Aussie females don’t need no man; travel solo

TripAdvisor has marked International Women’s Day with a refreshing survey, showing solo female travellers are on the rise.

The Women’s Travel Survey, which looked at over 9000 women globally, and almost 2000 women from down under, showed that independent travel is on the up and up.

A massive 44% of Aussie women say they’ve travelled solo in the past, compared to 33% in 2014, and unsurprisingly, the women of Australia, along with the ladies of UK, rank among the most independent female travellers in the world.

81% of Aussie lasses say they’re planning to travel alone this year, with just shy of half squeezing in between two and four solo getaways in 2015.

And the top reason for independent female travel? The freedom of doing whatever they want, an answer that ranked around 56%.

Friends and family not having the time or resources to travel with them was the answer of 38% of Aussie women for jetsetting alone, while the independence and various challenges of hitting the streets solo was the reason for 35% of women.

Learning to become more self-reliant and gaining confidence was something that 60% and 39%, respectively, cited as positive outcomes of the practice, with many also enjoying the cultural experiences they find when heading OS alone.

Taking precautions, however, was also high on the agenda for Aussie women taking to travel independently, with the majority of women avoiding going out late at night (69%), avoiding quiet streets (42%), and not sticking out by looking like a tourist (44%).

A spokesperson from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs said that while all travellers hit risky brick walls, women can often face more than men.

“It’s important to plan well – the better prepared you are, the safer and more enjoyable your travel will be,” they said.

The top destinations for women to hit up alone included London as number one, followed by New York, Paris, Bali and Singapore.

In our own backyards, women are keen to visit Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and Hobart.

On top of solo travel, Aussie women are also taking more female only getaways, with half of the respondents saying they enjoy visiting and doing the same things on holidays, as well as wanting to “re-connect” with friends.

And as strong, independent women who don’t need no man, research is king when it comes to booking a holiday.

91% of Aussie women read online hotel reviews, while 65% turn to travel websites for hotel price comparison.

Good user reviews influenced 87% of women in their accommodation choices, meaning that online reputations are now more important than ever for travel companies.

“Women from Australia to America are fulfilling their wanderlust by planning and booking their holidays whenever they want, however they want and with whomever they want,” Cindy Tan, Vice President, APAC at TripAdvisor said.

SmartTraveller also had a few tips for ladies wanting to explore the world solo.

1. Always research your destination and check the travel advice on Smartraveller for safety, health and legal issues that affect women travellers.

2. Never go overseas without appropriate travel insurance; make sure your insurance covers you for all of your activities for the entire length of your trip.

3. Act confidently and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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