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Comment: Now’s the time for Solo Travel

More and more travellers are finding the holiday type ‘liberating’, says Alastair Campbell, managing director of G Touring

Solo travel is so much more than just a buzzword, the demand for this holiday type is growing at an exponential rate and according to the accelerated growth we are seeing at Just You, it is a trend that is benefitting our trade partners.

Mintel, the world’s most respected market research agency, has stated that 15% of UK adults have been on a solo holiday in the past five years with huge future growth predicted. In fact, their 2017 report sees the group solo market as having capacity to grow up to four times.

This is fantastic news for the trade and it will have a huge impact on those early adopters of this type of travel.

What needs to be understood about this market, and something Just You has always said when reaching out to potential customers, solo travel is not just for single people. The market research shows that out of every person who takes a solo holiday a third of them are not single. If the trade takes note of this, they will be able to focus on a sizeable untapped market.

Agents are now booking our holidays with confidence thanks to Just You’s unrivalled customer guarantees and promises, such as our guaranteed departures to over 60 destinations on every continent, including Antarctica, which offers a huge range to agents and customers alike.

Through our increased marketing and in-store training, Just You holidays are being asked for in store. Agents know that all our departures are exclusively for solo travellers, it gives them peace of mind to know we are not just offering a standard couples itinerary for solo travellers.

The solo traveller is an extremely loyal customer, at Just You our repeat booker rate is over 70%. This is another fantastic advantage for our trade partners, once they have booked a customer on their first solo holiday, there is every chance that they will be back to book again. As we like to say, once they are booked, they are hooked.

What we all need to keep in mind is why people go on a solo holiday. Mintel’s research is very closely matched with our own feedback, 85% of those spoken to found that a solo travel experience was liberating. The vast majority are wanting to share their holiday with like-minded people. Hence why we include all breakfasts with each of our tours and many meals, as it gives people the opportunity to socialise and share their experiences.

As the market grows, we need to make sure that we are responding to this, we need to be agile and listen to our trade partners. At Just You, we strive to stay ahead of the trend and deliver the experiences that the future market will be looking for.

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