Solo Holidays - UK - October 2017

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
15% of adults take solo holidays
Figure 1: Who people go on holiday with, July 2017
Groups market has capacity to grow up to four times larger
Silver separators
Solos head for the city
Figure 2: Types of solo holiday taken in past 5 years and future interest, July 2017
Solo holidaymakers are happy in their own company
Figure 3: Reasons for taking solo holidays, July 2017
Single room supplement and social connectivity are most important factors
Figure 4: Important factors for solo holidaymakers, July 2017
Solo travel seen as liberating…
…but can also feel lonely at times
Figure 5: Agreement with statements about solo holidays, July 2017
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
His and hers hobby breaks
The facts
The implications
Travel brands need to cater more for singles on a budget
The facts
The implications
Empowering female solos
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Holiday market resilient but overseas growth rates now slowing
Growth in single living population
Silver separators
Social connections and me-time more important than dating
Slowing economy likely to impact most on singles
MARKET BACKGROUND – OVERALL ECONOMIC AND TRAVEL CONTEXT
Slowing economy likely to impact on discretionary spend…
Figure 6: UK average weekly earnings (excluding bonuses)* vs CPI inflation, percentage change year on year, January 2014-August 2017
Figure 7: Spot exchange rate, Pound Sterling versus selected currencies, June 2016-September 2017
…but consumers still see holidays as high priority
Figure 8: Trends in the number and value of domestic holidays taken by UK residents, 2011-16
Figure 9: Trends in the number and value of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, 2011-16
Spain, Italy, Holland seeing high UK visitor growth
Figure 10: Top 20 overseas holiday destinations, by number of trips, 2012-16
MARKET BACKGROUND – SINGLES DEMOGRAPHICS AND SOLO HOLIDAYS
Seven in 10 solo holidaymakers are single
Figure 11: Marital status profile of solo holidaymakers, July 2017
Divorced population up 23% since 2002
Figure 12: Marital status of population age 16+, England and Wales, 2012-16
Almost four in 10 adults are single
Figure 13: Living arrangements age 16+, England and Wales, 2012-16
Post-50 solo opportunities growing
Figure 14: Those not living in a couple aged 16+, by age, England and Wales, 2012-16
Figure 15: One-person households, by age, UK, 2012-16
One-person households to grow twice as fast as others over next five years
Figure 16: One-person households forecast, UK, 2016-22
Growing old disgracefully
The 50-plus adventuress
Marry me?
The cost of single living
Older singles feeling the pinch
Figure 17: Financial situation of UK consumers, by marital status, July 2017
Travel Singles’ Day?
The dating game
COMPANIES AND PRODUCTS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Singles
Group adventure
Hobbies and interests
Escorted tour
Saga solos
Female explorers
Solo traveller tech
Single-parent holidays
COMPANIES AND PRODUCTS
Group-based holidays
Singles group specialists
Adventure/activity group travel
Special-interest group travel
Escorted tours
Figure 18: Latest reported turnover of selected tour operators of relevance to the solo holiday market
Mainstream
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Just You spreading its wings
All-female expeditions
Solo cruising
Single-parent initiative from Virgin
Apps for solo travellers
Delta targets jet-setting singles with marketing campaign
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
One in seven adults have gone solo in past five years
Making solo travel more female-friendly
City solos
Hobby holidays for couples
Cruise/escorted tour potential
Supplement-free rooms seen as highest priority…
…followed by social connectivity
Age segmentation preferred by Millennials
Freedom and adventure
De-stressing solo travel
Consumer dissatisfaction can favour those brands that get it right
HOLIDAY COMPANIONS AND SOLO TRAVEL
15% of adults have taken a solo holiday in past five years
Figure 19: Who people go on holiday with, July 2017
Overall male bias in solo travel market
Over one in three divorcees holiday alone
One in 10 married people have been away on their own
Figure 20: Solo holidaymakers, by marital status, July 2017
36% of one-person households go solo
Figure 21: Solo holidaymakers, by household size, July 2017
Potential pool of interest in solo holidays is one in four adults
Future interest in groups/escorted solo holidays is four times higher than past usage
Safety concerns are key to attracting more women
Figure 22: Attitudes of non-solo travellers towards solo travel, July 2017
Loneliness and costs are also leading barriers to growth
Consumers are less confident about holidaying abroad
Figure 23: Confidence in doing solo leisure activities, July 2017
TYPES OF SOLO HOLIDAY TAKEN AND POTENTIAL INTEREST
Men more likely to take regular short breaks alone
Figure 24: Solo holidays, destination and duration, July 2017
Solos and the city
Couples are drawn to solo hobby breaks…
…but women are not indulging as much as men
Figure 25: Types of solo holiday taken, July 2017
Experimental Solos
Figure 26: Number of types of solo holiday taken, July 2017
Solo cruise and escorted tours have biggest growth potential
Figure 27: Future interest in types of solo holiday, July 2017
Figure 28: Percentage point differential between past experience of and future interest in types of solo holiday, July 2017
REASONS FOR HOLIDAYING SOLO
‘Just like going on my own’ is main reason given
Younger males on the lookout for a solo holiday bargain
Figure 29: Reasons for taking solo holidays, July 2017
IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR SOLO HOLIDAYMAKERS
Supplement-free room is the top priority
Figure 30: Important factors for solo holidaymakers, July 2017
Figure 31: Factors rated as very important or somewhat important for solo holidaymakers, July 2017
Social connectivity also of prime importance
Age segmentation is important for solo Millennials…
…but others prefer their own company on holiday
SOLO HOLIDAYMAKER ATTITUDES
Solo holidays offer more freedom and adventure
Figure 32: Agreement with statements about solo holidays, July 2017
Under-45s recognise the social benefits of solo holidays
Technology as a social enabler
Loneliness and stress can be significant drawbacks
Short solo breaks can offer a secure entry point
Message to industry: ‘you’re still not doing enough’
Figure 33: Agreement with further statements about solo holidays, July 2017
Group holidays seen as safer but can restrict freedom of ‘pure solo’ travel
APPENDIX
Definitions
Abbreviations