It did not seem so long ago that all talk was about connectedness, globalisation, borderless travel, the seamless journey, but how quickly life can go on reverse.
These days, we speak of quarantines, closing borders, and social distancing.
But even before Covid-19 forced us to, in a sense, disconnect, there was perhaps already a sense of connectedness fatigue seeping in. The always on, always present, always together way we lived our lives was creating a need for privacy, me-time and going off-the-grid.
Solo travel has already started to become vogue. According to Google Trends, in 2019 alone, it recorded a 131% increase in interest for female solo travel. Google searches for ‘solo women travel’ increased by 32% in 2017 and 59% in 2018. The search grew to a jaw-dropping 230% increase in 2019.
In 2019, Klook commissioned a global Solo Travel Survey last October confirmed the trend. Of the nearly 21,000 people we surveyed around the globe, 76% indicated that they have either travelled alone already or are considering it – regardless of age, gender and nationality.
There is a community website, dedicated to solo travels.
A few years ago, I made myself a commitment to do at least one solo trip a year, even if it was for a short weekend getaway. I’ve done a few since and it has reinforced my notion that everyone capable of doing solo travelling, should. For me, the freedom from group consensus on just about everything (from what and where to eat, where to shop, to what attractions to hit first) is already reason enough.
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