The joy of solo travel: How to holiday on your own safely and successfully — and where to start

As Google searches for solo travel surge, Vivienne Clarke reveals the joy of holidaying alone 

From weekend breaks to long-haul trips, Vivienne Clarke is ticking off items on her bucket list while going solo. 

Google searches for solo travel were up 761% in 2023, and travel operators report a steep increase in solo bookings. One travel industry site, Skift, maintains that the surge is led by older women who want to explore alone without family or friends.

So what do you do when you’re single for the first time in decades, your only offspring has fled the nest and you have a long wishlist of places to visit? In my case, I sat down, took a look at my finances, worked out what I could afford, and started my solo travel adventures.