Travel Counsellor, Dawn Hilliard, on the demand for solo travel specialists and how the industry can aid this growing market
Demand for solo travel specialists has never been more prevalent.
My journey in supporting solo travellers started through a local meet up group, which now has over 600 members and continues to grow. With an age range of 18 to 80, all my members? needs are different, which is where I can help. At one end of the spectrum, I organise days out and short breaks, which is great for people dipping their toe into the solo travel space, at the other end of the spectrum I host worldwide trips for solo travellers, and I have a fantastic list of destinations that my members have expressed a desire to travel to.
What?s great to see is the immediate friendships blossom given their common ground ? they are going solo and love to travel. It?s not uncommon for a group who meet on my organised trips to then continue to travel together. My objective is to remove the fear factor and provide support to my clients who aren?t familiar with travelling solo. I provide my clients with the reassurance that my suppliers and partners won?t put them in the smallest ?single? room in the hotel. In most cases guests have a double room to themselves! I also try and source rates and packages where the single supplements are reasonable and affordable. The industry needs to play its part in reducing these supplements as I believe this market has huge growth potential.
I feel really privileged getting to know my clients and being able to hand hold them through their first solo trip. Hearing about what an amazing time they?ve had when they return and organising their next solo trip is the icing on the cake.
