The travel industry has finally realized the purchasing power of women travelers.
One of the fastest growing sectors in tourism is women-only travel. In less than 10 years, the number of women-only tours have increased more than 200%. And not just tours of gardens and stately homes! Women-only groups explore ashrams in India, ride horses across Iceland, hike the Himalayas, view bears in Alaska, etc. This is because the travel industry has finally realized that women travelers have considerable purchasing power. You’ll find tour companies are now offering packages for women only and some are even specializing in nothing but women-only tours.
If you’re curious about the advantages and the benefits of a women-only tour, here are a few reasons to investigate this fast-growing trend:
Safety: Travel safety [3] on a women-only tour goes beyond the usual concerns of reliable transportation or how to cope with illness or injury away from home. You’ll find arrangements such as hotels with excellent security that are located in safe areas and neighborhoods. In addition, women’s tour operators will be sensitive to cultural differences in attitudes towards women and how to prepare their passengers for these differences. This can make all the difference in how much a woman enjoys her trip.
Herstory vs. History: A good tour is one where you have a lot of fun and learn something about the place you visit. Too often, though, tours focus on famous men and their achievements, blithely ignoring the roles that women play in the history of a place. Women-only tours are more likely to include local women’s stories and achievements than most other tours. Learning how other women lived, whether their lives were vastly different or remarkably similar, gives women travelers a deeper connection to the places they visit.
Partners (Or the Lack Thereof): A woman who doesn’t have a partner feels safer and less lonely in a group. But if it’s a singles [4] group, she may have to deal with the emphasis on romance. And if the group is made up mostly of couples and families, she’ll feel like a third wheel. Meanwhile, women with spouses or partners may not want to travel with their companion. For both types of women, women-only tours allow the chance to travel just for the sake of traveling, taking advantage of the company of traveling in a group [5] and being left alone when the need for solo space arises.
Is It For You?
You won’t really know until you’ve tried! But if you need another reason, consider this: choosing a women-only tour means supporting women entrepreneurship, since most of these tour companies are owned by women and have women leading the tours. So in addition to traveling safely, learning more about women’s history and being in a group that makes you feel comfortable, you’re supporting another woman’s dream of leadership and achievement.
Have you taken a women-only tour? Or would you rather travel with men? Please let us know your thoughts in the field below.