Traveling Alone Is Becoming a Choice, Not a Compromise
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A German traveler boards a train to Prague without a companion. A retired woman books two weeks in Greece. A young professional decides to explore Japan without waiting for friends to agree on dates. Another traveler joins a guided tour through South Africa, arriving alone but sharing the experience with a small group.
All four are solo travelers. Yet their motivations, budgets and expectations are entirely different.
That distinction is increasingly important to Europe’s tourism industry.
The traditional assumption that someone traveling alone must be single, lonely or searching for company is losing relevance. For many Europeans, traveling independently is about controlling their own time, choosing their own experiences and avoiding the compromises of group decision-making.
Germany provides an especially revealing perspective.
A European Travel Trend Report published by Cologne-based DERTOUR Group in August 2026 found that 36.1% of German respondents considered themselves likely to take a solo trip within the following 12 months, compared with nearly 30% across the 13 European markets surveyed.
The research covered 8,000 respondents, supported by booking data from 16 European source markets. It placed Germany ahead of Sweden, France, the United Kingdom, and Poland in stated solo-travel intentions.
Likelihood of Taking a Solo Trip Within 12 Months
Share of respondents considering solo travel, by country
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Source: DERTOUR Group European Travel Trend Report,
August 2026. Survey intentions, not actual trip volumes.
The same booking analysis found that travelers accompanied by others stayed an average of 9.5 days, four days fewer than solo customers.
Almost three in ten solo travelers were at least 65 years old.
These are commercially significant findings. Solo travelers are not necessarily booking shorter, cheaper or less sophisticated holidays.
Indeed, many have the time and financial flexibility to travel outside school holidays, stay longer and spend on experiences that match their personal interests.
However, these figures represent the customer base of particular German travel brands, not every German traveler. They cannot be treated as national tourism statistics.
Why Europeans Choose to Travel Alone
A separate 2026 study commissioned by eDreams ODIGEO and conducted by OnePoll offers another perspective on German travelers’ motivations.
It found that 37% cited unrestricted freedom of movement as a motivation for solo travel, while 30% said friends or family were unavailable. Another 26% wanted to try something new, 25% were interested in greater self-understanding and 19% mentioned meeting new people. opodo.de
This research points to a reality often overlooked by tourism marketing: not everyone travels alone for the same emotional reason.
For some, it is a deliberate expression of independence. For others, it is simply the most practical way to take a holiday.
A person with limited vacation dates may not want to postpone a long-planned journey because a partner cannot take time off. Someone interested in archaeology, hiking or photography may prefer to travel without companions who have different priorities.
And for older travelers, solo holidays may follow retirement, bereavement, divorce or a change in family circumstances.
Traveling alone can therefore be an expression of freedom, a practical necessity or both.
The important development is that more tourism businesses are beginning to recognize these different needs rather than treating solo travelers as one homogeneous market.
The British Comparison: Younger Travelers Are Driving Growth
Research from the United Kingdom supports the broader European trend, but also reveals important differences.
ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2025–26 report found that 19% of British respondents had taken a holiday alone during the previous 12 months, up from 17% in the preceding year and 13% when the organization began tracking solo travel in 2014.
Among travelers aged 25–34, the figure reached 23%.
More than three-quarters of British solo holidaymakers had visited Europe, while 52% had taken a city break. France was the most frequently reported European destination. ABTA+1
These findings contrast with the older demographic recorded by DERTOUR’s German winter holiday bookings.
The contrast does not necessarily mean German solo travelers are older than British solo travelers overall. The surveys examine different populations and types of travel.
What it demonstrates is that the solo market contains several overlapping segments, from younger independent city-break travelers to older customers purchasing longer organized holidays.
Where Are European Solo Travelers Going?
There is no single reliable European ranking covering all solo-travel destinations. However, operator products, booking patterns and consumer surveys point toward several distinct types of destination.
European cities: Independence without complicated logistics
Prague, Amsterdam, Madrid, Porto, Vienna and Berlin offer many of the characteristics attractive to independent travelers: public transportation, cultural attractions, walking routes and opportunities to join activities without committing to a group holiday.
German operator DERTOUR’s own solo-travel city assessment ranks Prague ahead of Amsterdam and Madrid among the ten European cities it examined. Its German city assessment places Augsburg first.
These are operator-defined rankings based on selected criteria, not evidence that those cities receive the most solo visitors.
The commercial appeal of European city breaks is straightforward. Travelers can reserve a single room, arrive by train or plane, and arrange activities independently. The relatively short duration also makes city breaks a practical introduction to solo travel.
Mediterranean destinations: More than beach holidays
Spain, Italy, Greece and Croatia are relevant for travelers seeking a combination of sunshine, cultural experiences and relaxation.
The Mediterranean also offers a range of travel formats, from independent stays in coastal towns to walking holidays, wellness retreats and escorted cultural tours.
Germany’s independent FUR Reiseanalyse 2026 found that Spain remained the leading foreign holiday destination among German travelers in 2025, followed by Turkey, Italy, Greece and Austria. These are overall holiday-market rankings, not solo-specific rankings. reiseanalyse.de
For operators, the challenge is to make established holiday destinations more welcoming to individuals, rather than assuming a destination popular with couples or families will automatically suit solo guests.
Long-haul destinations: Adventure with optional support
Japan, Thailand, South Korea and destinations in southern Africa feature in the broader solo-travel conversation because they offer cultural discovery, nature experiences and organized touring possibilities.
For a traveler unfamiliar with a destination, an escorted small-group journey can provide logistical support while preserving the experience of setting off without a personal companion.
Long-haul solo travel is not necessarily a backpacking experience. It can involve premium hotels, private transfers, guided excursions and carefully arranged itineraries.
The eDreams ODIGEO study found that 35% of German respondents considering a solo trip would be willing to travel anywhere in the world. But willingness should not be confused with actual long-haul bookings. Presseportal
How German Tour Operators Are Responding
German travel companies are not all approaching solo travel in the same way.
DERTOUR is incorporating solo travel into mainstream holiday offerings, including city breaks, wellness, active holidays and round trips. Its published research suggests that travelers expect more than simply being allowed to book for one person.
Gebeco, the German cultural-tour specialist, presents a different model. Its solo-travel offering emphasizes traveling individually into a group of people with shared cultural interests. The company says more than half its guests travel solo, illustrating how important individually booked group tours can be to a specialist operator. It also describes room-sharing arrangements intended to help travelers avoid standard single-room supplements. gebeco.de
Wikinger Reisen, known for hiking and active holidays, represents the activity-led approach, where shared interests provide a natural basis for social interaction.
Jules Verne, a specialist within DERTOUR’s British portfolio, reported that 51% of its small-group tour bookings for 2027 were from solo travelers, compared with 48% for 2026 departures. DERTOUR Group
The different approaches illustrate an important distinction.
A traveler booking independently is not necessarily seeking solitude. Equally, someone joining a guided group does not necessarily want a holiday marketed around dating, singles events or compulsory social activities.
For the travel industry, recognizing this difference is essential.
The Biggest Commercial Problem: Why Should One Person Pay for Two?
One of the clearest findings in DERTOUR’s European research concerns accommodation.
Among respondents likely to travel alone, 38.4% wanted rooms specifically designed or priced for single occupancy.
Nearly 28% valued opportunities to travel with like-minded people, while 25.3% wanted a dedicated emergency contact. DERTOUR Group
The single supplement remains one of the most contentious issues in solo tourism.
Hotels frequently calculate prices around double occupancy. Tour operators may contract rooms on the same basis, passing additional costs to customers traveling alone.
From a hotel operator’s perspective, a room occupied by one guest can generate less revenue than the same room occupied by two. From the customer’s perspective, paying a substantial premium simply because no companion is traveling can feel discriminatory.
Both arguments have commercial logic.
Yet the industry’s reliance on double-occupancy pricing may become increasingly difficult to defend if solo travel continues expanding.
A hotel offering genuinely affordable single rooms, transparent per-person pricing or carefully structured solo departures may gain a competitive advantage.
The opportunity is not limited to accommodation. Airport transfers, excursions, cruise cabins, restaurant experiences and insurance products can all be redesigned for individual travelers.
Safety and Technology: Freedom Still Needs a Safety Net
Independent travel does not eliminate the need for assistance.
DERTOUR’s European research found that 21.9% of prospective solo travelers valued additional safety measures, alongside the 25.3% seeking an emergency contact.
The importance of support becomes particularly visible when flights are canceled, luggage is lost, medical assistance is required or geopolitical developments disrupt a journey.
For tour operators, this creates an opportunity to provide practical value beyond making reservations.
Technology is also changing the experience.
Digital maps, translation applications, online ticketing, messaging and AI-assisted itinerary planning can reduce the uncertainty of traveling alone.
Germany’s FUR Reiseanalyse reported that AI applications were already used for information and booking in connection with 20% of German holiday trips in 2025. That figure covers all holidays, not solo travel specifically. reiseanalyse.de
However, greater digital independence does not automatically remove the need for human assistance. A traveler who can navigate an unfamiliar city with a smartphone may still appreciate an accessible local contact when something goes wrong.
Is Solo Travel Really Growing, or Is the Industry Rebranding Existing Demand?
This is the question that deserves more scrutiny.
People have traveled alone for generations. Business travelers, students, pilgrims, independent explorers, widowed retirees and people visiting relatives have never been entirely new customer categories.
What has changed is the visibility of solo travel as a consumer identity and commercial segment.
Operators are creating dedicated landing pages, marketing campaigns, specialized departures and travel products aimed at individual customers.
There is evidence of genuine growth, particularly in the British longitudinal figures. But not every statistic quoted by the industry measures the same thing.
The German DERTOUR survey measures intentions. Its winter booking study measures a specific operator group’s actual bookings. ABTA measures the proportion of surveyed British consumers who took a solo holiday.
These numbers should not be combined into a single European growth rate.
Independent research also offers an important reality check.
FUR’s Reiseanalyse found that Germany recorded more than 57 million holiday travelers and almost €92 billion in holiday spending during 2025. Its broader findings point toward increasingly experienced, flexible travelers, but the published headline figures do not establish how much of that market belongs to solo tourism. reiseanalyse.de
The available evidence therefore supports a more measured conclusion: solo travel is a substantial and increasingly visible part of European tourism, but its precise growth rate across the continent remains difficult to quantify consistently.
The Next Opportunity for European Destinations
Solo travel presents opportunities for destinations beyond attracting additional visitors.
Because solo customers may travel outside peak school-holiday periods, they can support year-round demand.
DERTOUR’s European booking analysis found that 65% of solo-traveler holidays occurred outside June, July and August, compared with 56% of holidays overall.
Solo travelers in its European booking data also stayed an average of 10.4 days, compared with 8.9 days for all travelers. DERTOUR Group
For destinations seeking to reduce seasonality, these patterns are potentially valuable.
Local tourism businesses could respond with flexible guided activities, communal dining opportunities, independent cultural experiences, affordable single accommodation and transportation that does not require hiring a private vehicle.
But destinations should resist another temptation: treating every solo traveler as someone who needs organized entertainment.
Some want company. Others want privacy. Many want both, depending on the day.
The most successful destinations may be those that make either choice easy.
What European Travelers Should Consider Before Booking Alone
Traveling alone can be rewarding, but the practical details matter.
Before booking, travelers should compare the complete cost of a solo holiday rather than relying on advertised per-person prices calculated for double occupancy.
They should examine whether a group tour genuinely accommodates solo participants, whether a room is private or shared, and whether optional activities are included.
For first-time solo travelers, a short European city break can provide an introduction without the complexity of long-distance travel.
More experienced travelers may prefer independent itineraries or longer journeys that combine private time with selected guided experiences.
Safety planning should include appropriate travel insurance, reliable accommodation, arrival transportation, emergency contacts and current destination advice.
The best travel format depends less on whether someone is single and more on how much independence, comfort, companionship and support that person wants.
The eTurboNews Perspective: Tourism Must Stop Designing Holidays Only for Couples
The industry’s interest in solo travel reflects a broader change in European society.
Households are changing. People are living longer. Work and leisure schedules are becoming more individualized. Travelers increasingly expect holidays to reflect personal interests rather than traditional family or couple-based packages.
German tour operators are recognizing these developments, but the real test will be whether their products evolve beyond marketing terminology.
A dedicated solo-travel webpage is not enough if the booking system still assumes two guests, the room carries a substantial supplement and the itinerary leaves individual travelers feeling like an afterthought.
The next stage should involve more transparent pricing, genuinely flexible products and better support for travelers who want independence without unnecessary financial penalties.
Solo travel is not necessarily about being alone. It is about having the freedom to decide when to be alone and when to connect with others.
For Europe’s tourism industry, understanding that distinction may be more valuable than any fashionable new travel label.
