The Rise of Solo Female Travel - And the Clubs Built to Serve It
More women are stepping out of their comfort zones and traveling solo. A handful of stats tell the story:
+68 % year-on-year growth in “solo female travel” Google searches (Skift, 2024).
84 % of millennial women say they’re “open to a solo trip in the next 12 months” (AmEx Travel).
Airbnb’s single-guest bookings are now majority female in the 25-44 bracket.
Why the uptick? A mix of factors: post-pandemic confidence, remote work flexibility, and a booming creator culture that normalizes solo adventures. Yet even as demand soars, concerns around safety, logistics, and community remain.
That gap is being filled by a new wave of women-only travel clubs, digital, subscription-based communities that wrap vetted trips, learning, and 24/7 support into one membership.
What modern solo travelers actually want
Safety mechanisms that feel proactive, not paranoid - Trusted local partners, group messaging, real-time check-ins.
Shared values over shared demographics - Trips built around photography, wellness, tech-free hiking—niche beats generic.
Friction-free logistics - One portal for flights, stays, insurance, and emergency numbers. No piecing together ten apps.
Stories worth telling - Think surf lessons in Portugal or coding retreats in Chiang Mai—moments that read well on a feed and feel even better in person.
How clubs translate these needs into a product
Worry about walking into the unknown → They partner with vetted hotels, book female guides, and arrange airport pick-ups so members feel secure from the first step.
“Who will I eat dinner with?” → Most clubs run private forums, roommate-match programs, and group chats (Slack or WhatsApp) that connect travelers before wheels-up.
Decision fatigue → Instead of endless options, they drop limited-edition itineraries—curated, date-specific trips that remove the guesswork.
Early movers—Her Adventures, Girls LOVE Travel, MarocMama Journeys—now post wait-lists for every departure. Revenue flows from annual dues, trip margins, brand collaborations, or all three combined.
The tech that lets non-travel brands join the party
Traditional agencies can’t scale niche trips cost-effectively, and building an OTA from scratch is a multi-million-dollar lift. White-label platforms such as Custom Travel Solutions change the calculus:
Plug-and-play inventory. Hotels, resort weeks, flights, tours—already contracted and ready to surface behind your logo.
Safety filters. Remove properties in high-risk areas with a click; spotlight female-owned vendors.
Tier tools. Offer a free community layer, a paid “Explorer” tier with booking credits, and a premium concierge plan without writing a line of code.
Own the data. Search, booking, and spend metrics feed back into your CRM for smarter retention plays.
Result: a wellness app, a coworking chain, even a women-led VC fund can spin up a branded travel club in weeks, not quarters.
Three launch plays you can steal
Hero retreat first. Sell one flagship trip (e.g., Iceland photography intensive) to prove demand. Use the buzz to open year-round membership.
Perks before trips. Advertise tangible benefits—discounted resort weeks, airport lounge passes—then layer in group departures.
Collab with a creator. Partner with a trusted influencer for the pilot itinerary. Their community brings instant credibility and built-in storytelling.
Take-away
Solo female travel isn’t a passing TikTok trend; it’s a reshaping of who owns the journey. Brands that step in with safe, story-rich, and easy-to-book experiences will earn not just bookings but lifelong advocates.