When journey advisors reflect onconsideration of destinations like Ethiopia, the Arctic, and African safaris, they may not simply goal solo girls of their mid-60s. But that is precisely the sweet spot for one excursion business enterprise that has efficiently grown its solo customers to represent almost half of its income.
“We’ve seen the solo trend skyrocket in recent years,” said Brian Fitzgerald, COO, Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.), a Boston-based, small-group excursion business that caters to tourists 55 years of age and older. Currently, 47% of O.A.T. Travelers are solo, together with humans traveling as singles and solos who are sharing accommodations. Some 85% of those travelers are women, with an average age of their mid-60s.
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According to Fitzgerald, in 2010, only 27% of O.A.T.’s vacationers were solo tourists. And it’s no longer as if this marketplace is ruled using Windows. Fitzgerald stated that these days, 40% of his customers inform O.A.T. That they’re traveling without their partner. “Many are girls who have a spouse at home who is not interested in traveling, so those women either go solo or pick out to deliver a girlfriend,” Fitzgerald stated. “Traveling solo is growing, but touring as pals is growing even faster.”
Fitzgerald says his organization’s travelers are impartial, adventurous, and curious. “They are lifestyle-longewbies and are often instructors or retired teachers,” Fitzgerald stated, urging agents to target similar styles of customers. Regionally, the organization is especially famous with tourists from Florida, Texas, and California.
Where and why they travel
AARP mentioned in its 2019 Boomer Travel Trends have a look that seniors are anticipated to take 4-five amusement trips in 2019, spending more than $6. Also, the observation determined that nearly 1/2 of all Baby Boomers suggested interest in genuine/nearby studies – particularly, eating or traveling with locals – while traveling internationally.
The maximum popular sorts of adventure trips O.A.T. Offers encompass itineraries to Sicily and Morocco. The company calls its “Ultimate Africa” excursion, including Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. While solo vacationers are adventurous, they admire the protection of small-organization guided excursions, Fitzgerald said. His employer finds the ideal length is set at 14, but may want to vary from eight-16 travelers for O.A.T. Land adventures and no more than 25 in a group for their small delivery adventures.
“Solo travelers want group sports and time to discover on their very own, with the freedom to make picks approximately how they spend their time abroad. They want to meet the people of the groups and the youngsters,” he stated. The company’s Europe trips assist vacationers to revisit countries they have got already been to, “but to new corners and stale-the-beaten-path places.” Some 30% of O.A.T’s travelers pick out to arrive early or stay later to “wreck away” and explore a destination absolutely on their personal.
Building on this call to head similarly afield, O.A.T. in 2020 plans to add day trip cruises to the Arctic, and new itineraries for Ethiopia, France, and Scotland. “The Arctic is becoming greater reachable, and it’s a ‘bucket listing’ for many people,” Fitzgerald said. O.A.T.’s excursion consists of 10 days of sailing across the island of Svalbard, such as spotting natural world like polar bears, walruses, narwhals, reindeer, and different animals.
“We anticipate it to continue to grow at a comparable rate that we’ve seen in the past few years,” he said. To develop their girl solo traveler base, Fitzgerald advises dealers to promote referrals from present clients. “Our quality source of sales, using a long way, is referrals from current clients,” he said. “We have passionate clients who have traveled with O.A.T. Ten, 20 instances, or more. They inform their friends and family about their relatives approximately their wonderful journeys. It’s the pleasant marketing we should wish for.” O.A.T. It is part of Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation’s own family of travel corporations, encompassing Grand Circle Cruise Line and Grand Circle Travel.
