MUMBAI, India, Dec. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- From weekend getaways to family vacations, destination weddings, travel has long been considered a group activity. But travel trends are changing: in recent years, more people have embraced solo travel to satisfy desire for alone time. To investigate this growing phenomenon, Klook, a world-leading travel activities and services booking platform, commissioned a Solo Travel study conducted by YouGov, which found that the vast majority of travelers are interested in hitting the road alone – regardless of age, gender, or nationality.
Klook's Solo Travel study polled close to 21,000 respondents across 16 countries and found that 73% of Indians have either traveled alone or are considering it. When comparing generational preferences, 73% of Generation Z (18 to 24-year-olds) respondents and similarly 73% of Millennials (25-39) said they have already traveled alone or would be keen to plan a trip. Though one might expect younger Indians to be more adventurous, Klook's data also reveals similar trends amongst the older generations. Roughly 72% of Generation X (40-54) and 71% of Baby Boomers (55+) said they were interested in traveling alone. There is also little difference between genders, with 70% of women and 76% of men saying they have either already experienced or would be interested to pursue solo travel.
Breaking free from daily routine cited as the strongest motivation to travel alone
Stress from deadlines, load of work and long hours can be tremendous. When it comes to motivations for travelling alone, 60% of respondents from India said that taking a break from the norm is one of the strongest drivers. This is especially true for big cities like Mumbai and Delhi with a faster pace of living and working. In fact, the study revealed that 71% of the respondents from Tier 1 cities feel the need for a break, as compared to 54% in Tier 2 and 49% in Tier 3.
Fear of loneliness ranks the top concern for solo travelers
Of course, not everyone is ready to explore alone. Klook's survey also uncovered a love-hate relationship with solo travel: we noticed that Indian travellers were interested in hitting the road alone, but simultaneously had reservations about potentially feeling lonely. 47% of survey participants from India who wanted to solo travel ranked 'fear of loneliness' as the biggest hurdle. Additionally, safety and planning and booking their itineraries were the top two biggest worries.
"To understand the growing popularity of solo travel across multiple demographics is indeed exciting for Klook. However the study revealed a love-hate relationship with solo travel, where Indian travelers would like to break free from daily routine and seek more alone time but are worried about being lonely on their trips," says Marcus Yong, Regional Marketing Director of Klook. "With the huge variety of activities on Klook, where one can find join-in tours, private car charter, Indian travelers can now explore the best suited activities for their itinerary and do not need to worry about loneliness while travelling solo. We hope to empower travelers to feel confident in exploring new places and cultures, as well as finding fulfillment in their time alone."
Solo travel made easy with Klook
So how can solo travelers overcome their fears? Klook helps travelers tap into the many joys of solo travel through interactive, memorable and affordable activities that can be enjoyed in a group or alone. By joining a Klook experience, travelers instantly tap into a global community of like-minded travelers from more than 180 countries and counting. For instance, 42% of Indian travelers mentioned that meeting locals is one of the top activities that they enjoy, which is followed closely by the activity of connecting with friends which was ranked top by 41% of the respondents.
Offering more than 100,000 activities, services and experiences on its ever-growing travel platform, Klook has something for every type of solo traveler. Outdoorsy types can celebrate the natural beauty of a destination with Klook's scenic hikes, river cruises, sandboarding adventures, and countryside cycling tours. Meanwhile, foodies can get hands-on in a pizza-making workshop, learn the art of a Chinese tea ceremony, or break the ice with fellow travelers over a bottle of pinot noir. And if they really just need some uninterrupted 'me-time', travelers can press reset with a wide selection of relaxing spa, meditation and yoga experiences.
If you're still sitting on the fence, let Klook India's first ever Big Fat Indian Travel Sale change your mind. Launching on 13th December 2019, travelers can look forward to daily deals of up to 80% discount! Start building the best solo trip for yourself by checking out the recommended activities and experiences here!
About the Survey
Klook's first-annual Solo Travel survey was conducted between 10 to 16 October 2019 by using YouGov's online panel across 16 markets with a total of 20,614 interviews completed across the UK, US, Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, India, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. All data is weighted in relation to the online population. Figures are based on an average of 16 individual market data, which are weighted in relation to the online population.
About Klook
Founded in 2014, Klook is a world-leading travel activities and services booking platform. Klook empowers travelers around the world to discover, book and experience the best things to do anywhere, anytime. It provides a seamless way for travelers to explore popular attractions, tours, local transportation, food and beverage, and unique experiences around the world on Klook's website and award-winning app (consecutive Best of Year awarded by Google Play and Apple App Store). Each day, Klook's travelers indulge in their wanderlust and spontaneity through over 100,000 offerings in more than 350 destinations.
With a team of more than 1,800 across over 26 offices worldwide, Klook's services are available in 14 languages, supporting 41 currencies. Get inspired by Klook at www.klook.com/en-IN, the company blog or @Klook.
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