Solo Holidays - UK - October 2018

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
One in six adults take solo holidays
Figure 1: Holiday companions, July 2017 vs July 2018
Fall in percentage of older singles…
Figure 2: Marital status profile of solo holidaymakers, July 2017 vs July 2018
…but solo Boomers offer opportunities
Solo holidaymakers are more active
Figure 3: Type of holiday taken, by travel companions, July 2018
Solo travel driven by desire more than necessity
Figure 4: Reasons for taking a solo holiday, July 2018
Price, security, and 24/7 contact are key opportunities for brands
Figure 5: Factors rated as ‘important’ or ‘very important’ by solo holidaymakers, July 2018
Escorted tours have biggest growth potential
Figure 6: Interest in types of solo/group holiday, July 2018
Small is beautiful for group travellers
Figure 7: Group preferences for solo/group holidays, July 2018
Solo travel entering the mainstream but stigma remains
Mainstream industry still seen as falling short
Figure 8: Agreement with statements about solo travel, July 2018
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Solo concierge
The facts
The implications
Agents can become solo travel experts
The facts
The implications
Empowering ‘me-time’ travellers
The facts
The implications
Groups need more flexible formats
The facts
The implications
Helping solos to create DIY group holidays
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Domestic and overseas markets reach new peak
Shift from older to younger singles…
…but demographic trend points to older singles opportunities
The price of solo living
Budget/premium polarisation
P2P sector could disrupt hotel pricing for singles
MARKET BACKGROUND
UK breaks beat ‘staycation year’ record
Figure 9: Trends in the number and value of domestic holidays taken by UK residents, 2012-17
Holidays abroad finally surpass pre-crash levels
Figure 10: Trends in the number and value of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, 2012-17
Singles to solos
Younger singles percentage rising
One in three solo travellers live in a couple
Figure 11: Marital status profile of solo holidaymakers, July 2017 vs July 2018
Never married population has risen sharply…
Figure 12: Marital status of population age 16+, England and Wales, 2002-17
…partly due to cohabitation growth
Figure 13: Living arrangements age 16+, England and Wales, 2002-17
Over-50s solos are the largest growth opportunity
Figure 14: Those not living in a couple aged 16+, by age, England and Wales, 2002-17
Single boomers offer potential
Figure 15: One-person households, by age, UK, 2002-17
Solo living to account for 29% of households by 2023
Figure 16: UK household size, number and forecast, UK, 2013-23
The cost of living alone
Single-person supplement
P2P sector could help to drive change
Supplement-free is a key selling-point for groups market
Solos lose out on railcards
Price-sensitive singles…
…but better-off solos offer premium opportunities
Figure 17: Financial situation of UK consumers, by marital status, July 2018
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
One in five Saga customers travel solo
Groups sector drives innovation
G Adventures takes leading stake in singles market
Other leading escorted tour brands
Group-adventure brands
Special interest brands
Solo-only escorted tours
Adventurous over-50s
Solo cruising
Support tools for solos
COMPANIES 
Singles specialists
Escorted tour operators
Group-adventure brands
Special interest – a highly fragmented market
Figure 18: Latest reported turnover of selected tour operators of relevance to the solo holiday market
Travel agents/expert advice
Social TripAdvisor offers opportunity for solo experts
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Escorted tour sector targeting solos
Solo adventures
Just You
Saga Holidays
Intrepid
Solo cruise innovation
Solo wellness
New solo price-tracker tool
Tech tools for solo safety
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Solo holiday-taking up two points
Female influencers
Solos shun the beach…
…and head for the city
Freedom and time to myself are main motivations
Single supplement and safety are key issues
Social elements important for Millennials
Groups potential
Solo travel still carries stigma amongst young
HOLIDAY COMPANIONS AND SOLO TRAVEL
Courting solo travellers can benefit mainstream brands
Figure 19: Holiday companions, July 2017 vs July 2018
Men and under-45s most likely to travel solo
Household income is a key driver of solo travel
Figure 20: Solo holidaymakers by demographics, July 2018
TYPES OF SOLO HOLIDAY
Solo holidays are more active
Figure 21: Type of holiday taken, by travel companions, July 2018
Younger solos more attracted to specialist holidays
Cruises and escorted tours under-represented amongst older solos
Solo-friendly cities
Millennial solos are diverse holiday-takers
Figure 22: Number of holiday types taken by solo travellers in the past five years, July 2018
REASONS FOR TAKING SOLO HOLIDAYS
Freedom and self-determination are key drivers
Figure 23: Reasons for taking a solo holiday, July 2018
Couples doing their own thing
Figure 24: Reasons for taking a solo holiday, by marital status, July 2018
Non-solo travellers also recognise the benefits
IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR SOLO HOLIDAYMAKERS
Room rates and safety are most important issues
Solos seek 24/7 support
Figure 25: Factors rated as ‘important’ or ‘very important’ by solo holidaymakers, July 2018
Technology can be used as a social facilitator
Figure 26: Factors rated as ‘important’ or ‘very important’ by solo holidaymakers, Millennials vs all solo travellers, July 2018
Older female solos require greater assistance
SOLO TRAVEL AND GROUP HOLIDAYS
Over half of solo travellers interested in escorted tours
Adventure and hobby-based groups appeal most to solos under-45
40% of solos under-35 interested in beach-party groups
Figure 27: Interest in types of solo/group holiday, July 2018
Group dynamics – age and gender
Group dynamics – size
19% of solo travellers interested in singles-only groups
Figure 28: Group preferences for solo/group holidays, July 2018
ATTITUDES TOWARDS SOLO HOLIDAYS
Stigma still attached to holidaying alone
Figure 29: Solo Holidays – CHAID – Tree output, July 2018
Spirit of adventure
Figure 30: Agreement with statements about solo travel, July 2018
Many see solo travel as lonely and dangerous
Breaking down negative perceptions
Brands can bring solo travellers and locals together
Me-time gender dispute
Six in 10 solos say industry does not cater well for them
ATTITUDES TOWARDS GROUP HOLIDAYS
Group holidays can cramp style of freedom-loving solos
Making group holidays more flexible
Figure 31: Agreement with statements about group holidays, July 2018
DIY group holidays
Love Island holidays
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS, AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Definitions
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
CHAID methodology