Traveling solo means getting to know the real you and is one of the biggest travel trends of 2019. A love of independent travel inspires those with a zest for life to book a go-it-alone getaway. Many of today’s solo travelers are less budget-minded than younger millennials and more used to luxury vacations such as private villas stay than a backpacker hostel. As well as bucket-list dreams of exotic island beauties in Thailand, beautiful Bali or the best-of-the-best ski resorts such as Niseko in Japan, they have the time and resources to match.
Wellness vacations are also experiencing an upward trend toward wellbeing breaks taken alone, with travel for mental health an important factor according to a Wellness Tourism Association survey. These escapes are being booked for variable lengths of time too. With holistic experiences, such an intrinsic part of many luxury stays, it’s no surprise that solo wellness travel is so popular too.
Greater access to information about stays, destinations, and activities means organizing a vacation alone is less daunting than it once was. Not only that, but there are real benefits to spending vacation-time alone. Here are 10 reasons why luxury travelers are going solo.
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Feeling total freedom
Following your own interest and booking the type of holiday you want, where you want. is wonderfully liberating. Being independent means that you have the ultimate freedom of creating your own unique travel tale. You may be stepping outside your comfort zone at first but knowing you’re making your vacation your own is an incredible way to let go and feel totally free.
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Not having to compromise
Let’s face it, vacations can entail an exercise in trying to fit what you want to really do with the demands and desires of your holiday vacation compadres. With solo travel, you only have yourself to answer to so decisions such as what to do and when become far easier. No more deciding on what to eat, when, and where either. The result is a vacation that reflects you and your individual needs without the need for endless discussions.
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Connecting with other people
Whilst solo travelers may once have been perceived as a social anomaly, the rise of travel-for-one bookings has opened up a whole new world for those going it alone. A shared vacation is fabulous, but when you are by yourself you’re more open and engaged with those you meet along your journey and connect on a different level.
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Engaging with your spirit of adventure
More independent tourists are seeing solo travel as the perfect opportunity to turn a vacation into an adventure. Trying new activities, joining excursions, and breaking out of the mold of your everyday existence can be just the spirited action you need to revitalize your life. It’s easy to forget about the joyfulness of having fun and looking at the world with a sense of wonder and excitement.
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Rejuvenating with a wellness break
Taking time out to enjoy a luxury vacation, whether an exclusive villa in Southeast Asia or a chic chalet in the snow capital of the world, for example, is far more than an indulgence. Spa treats like massage and beauty treatments, yoga, meditation, and wellbeing therapies and particularly available in stunning destinations in the East.
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Enjoying pure experiences
There is something exquisitely personal about experiencing the world through your eyes only and approaching everything from your own perspective. Luxury travel in 2019 is experiential travel, where you interact with different people, explore destinations, and discover something new about yourself. You may take an organized trip with a small group, but as a solo traveler you still take away a personalized experience that resonates deeply within. Luxury with a sense of meaning is priceless.
Discover 5 Companies That Offer Bespoke Experiential Traveler Tours
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Embracing true relaxation
Everybody is getting busier and life can be a high-adrenaline roller-coaster ride or a merry-go-round of the same-old-same-old with little chance of taking a genuine break. Catching up on sleep before waking to a stunning sea view or a magical snowy scene relaxes you to your core, as can hours spent lounging by your private villa pool or snuggled-up with an après-ski fire. If you’ve ever come back from a vacation feeling just as exhausted, or more so, than when you left then some quality with a restorative retreat stay is absolutely vital.
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Boosting your confidence
The more you make your own decisions, seize your own opportunities, and direct your own life the more confident you feel. This can inspire clarity, healthy introspection, and a greater sense of purpose that spills over into other areas of life such as career and relationships. Knowing you can make things happen without the support of others, and stand on your own two feet, is an important lesson in self-development that everyone should learn.
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Finding better balance
For couples and those surrounded by family, the prospect of spending a ‘me’ time vacation can initially seem strange, and even selfish. In reality, it’s far from it and is actually a great way to recalibrate and find a more balanced life. Overworking and not spending enough time with loved ones or getting stuck in a rut and not striving for more positive experiences, situations, and experiences are common life issues that can lead to losing your footing. You can only search within for the answers if you have the time and space to find them. An incredible luxury villa, in its own idyllically private grounds, is a gorgeous setting to find your feet or even just to balance how to live in a better way.
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Focusing on lifestyle changes
Habits are easily formed and can be difficult to break. Over the years, people shape their own worlds, and making any type of effective change is no mean feat. Sometimes, the best way to embark on a healthy lifestyle or to shift focus from one area of your life to another is to take a solo vacation where you can find new activities and inspiration.
