Table of Contents
Introduction
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- Definition
- Abbreviations
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: Singles on holiday overseas market volume size and forecast 2005-16
- Figure 2: Singles on holiday domestic market volume size and forecast 2005-16
- Singles proportion rises
- Market factors
- Companies, brands and innovation
- Mainstream
- Adventure, specialists and special interest
- Cruises
- The consumer
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- Figure 3: Holiday companions, April 2011
- Solo travel attitudes
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- Figure 4: Attitudes towards solo travel, April 2011
- What we think
Issues in the Market
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- How will changing social structures help to reshape the overall travel landscape over the next couple of decades?
- How does the product mix need to differ when targeting singles as opposed to non-singles?
- What are the prospects specifically for solo holiday travel?
- What are the prospects for specialist ‘singles holidays’?
- How can brands attract and retain a loyal singles following?
Future Opportunities
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- Trend: Influentials
- Trend: Retired for Hire
Internal Market Environment
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- Key points
- Easter surge but recovery still some way off
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- Figure 5: Domestic and overseas holiday volume, 2005-10
- Domestic budget potential
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- Figure 6: Domestic and overseas holidays expenditure, 2005-10
- End of the ‘far near’ trend?
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- Figure 7: Overseas holidays, by region, 2005-10
- All-inclusive triggers rise in package share
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- Figure 8: Package holidays versus independent holidays abroad, by volume, 2005-10
- Single person supplement – slow improvement
Broader Market Environment
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- Key points
- Consumer spend to remain subdued
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- Figure 9: GDP quarterly percentage change, Q1 2004-Q1 2011
- AB growth boosts solo travel
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- Figure 10: Forecast adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2005-15
- Four in ten adults are now single
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- Figure 11: Marital status, by age in Great Britain, 2009
- Largest singles age groups
- Five year picture: 25-34s and over-75s to see most growth
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- Figure 12: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2005-15
- Single person households are most common dwelling unit
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- Figure 13: UK households, by size, 2005-15
- Nearly 2 million single parent households
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- Figure 14: Single parent households in Great Britain, 1961-2009
- Figure 15: EU countries with highest percentage of single parent households, April 2011
- Taking the longer view
- Singles population to grow 27% by 2033
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- Figure 16: Forecast percentage change in adult population, by marital status and age, for England & Wales, 2008-33
- Rise of the solo boomer
- Cost of solo living
- Single surfers
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- Figure 17: Broadband penetration, by demographics, 2004-10
- Pound stays weak but Med recovers value
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- Figure 18: Annual average exchange rates for sterling, 2007-11
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Singles still less likely to go on holiday
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- Figure 19: Singles and non-singles taking a holiday/short break away from home in the last 12 months, 2010
- One in ten holidaymakers travel alone
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- Figure 20: Who people went with on holidays/short breaks taken in the last 12 months, 2010
- Almost a million non-singles go solo
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- Figure 21: Who people went with on holidays/short breaks taken in the last 12 months by marital status, 2010
Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
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- Strengths
- Singles outperform the market
- Over 1 million multi-holiday takers
- Spirit of adventure
- Demographic boom
- Solo travel potential
- Weaknesses
- Post-recessionary hangover curtails growth
- Singles still under-represented by holiday industry
- Single person supplement deters third agers
- The cost of solo living
- Low demand for ‘singles holidays’
Who’s Innovating?
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- Key points
- Solo adventures
- Luxury singles holidays
- Cruising for solos
- New take on B&B
- Finding love in Slovenia
- Solo learning
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Singles holidays fall but still outperform the market
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- Figure 22: Volume of overseas and domestic holidays taken by adult singles, 2005-16
- Figure 23: Expenditure on overseas and domestic holidays taken by adult singles, 2005-16
- Demographic trends driving new products
- Forecast
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- Figure 24: Singles on holiday overseas market volume size and forecast 2006-16
- Figure 25: Singles on holiday overseas market value size and forecast 2006-16*
- Figure 26: Singles on holiday domestic market volume size and forecast 2006-16
- Figure 27: Singles on holiday domestic market value size and forecast 2006-16*
- Forecast methodology
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Over a million serial holiday-taking singles
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- Figure 28: Number of holidays/short breaks taken in the last 12 months, British Isles and Abroad, 2010
- Scheduled air dominates singles transport
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- Figure 29: Transport for holidays/short breaks taken in the last 12 months, 2010
- Budget accommodation has singles bias
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- Figure 30: Accommodation for holidays/short breaks taken in the last 12 months, 2010
- Coach and activity holidays attract singles
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- Figure 31: Types of holiday/short breaks taken in the last 12 months, 2010
- Singles less Francophile than non-singles
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- Figure 32: Holidays/Short breaks taken in the last 12 months, by countries visited in Europe, 2010
- Singles go further afield
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- Figure 33: Holidays/short breaks taken in the last 12 months, by countries visited outside Europe, 2010
- Christmas/New Year opportunity
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- Figure 34: Month in which holidays/short breaks began in the last 12 months, 2010
Companies and Products
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- Explore Worldwide
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- Figure 35: Key financials for Explore Worldwide Limited, 2009-10
- Friendship Travel
- Just You/Page & Moy
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- Figure 36: Key financials for Page & Moy Group Holidays Limited, 2009-10
- Saga Holidays
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- Figure 37: Key financials for Acromas Holidays Limited (formerly Saga Holidays Limited until 5 february 2009), 2009-10
- Skyros
- Solitair
- Solo’s Holidays
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- Figure 38: Key financials for Solo’s Holidays Limited, 2008-09
- STA Travel
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- Figure 39: Key financials for STA Travel Limited, 2008-09
- Thelma and Louise
- Thomas Cook
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- Figure 40: Key financials for Thomas Cook Group Plc – UK & Ireland, India and Middle East segment, 2009-10
- TUI
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- Figure 41: Key financials for TUI Plc – UK & Ireland market, 2009-10
Channels to Market
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- Key points
- Word of mouth influence
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- Figure 42: Research/information sources used for holidays/short breaks abroad taken in the last 12 months, 2010
- Half of singles use travel agents
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- Figure 43: Booking methods used for holidays/short breaks abroad taken in the last 12 months, 2010
- Singles book later
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- Figure 44: Length of time before holidays/short breaks abroad that bookings were made, 2010
What Singles Look For on Holiday
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- Key points
- Social, active singles
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- Figure 45: Important holiday factors by marital status, April 2011
Who Singles Go On Holiday With
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- Key points
- Increase in solo travel
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- Figure 46: Holiday companions, April 2011
- Travelling with friends – men vs women
Attitudes Towards Solo Travel
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- Key points
- Split opinions on solo travel
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- Figure 47: Attitudes towards solo travel, April 2011
- Half of ABC1s aged 35-54 happy to holiday alone
- Third agers deterred by singles supplements
Holiday Attitudes of Single People
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- Key points
- Half of solo travellers are seeking new social opportunities
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- Figure 48: Further attitudes towards going on holiday, April 2011
- Keen to flee the nest
- Weak demand for ‘singles holidays’
- Looking for love
- Older companions
Targeting Opportunities
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- Key points
- Target groups
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- Figure 49: Singles on holiday target groups, April 2011
- Self-sufficients
- Demographic profile
- Marketing message
- Social Adventurers
- Demographic profile
- Marketing message
- Company Cravers
- Demographic profile
- Marketing message
- Indifferent
- Demographic profile
- Marketing message
Appendix – Singles Holiday Taking
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- Figure 50: Singles who had a holiday or short break away from home in the last 12 months, 2010
- Figure 51: Non-singles who had a holiday or short break away from home in the last 12 months, 2010
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Appendix – Who Singles Go On Holiday With
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- Figure 52: Most popular holiday companions, by demographics, April 2011
- Figure 53: Next most popular holiday companions, by demographics, April 2011
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Appendix – Attitudes Towards Solo Travel
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- Figure 54: Attitudes towards solo travel, by most popular holiday companions, April 2011
- Figure 55: Attitudes towards solo travel, by next most popular holiday companions, April 2011
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- Figure 56: Most popular attitudes towards solo travel, by demographics, April 2011
- Figure 57: Next most popular attitudes towards solo travel, by demographics, April 2011
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Appendix – Holiday Attitudes of Single People
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- Figure 58: Further attitudes towards going on holiday, by most popular holiday companions, April 2011
- Figure 59: Further attitudes towards going on holiday, by next most popular holiday companions, April 2011
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- Figure 60: Further attitudes towards going on holiday, by most popular attitudes towards solo travel, April 2011
- Figure 61: Further attitudes towards going on holiday, by next most popular attitudes towards solo travel, April 2011
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- Figure 62: Most popular further attitudes towards going on holiday, by demographics, April 2011
- Figure 63: Next most popular further attitudes towards going on holiday, by demographics, April 2011
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Appendix – Targeting Opportunities
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- Figure 64: Holiday companions, by target groups, April 2011
- Figure 65: Attitudes towards solo travel, by target groups, April 2011
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- Figure 66: Attitudes towards going on holiday in general, by target groups, April 2011
- Figure 67: Target groups, by demographics, April 2011
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