It’s been said before that the future is female, and statistics back up this prediction within the travel world, as well. So, as the travel industry re-emerges and recovers from the pandemic, travel advisors would be wise to attract and retain female clientele.
Women around the world were responsible for an estimated $31.8 trillion in consumer spending in the year leading up to the COVID-19 crisis, according to the World Data Lab. They also tend to spend much more in travel dollars than men. In fact, research suggests that women make at least 80% of all travel decisions, which equates to hundreds of billions of the industry’s purchasing power.
And while women tend to make the bulk of travel decisions for their families, there’s also a growing interest in solo adventure travel, especially after more than a year of pandemic lockdowns and restrictions.
Female travelers represent a massive market. These women are voracious in their exploration of new environments and experiences.
“We’ve definitely seen an uptick in female clientele over the past several years,” said Alexandra Vidak, general manager of Adventure Dubrovnik, an adventure tour group in Croatia.
The company, which offers sunset hikes, sea kayaking trips, biking tours and more, adds that 75% of its solo-traveling guests over the past five years have been women.
“This definitely appears to be a shift in mentality amongst the 18-35 age group, especially among highly independent millennials and Gen Z’ers, and it’s an absolutely important indicator for the post-pandemic travel industry,” Vidak added. “Female travelers represent a massive market. These women are voracious in their exploration of new environments and experiences.”
According to Casey Halloran, CEO of Namu Travel, Costa Rican Vacations — Namu Travel’s most popular brand — has also seen a massive increase in female travelers from multigenerational groups like mother-daughter duos or grandmother-mother-daughter trios to groups of female friends. In fact, this segment has grown over 25% since pre-pandemic times.
Most notably, however, Costa Rican Vacations is seeing a jump in solo female travelers who are splurging on “upscale adventure trips,” particularly among the 40-plus crowd experiencing career or relationship transitions. Halloran estimates that growth in this area is up five times from what it was before the pandemic.
“This group has shot up gigantically post-pandemic; it was never a major thing for us pre-COVID-19,” he said. “It seems like women are using travel as a means of self-discovery, reflection and transition.”
The Needs of Female Adventurers
Navigating the everyday concerns of adventure travel coupled with the stresses of COVID-19-related requirements and restrictions is daunting even for the most intrepid solo female traveler. Women were also the most adversely impacted group throughout the pandemic, according to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and are in desperate need of a stress-free vacation.
That’s precisely where travel advisors are well-poised to step in.
“Many women who would normally take care of their own travel plans are turning to us for the first time, so we can do all the legwork on planning and logistics, and they can focus on enjoying their travel experience,” said Heather Heverling, president of AdventureWomen, one of the longest-standing by-women-for-women adventure travel companies.
Candice Criscione, a cycling and hiking guide who has been planning vacations in Italy for nearly two decades, agrees, adding that many women don’t have the time or energy to do the research right now.
Under normal circumstances, Criscione, also the founder of TheTuscanMom.com, would enjoy planning her family’s cycling trips, but now, she’d be happy to hand it over to someone who can take care of every last detail. From the cycling routes and restaurants to spa time, mask requirements and more, women like Criscione want someone else to handle the mental workload of trip planning.
“Offer a mental health aspect to an adventure travel trip,” she also recommended. “Pair a yoga class with a cycling trip, or offer morning meditation before a hike. The pandemic has taken a toll on women’s mental health, so any way to combine mental health improvements with physical activity is a win.”
Tips for Booking Adventures for Solo Female Travelers
Another way to appeal to adventurous women is by grouping them with other like-minded visionaries.
“We often hear women say that they are hesitant to travel solo, which is why group tours are so appealing,” said Jennifer Haddow, director of Wild Women Expeditions. “Especially for tours that are active and involve physical challenges, women are looking for a trusted group to travel with and try new things.”
Haddow also points to female leadership as a big reason behind Wild Women Expeditions’ success.
“Women are looking for female leadership in the travel space. They want to join tours with strong women guides, and they want to invest in women at a community level in the destinations they are visiting,” she said.
Plus, female guides understand the unique needs of female adventurers, such as woman-friendly equipment.
Experiencing sickness and loss due to the pandemic has changed perspectives for many to focus more on once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list experiences while we’re still alive.
Take, for example, Dr. Terika Haynes, owner of Dynamite Travel. She equips her clients for everything from ziplining and ATV off-roading to parasailing, biking, horseback riding and more. While Haynes agrees on the importance of having female leaders, small group sizes, tour times during daylight and other “genuine safety considerations,” she reiterates the importance of equipment
“Experiencing sickness and loss due to the pandemic has changed perspectives for many to focus more on once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list experiences while we’re still alive,” Haynes said. So, providing adventure equipment that is “specifically for women, not just unisex,” including helmets, bikes, surfboards and kayaks, can empower them to safely check off their bucket lists.
Considering women’s very valid concerns without focusing on fear for female travelers can be a fine line, but it’s one that leaders in the space know how to balance, so long as travel advisors are willing to leverage that expertise.
