More than 1 in 5 Brits now keen to travel solo, according to new data

Brits are growing bolder when it comes to their travel habits: more than one in five (21%) now want to embark on solo trips, according to new research by HolidayPirates. The poll of 1,003 UK consumers conducted by the online travel deals platform found that in 2024 alone 1 in 10 of us will embark on a solo journey, highlighting its growing appeal.

And independence seems to be the key factor for those seeking a solo trip: almost 1 in 5 (18%) want to see the world without having to wait for someone to join them, 17% want full control over their itinerary, and 17% want to have the flexibility to change their plans on a whim. For 1 in 10, avoiding potential arguments is a reason for wanting to travel alone. For younger people, however, it seems there are more personal reasons for going it alone: 1 in 4 (25%) Gen Zs want to travel solo to ‘find themselves’ and find personal growth, and 1 in 5 (20%) want to push themselves out of their comfort zone.

City breaks lead the pack as the most popular trip Brits would like to take solo (33%), followed by beach holidays (25%). However, while often considered a holiday for families or couples, 1 in 5 (20%) are keen to embark on a solo cruise, 18% want to go on a wellness retreat, 12% want to try some wildlife exploration and 10% would go to a music festival alone.

Solo travel is seen as a bucket list item for many, and when asked about the experiences they would love to try alone, some dream experiences came to light. Cruising the Norwegian coast to witness the Northern Lights claims the top spot with 27% saying they’d love to go for it, while visiting a retreat in Bali (18%), a road trip along the Great Ocean Road in Australia (15%), going on safari in the Serengeti (15%), and volunteering at a responsible elephant sanctuary in Thailand (15%) rounded out the top five.

Some are still put off by the prospect of travelling solo though – almost 1 in 4 (23%) are deterred by the 'single supplement' in hotel pricing, showing there is a real need for more options tailored for solo travellers that are fairly priced. 15% also think there wouldn’t be any single accommodation options available to them. Overall, 15% say the travel industry doesn’t cater to solo travellers well enough.

Brits are very clear about what they expect from travel providers if the solo travel trend is to continue. Almost a third (29%) are calling for discounted rates for solo travellers outside peak seasons, and 28% want providers to offer specific solo travel packages. Almost 1 in 4 (23%) also say there should be a quota of more affordable single rooms in hotels to help them avoid the dreaded ‘single supplement’, and over 1 in 5 (22%) would like dedicated pages on travel providers' websites catered to solo travellers.

Given this, HolidayPirates has launched its very first ‘Solo Travel’ selection, where its team of travel experts have curated a collection of incredible deals for one. Included are categories such as:

• City breaks

• Beach holidays

• Adventure

Phil Salcedo, Head of Market, UK & North America at HolidayPirates, says: "UK travellers are changing, and the growing enthusiasm we’re seeing for solo travel has been a clear trend over the last year. Our research has shown that while there is growing confidence to get out there, there is also a sense of frustration with a travel industry that hasn’t quite caught up with consumer preferences.

That’s partly why we’ve launched our ‘Solo Travel’ selection, offering the best-value solo deals from around the world, to prove that travelling independently and finding those bucket list solo experiences shouldn’t be beyond reach.

Whether it's a city break in Europe or a once-in-a-lifetime trip to somewhere further afield, our curated selection of travel deals caters to all types of trips and budgets. Working too with partners such as TUI, which has a fantastic selection of holidays perfectly suited to solo travellers, means we can open up the world of solo travel to all. Ultimately, our aim is for everyone to have the opportunity to travel, explore, and holiday more for less.”

"We absolutely hear the challenges many solo holidaymakers face in finding a good deal they can afford," said a TUI spokesperson. “We're committed to securing more single rooms with single occupancy rates to meet customer demand. We also have live codes on our solo travel landing page where customers can save £150 on holidays departing between now and October."

Click here to explore HolidayPirates’ Solo Travel selection.

About HolidayPirates:

HolidayPirates, the UK arm of the HolidayPirates Group, is a travel deals platform with a mission to make travel accessible and affordable for everyone.

Our team of travel experts find and curate the best value-for-money deals from packages, flights and hotels, through to car hire, holiday homes, luxury stays and weekend breaks. We also work with leading travel brands to source exclusive offers that simply cannot be found anywhere else.

HolidayPirates takes the time and hassle out of finding genuine travel bargains by sharing deals directly across our website, WhatsApp, newsletters, mobile app, and on social media. 2 million travel enthusiasts visit our website every month, plus we have over 2.2 million followers on social media – the largest of any travel brand in the UK.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Berlin, the HolidayPirates Group operates in 10 countries – the UK, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. Our expert editorial teams around the world inspire over 20 million consumers every month to travel, explore and holiday more for less.

Press contact

Annabelle Rennie
PR & Communications Manager UK

E-Mail: [email protected]

E-Mail: [email protected]