Over 80% of guests booking Newmarket Holidays' 'Exclusively Solo' group tours are women, with almost half aged between 65 and 74.
Reflecting on over a year's worth of booking data, Newmarket Holidays' trend analysis sees retired women as the solo travel trailblazers.
Among these bookings, Italy has emerged as the most popular destination for solo escapes; long-haul interest is largely concentrated on India's Golden Triangle and Kenyan safaris.
The UK remains equally popular, with a Highland adventure amidst the top-selling solo tours.
Newmarket Holidays first launched its dedicated solo range in May 2023, and now hosts 10 tours exclusively for solos and no single supplements on 20 standard group tours.
The operator's CCO, David Sharman, says the range has become "incredibly popular" since its launch.
"Growth has been driven by the over 50s market, especially females who are demonstrating a determination to explore the world. They feel confident to go away without friends or family, but they want the camaraderie of travelling in a group and the security of knowing there are experts on hand to help them at every step of their adventure.
"Solo travel is traditionally associated with young adventurers, but our data shows that retirees are picking up the mantle, travelling to a wide range of destinations, and enjoying the huge range of experiences available with escorted tours. It's a trend we think will continue to offer lots of opportunities for agents."
