paige Davis, the operator's President, explains what makes AdventureWomen different: "We're not taking an itinerary off the shelf and putting the 'for women' headline on it. Every itinerary and every experience, every guide we select—every piece of the trip is curated thoughtfully with women in mind from the very beginning. Something we found is that women really want to know what it feels like to be a woman in the places they travel, and so every trip we offer has a women-to-women experience. Our guests are meeting women entrepreneurs, craftspeople, artisans—that's something that you won't see bigger companies doing."

"The other thing that really differentiates us is that we have a different level of customer service…for every confident traveler out there, we have a guest who's never left the country on her own or flown on her own. They're very fearless, very courageous, but they also appreciate having a safety net, and we have a 24/7 emergency line and a chat group for every trip we operate. The women on the trips themselves are a little bit of a safety net for each other, and they lift each other up and celebrate each other's victories…" 

Doni Belau is the founder of Girls' Guide to the World (GG2W), a women-only tour operator that began sixteen years ago and offers luxury small-group tours with a maximum of ten travelers each. Eighty-five percent of the women who book tours with the operator are solo travelers, but Belau explains that many end up lifelong friends after a GG2W trip. 

"We don't consider ourselves simply a tour company, we are on a mission to empower women to see the world in a way that wasn't open to them even 25 years ago and we want to be part of connecting them to other like-minded women from all over the world," Belau said. "They become fast friends with one another, stay in touch, come on other trips together and even have their own reunions. This happens all the time...I feel very strongly that travel is revelatory. It teaches you about yourself, opens you up to other cultures and ways of life and keeps your biases in check. Traveling with a group of women and coming back with new friends is incredibly empowering, especially as we get older."

Women-only travel experiences' focus on personal empowerment makes these experiences different, emphasizing community building and social interactions.

Tour Operators Offering Women-Only Trips

Many popular and well-known tour brands are launching their own women-specific travel experiences. 

Insight Vacations recently launched a women-only tour segment, offering premium accommodations, all-female Travel Directors and curated experiences. Solo women comprise 45 percent of the brand’s women-only tours. 

Melissa DaSilva, Deputy CEO of TTC Tour Brands, explains what sets the women-only tours apart: “Each departure is led by a female Travel Director who fosters a supportive and empowering environment, helping travelers step outside their comfort zones with confidence. These tours also feature exclusive immersive experiences, such as savoring the culinary artistry of Chef Najat Kaanache in Morocco, preserving ancient weaving traditions with the women of the Sacred Valley in Peru, and indulging in a paint and prosecco session with local artist and environmentalist Allison Zurfluh in Burano.”

Natural Habitat Adventures began offering a selection of Women’s Journeys in 2023, each led by female Expedition Leaders. The operator saw such success that it expanded Women’s Journeys by 75 percent in 2024 and is planning the same expansion in 2025. 

Each trip, regardless of location, focuses on telling the stories of female conservationists and the vital work women have done to protect the natural world.

“Each Women’s Journey departure is led by one of Nat Hab’s exceptional female Expedition Leaders—an inspiring group that includes Ph.D. scientists, wildlife biologists, and seasoned conservationists,” explains Renata Haas, Senior Vice President Head of Adventures—North America. “These accomplished women guide travelers on immersive adventures featuring exclusive experiences explicitly designed for Nat Hab’s Women’s Journeys while also sharing the stories of influential female conservationists throughout history. On [the] Northern Lights & Arctic Exploration: Women’s Journey, travelers meet with respected matriarchal elders and surviving members of Canadian First Nations in Churchill, engaging in meaningful conversations and oral storytelling to understand their enduring cultural traditions better.”

Women-Only Cruise Offerings

There are even some new travel offerings for women who like to cruise. 

Cruising is a troublesome travel style for solo women, as cruises often require them to pay a single supplement fee, which is the full double-occupancy rate of a cruise cabin. Essentially, solo travelers are charged as if they are two people. 

While savvy travelers can snag deals that waive the single supplement fee occasionally, it’s still a challenging aspect of cruising that discourages some solo travelers from cruising altogether. 

Uniworld Boutique Luxury Cruises is launching its first-ever women-only cruise this year. The August 25 departure will sail through southern France, with comedian Rachel Dratch coming on board the S.S. Catherine as a special guest. 

“In recent years, we noticed an increasing interest from women wanting to take a special trip with their female family members or friends. We also saw women looking for adventures after big life transitions, such as their kids leaving home or a career change,” said Ellen Bettridge, CEO and President of Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. “With all of this in mind, the Women-Only Cruise was created for women from all different walks of life to share new experiences, foster new friendships and enjoy plenty of laughter along the way.”

Women-Only Travel is Only Going to Grow

With more women prioritizing their experiences over material possessions, and finding freedom and empowerment through travel, it’s only natural that this unique segment of the travel industry will only grow in the years and decades to come—and why shouldn’t it, when women are the driving force behind the travel industry? 

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