With solo travel on the up, G Adventures has launched its first travel style created exclusively for solo travellers, ‘Solo-ish Adventures’. Designed for solo travellers wanting both connection and independence, the new trips aim to strike a balance between immersive group experiences and flexible solo time. Karryon spoke with Sean Martin, Managing Director of G Adventures for Australia, New Zealand and Asia, to learn more.
Meeting a growing demand for solo travel
According to Martin, G Adventures has long seen a demand for solo travel, with more than 50 per cent of its global travellers opting to join a small group adventure on their own.
“What we’ve discovered is there is a growing segment of customers who don’t want to wait for friends or partners to travel and are happy to go it alone,” Martin tells Karryon.
Solo-ish Adventures aims to meet this need by offering solo travellers a chance to explore independently while benefiting from the safety and community of small-group travel.
The trips are “front-loaded”, Martin says, meaning the first few days are packed with group activities designed to foster connections.
“For example, we have a food walking tour in Lisbon where travellers are out interacting with local people and the CEO as well as their new travel mates, forming a tight-knit community right off the bat.
“Then more free time is introduced later in the tour for those who want to do their own thing outside of the group experiences.”
Who is the ‘Solo-ish’ traveller?
While Solo-ish Adventures are aimed at solo travellers, Martin is quick to clarify that it’s more about mindset than demographic.
“It’s for anyone who is hesitant to travel alone and is looking for adventure, or seasoned group travellers who prefer to travel with other like-minded solos,” he says.
“Solo-ish is perfect for travellers who are new to small-group adventure travel and may have previously been deterred by stereotypes of not having any freedom, or being herded around in a group.
“It also appeals to existing group travellers who enjoy meeting new people and making new friends but prefer travelling with other solos and not being a ‘third wheel’ so to speak.”
The trips are open to everyone, but G Adventures anticipates that the majority of participants will be women.
“Around two thirds of G Adventures travellers are currently the only one on the booking, and of those two thirds are female,” Martin says.
To further support women in travel, all Solo-ish Adventures will be led by female Chief Experience Officers (CEOs).
“The trips will be female-led to help create more jobs and opportunities for women in tourism,” Martin says.
In addition to community-building activities, each Solo-ish Adventure includes experiences designed to enhance local interactions. For instance, participants can look forward to culinary experiences where they can immerse themselves in local cuisine, fostering friendships through shared meals.
These elements not only create lasting memories but also promote cultural understanding, hopefully making for a more enriching travel experience.
Solo-ish Adventures are available to join from March 2025 and include complimentary arrival transfers to help travellers feel taken care of from the moment they arrive in their destination.
For more information, visit G Adventures Solo-ish.
