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| © Getty Images PHOTO: Woman hiking solo near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. (photo via MargaretW/iStock/Getty Images Plus) |
By Donald Wood, TravelPulse
A new survey revealed travelers are taking more solo vacations to get away from longer working hours, constant digital contact and increasing obligations.
The study conducted by YouGov and Agoda found that 61 percent of respondents said relaxation and time to unwind was the number one motivator for solo leisure travel. Another 52 percent said getting away from routine was a top motivator and 45 percent wanted to explore new cultures.
The 'Solo Travel Trends 2018 survey also found some stark differences between Asian and Western travelers.
Solo tourists from Asia are more likely to be younger, with 41 percent being millennials and 38 percent being Generation Zers. On the other hand, solo travel in the west is more common among Baby Boomers (39 percent) and Generation Xers (24 percent).
In addition, western solo tourists are more likely to travel for longer periods, with 34 percent taking trips for 4-7 nights. Travelers from the west are also twice as likely to go on trips of 14 nights or more (20 percent versus 10 percent.)
While traveling alone should help people unwind, solo leisure travelers spend 15 percent more time in front of their laptops and phones than when travelers are with friends and 26 percent more time than if they are with family.
The biggest trend among business, leisure or bleisure solo travelers is most are visiting cosmopolitan cities around the world, including London, Tokyo, Bangkok, Sydney, New York City and more.
