Skift Take
Tour operator G Adventures has responded to the loneliness epidemic with a new brand geared toward solo travelers.
G Adventures launched a new brand on this week, targeting solo travelers interested in group tours and looking to connect with others.
Called “Solo-ish Adventures,” the brand is for travelers who don’t want to wait on friends, relatives, or significant others to book a trip or feel like a “third wheel” on group tours filled with couples and pre-existing friends.
“The barrier to travel for a lot of solo people was the fear of being bored or alone, surrounded by other couples,” said Yves Marceau, vice president of product. “They’re afraid they won’t connect with people.”
Itineraries include activities, tours, and community projects designed to bring travelers together. Trips average 12 days. Instead of the traditional welcome dinner, trips will feature events, such as a cooking class, a food walking tour, or another activity that encourages interaction from the first night.
“We designed this travel style with the idea that people will bond within the first three days,” said Marceau.
Travelers will share rooms with those of the same gender. “From our years of experience, people who room together on a trip often become lifelong friends,” said Marceau.
G Adventures’s new brand comes as travel becomes an increasingly important source of connection amid the ongoing loneliness crisis, a Skift Megatrend this year, which Marceau said partly inspired the idea.
Currently, 12 destinations are available under the Solo-ish brand, with 13 more to be unveiled in the coming weeks. Over the next two years, G Adventures plans to expand to 60 destinations.
All Solo-ish tour leaders will be female. G Adventures wanted to empower women because the tour guide industry is dominated by men, and most solo travelers are female.
“We decided to take a stand and say, we will only hire female CEOs for Solo-ish,” said Marceau. “Since 70% of solo travelers are women, we wanted to give them the opportunity to connect in their destination with someone of their own gender.”
