Where in the world are solo travellers heading?

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By Hannah Edensor


Whether it’s a short business trip or an extended solitary adventure, more travellers are flying solo than ever before.

And a whole bunch of new data has been captured by Airbnb on the solo traveller, including the top new places for these adventurers to visit.

In destinations like Buenos Aires, Toronto and Oslo, anywhere from 14 to 27 per cent of all bookings are made by solo travellers, and emerging hotspots for solo travel include cities across the world.

Mexico made a big show in solo travel hotspots, with three of the top 10 growth hubs in Mexico. Meanwhile, Vietnam, Germany, South Korea, the US, Brazil and NZ also made the cut.

Australia, apparently, isn’t up there with a growing popularity for long travellers.

Airbnb also sourced data on what solo travellers do once they arrive in their destination, following their launch of Trips. The most-booked Experiences for solo travelers include cooking classes, surfing lessons and crafting workshops.

In Barcelona, for example, the most-booked Experience among solo travelers is Paella Maestro, a leisurely lesson in preparing one of Spain’s signature dishes, all accompanied by sangria, desserts and great company.

Experience: Secret Garden Paella

Solo travelers to Paris booked Bike & Bites, a journey on two wheels through the Parisian foodie havens that only locals know about.

In San Francisco, solo travelers let their hair down in Sunset Disco Yoga, a groovy wellness yoga and dance Experience that overlooks the city’s dramatic natural landmarks.

But back to the destination! When your own company is all you’re after on a getaway, based on growth in single-person home bookings over 2016, below are some trending destinations for solo travel:

  • Cancun, Mexico – up 170 per cent in solo traveller bookings

Tropical paradise sunset: Aerial Sunny Sandy caribbean palm trees beach

  • Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – up 146 per cent

Intersection in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

  • Cologne, Germany – up 142 per cent

Cologne, Germany

  • Playa del Carmen, Mexico – up 141 per cent

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

  • Johannesburg, South Africa – up 135 per cent

Joburg trains

  • São Paulo, Brazil – up 128 per cent

Crowd

  • Auckland, New Zealand – up 114 per cent

Bethells Beach

  • Mexico City, Mexico – up 109 per cent

Mexico City's Downtown At Twilight

  • Charlotte, North Carolina, USA – up 106 per cent

Lake Norman

  • Busan, South Korea – up 103 per cent

Jagalchi Market

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