Original Scientific Article
Motives of Female Travellers for Solo Travel
Rrezarta Ejupi
rrezarta.ejupi9@gmail.com
ZoranaMedarić
Science and Research Centre Koper, Slovenia
zorana.medaric@zrs-kp.si
The segment of solo female travellers has been growing fast from year to year and is
becoming an increasingly important tourism segment. When women travel alone,
they want more than just to travel from one place to another. They are often looking
for independence, personal growth, new experiences, adventure, connecting with
others, and an escape from routine. The aim of this paper is to investigate the main
motives for independent travel among Slovenian solo travellers through quantitative
and qualitative research. Based on the literature review, the motives were divided
according to three different dimensions: psychological, cultural and personal. In our
analysis, we found that while all three groups of motives are important, Slovenian
female independent travellers attach the greatest importance to the psychological
motive, i.e. they see independent travel primarily as a time to fulfil their own needs
and desires, gain confidence and independence or withdraw from everyday life.
Keywords: solo female travel, motives, independent travel
https://doi.org/10.26493/2335-4194.15.177-185
Introduction
Recent literature (Chiang & Jogartnam, 2006; Junek
et al., 2006; McNamara & Prideaux, 2010; Pereira &
Silva, 2018; Yang, 2020) suggests that solo travel is
one of the fastest growing segments in the tourism
market. Today, we can observe a decline in pack-
age holidays and an increase in solo travel, mainly
due to the higher demand for holiday flexibility. The
rise in solo travel reflects the changing demograph-
ics and lifestyles of modern society, characterised by
individualism and high levels of consumerism (Hyde
& Lawson, 2003; Laesser et al., 2009). Independent
travel by women is not a new phenomenon, as women
have been travelling and exploring the world for cen-
turies (Junek et al., 2006). Still, women’s participa-
tion in tourism and leisure activities has increased
significantly over the past 20 years (Jordan & Gib-
son, 2005). The increase in solo female travellers has
contributed significantly to the growing segment of
solo travel (Yang, 2020). According to travel indus-
try statistics, there has been a 131 increase in the
number of Google searches online for ‘solo travel’ be-
tween 2016 and 2019 and 84 of all solo travellers are
women (https://www.condorferries.co.uk/solo-travel
-statistics).
Solo travellers are often characterised by their cu-
riosity and desire to learn about cultures other than
their own. They are often driven and excited to ex-
plore new ways of life and new experiences. Some of
them prefer to stay with locals instead of booking a
hotel in order to immerse themselves in the culture.
Solo travel gives them the opportunity to interact with
people from other cultures, religions, countries, etc.
Solo travel also allows them to make their own deci-
sions about activities and travel plans without having
to compromise. Often, women travelling alone experi-
Academica Turistica, Year 15, No. 2, August 2022 | 177
Rrezarta Ejupi and Zorana Medari Motives of Female Travellers for Solo Travel
ence a sense of personal power that they did not know
they had before (Osman et al., 2020).
Understanding the motives for tourism travel is
crucial for various institutions planning tourism de-
velopment or for tourism providers. Nowadays, com-
petition in the tourism market is very strong, so it
is necessary to follow constant changes and trends
(Mahika, 2011). Therefore, the aim of this article is
to examine the motives of female solo travellers as an
important segment in the travel market, focusing on
different dimensions of motivation.
Literature Review
Solo female travel has become an increasingly popular
phenomenon (Chiang & Jogaratnam, 2006). There-
fore, it is not surprising that since the late 1990s, an
increasing number of studies have been conducted
on female solo travellers in tourism, showing that fe-
male solo travellers are in search of self-affirmation,
identity, and other experiences. Research also shows
that women travelling alone sometimes face unwanted
male attention, violence, and sexual harassment. This
growing phenomenon of female solo travel has also
been studied to understand travel motivations (Chi-
ang& Jogaratnam, 2006;McNamara&Prideaux, 2010;
Wilson & Little, 2005, 2008; Seow & Brown 2018; Os-
man et al., 2020). This academic work has highlighted
the characteristics of female solo travel, motivation,
experiences of empowerment and perceptions of risk
(Wilson & Harris, 2006; Harris & Wilson, 2007; Wil-
son & Little, 2008; Jordan & Gibson, 2005; Chiang
& Jogaratnam, 2006; Jordan & Aitchison, 2008; Mc-
Namara & Prideaux, 2010; Yang et al., 2019; Seow &
Brown, 2018; Osman et al., 2020).
A review of the general classifications of travel
motives shows that they mostly include cultural, re-
ligious, physical, personal and psychological compo-
nents (World Tourism Organisation, 1994; Pearce &
Lee, 2006; Swarbooke & Horner, 2007; United Na-
tions, 2008, Middleton et al., 2009). For example,
one of the widely used classifications of travel mo-
tives is that of Swarbooke and Horner (2007), which
distinguishes between psychological motives (relax-
ation, health, sunbathing, etc.), emotionalmotives (ro-
mance, nostalgia, adventure, escape, spirituality), per-
sonal motives (visiting relatives and friends, meeting
new people), developmental motives (learning), sta-
tusmotives (fashion, exclusivity), and culturalmotives
(sightseeing, learning about new cultures).
Themotives of solo female tourists vary and change
over the life course (Gibson et al., 2012). Important
motives include seeking physical, emotional and spiri-
tual fulfilment, self-confidence, empowerment, a sense
of power (Wilson & Harris, 2006; Harris & Wilson,
2007) and getting out of one’s comfort zone (Wilson &
Little, 2008). Pereira and Silva (2018), who developed
a conceptual framework that relates women’s travel
preferences to tourism experiences, link independent
women’s travel experiences to the ‘desire to learn, self-
development, to challenge oneself, to find a sense of
identity and autonomy, to meet new people, and to
experience new life and adventure moments’ (p. 137).
They also emphasise the desire to experience a dif-
ferent cultural context than the one they are used to.
Chiang and Jogartnam (2006) found that it is impor-
tant for solo travellers to experience a new culture,
acquire new knowledge, and meet people with similar
interests. Phillips (2019) highlights the learning oppor-
tunities and transformative aspect of travel through
interaction with other cultures.
Based on the literature review (Wilson & Harris,
2006; Chiang & Jogartnam, 2006; Harris & Wilson,
2007;Wilson&Little, 2008; Bond&Falk, 2012; Pereira
& Silva, 2018; Phillips, 2019; Seow & Brown, 2018; Os-
man et al., 2020; Yang, 2020), we focus on three di-
mensions of motives that are most frequently high-
lighted, namely psychological, cultural and personal
motives:
• psychological motives (desire for adventure and
adventures, escape from routine, change of en-
vironment, gaining independence and self-con-
fidence),
• cultural motives (sightseeing, attending events,
visitingmuseums and galleries, tasting local food,
learning about local culture),
• personal motives (visiting relatives and friends,
meeting new people, learning new skills, per-
sonal growth, searching for identity).
Although these motives may overlap in practice,
178 | Academica Turistica, Year 15, No. 2, August 2022
Rrezarta Ejupi and Zorana Medari Motives of Female Travellers for Solo Travel
they are presented independently for the purposes of
this article.
Psychological Motives
At the core of independent travel is the ideology of
independence, autonomy, and freedom. Through the
journey the traveller creates an independent and self-
sufficient sense of self (Phillips, 2019). For women,
travel often represents an opportunity to enter new
spaces away from familiar contexts and people. Many
women choose to travel independently after life chan-
ges such as divorce, widowhood, graduation, and job
loss because it allows them time to satisfy their own
needs and desires by creating their own schedules and
pursuing their own interests. Travelling alone enables
a woman to undertake a meaningful journey in which
she seeks physical, emotional and spiritual fulfilment
(Wilson & Harris, 2006; Harris & Wilson, 2007; Wil-
son & Little, 2008).
In women’s solo travel, it is important to emphasise
the aspect of empowerment and the sense of autonomy
and independence. Women travel primarily because
they have the right tomake their own decisions, main-
tain control over their actions, and meet new people.
Their travel experience focuses on self-confidence and
independence. Solo travel helps women deal with the
problems they encounter on their own. Overcoming
fears and meeting challenges and obstacles while trav-
elling leads to greater personal growth, self-confidence
and a sense of power (Wilson & Harris, 2006; Harris
& Wilson, 2007).
Cultural Motives
Another important aspect of female solo travel is dis-
covering and exploring other cultures and learning
about their ways of life. This includes sightseeing and
attending events, as well as tasting local gastronomy.
Women travel not only to see different places, but
also to gain new knowledge and experiences. They
also want to learn different ways of thinking about the
world. Experiencing culture is often one of the main
motives for travelling alone, as it provides the opportu-
nity to have independent experiences (Chiang & Joga-
rtnam, 2006). Thismotive is also often linked to issues
of identity. The way female travellers see themselves is
an important motive for cultural solo travel as the re-
lationship between the traveller and the host culture is
crucial and also related to their self-identity (Bond &
Falk, 2012). The independent traveller wants to escape
from everyday life with her travels and seeks new cul-
tural frameworks that are different from those she is
used to (Crompton in Pereira & Silva, 2018).
Personal Motives
One of the characteristics of female travellers is the
desire to meet other people and interact with other
travellers and locals. On such trips, it is easier to meet
new people andmake friends as you are far away from
the possible pressures you face in your home environ-
ment. This helps women to develop confidence and
social skills. For women, independent travel is there-
fore also a means of personal growth and searching
for identity. Apart fromenhancing self-confidence and
independence, women also improve their social skills
on such trips. These acquired skills are transferred to
other areas of their daily lives, both at home and at
work (Wilson & Harris, 2006; Harris & Wilson, 2007;
Phillips, 2019).
Methods
The aim of the study was to obtain data on the mo-
tives of independent female travellers. The data was
obtained through quantitative and qualitative research
– a questionnaire and interviews. The survey was con-
ducted online from May 5 to August 5, 2020 using
the 1ka online survey tool. The survey was shared
through the social network Facebook; more specifi-
cally, the survey was posted to six travel groups. 239
female respondents were included in the sample. For
each question, only valid responses were considered
for analysis.
The questionnaire for the survey was based on the
literature read. It consists of five demographic ques-
tions and three sets of statements about the motives of
independent travel. Respondents had to express their
agreement or disagreement with the statements using
a Likert scale (level 1 to 5).
In addition, semi-structured interviews were con-
ducted with eight travellers to get a more detailed
Academica Turistica, Year 15, No. 2, August 2022 | 179
Rrezarta Ejupi and Zorana Medari Motives of Female Travellers for Solo Travel
picture of travel motives. The respondents were ob-
tained with the help of a questionnaire. Those who
were willing to participate in the interview provided
their contact details (email address). All interviews
were conducted remotely via video connection (Face-
book Messenger, Skype and Facetime). Ethical guide-
lines were followed: participants were informed of the
aim of the project and were assured that confidential-
ity would be maintained. The topics of the interviews
included history of solo travels, preparation for the
travel, routine on a typical solo travel, main motives
for the solo travel, safety issues, and positive and neg-
ative aspects of solo travel. The interviews were semi-
structured and lasted an average of 35 minutes, while
their transcription took twice as long. The interviews
were transcribed and analysed according to the rules
for analysis and interpretation of qualitative data.
Results
Table 1 shows the age of respondents. The average age
of our respondents is 30.1 years. As many as 49 of
respondents belong to the age groupbetween 22 and 28
years. 16 of all respondents belong to the age group
between 29 and 35 years. Only 12 of respondents are
under the age of 22, while 22 of respondents are over
the age of 35. The youngest respondent is 18 years old
and the oldest is 68 years old.
Table 2 (p. 181) shows the normal duration of a solo
trip, how often they travel. Most respondents, 42,
travel alone for two weeks, while 37 of respondents
travel between two weeks and one month. Of the re-
spondents, 10 travel between one month and three
months and only 1 of the respondents travel formore
than half a year. Respondents who travel for less than
two weeks were excluded from further analysis. The
Table 1 Age of respondents
q How old are you? Valid 
Number of units 
Average .
Standard deviation .
Minimum 
Maximum 
majority of respondents take an independent trip once
every two years or once a year (78 overall). 15 of all
respondents go on an independent trip two to three
times a year, while only 6 of respondents travel more
than three times a year. The most frequently chosen
accommodation, with asmany as 47 of all responses,
is a hostel. Other frequently chosen accommodations
are apartments at 17 and hotels at 16. The fewest
travellers use motels, only 2.
In our research, three dimensions of motives in
particular proved to be important, which are pre-
sented in this paper: psychological, cultural and per-
sonal. The sentences measuring different dimensions
of motives were clustered into three groups forming
three indexes that were verified for internal validity
with Cronbach’s alpha and an average for the index as
a whole was calculated as well.
Respondents expressed their agreement or dis-
agreement with the statements by circling a number
from 1 to 5 for each statement, representing the level
of importance in their decision to take the last inde-
pendent trip. This means 1 – I disagree completely, 2 –
I disagree, 3 – I am neutral, 4 – I agree, 5 – I completely
agree.
Table 3 (p. 181) shows the agreement of respondents
with claims about psychological motives. 82 of re-
spondents agreed with the statement that solo travel is
a time to pursue your own needs and desires. Slightly
less, 81, agreed or fully agreed that a change of envi-
ronment is important to them when travelling alone,
while 79 of respondents agreed or fully agreed that
they prefer to travel due to disconnecting or departure
from everyday life. 66 of them expressed that they
feel more confident and independent when travelling
solo.
Table 4 (p. 182) shows the agreement of respon-
dents with claims about cultural motives. Respon-
dents mainly agreed with the statements related to
the cultural motives. A total of 83 of respondents
agree or completely agree that they like to get to know
the culture and way of life of other people during
their travels. Slightly fewer, 82, agree or completely
agree that they enjoy seeing the sights at their destina-
tion. 81 of all respondents agree or completely agree
with the statement about tasting local food, while
180 | Academica Turistica, Year 15, No. 2, August 2022
Rrezarta Ejupi and Zorana Medari Motives of Female Travellers for Solo Travel
Table 2 Average Duration of a Solo Trip and How Often They Travel Solo
Questions Answers () () ()
q Normal duration of your solo trip? Less than two weeks   
Two weeks   
More than two weeks to one month   
More than one month to three months   
More than three months to half a year   
More than half a year   
More than one year   
Total  
q How often do you travel solo? Once in two years   
Once in a year   
 to  times a year   
More than  times a year   
Total  
Notes Column headings are as follows: (1) frequency, (2) percentage, (3) cumulative percentage.
Table 3 Psychological motives
Sub-questions Answers () () ()
     Total
qa I prefer to travel solo because of discon-
necting, withdrawal from everyday life.
n













 . .
qb The change of environment is important to
me on my solo journey.
n













 . .
qc When I travel alone, I feel more confident
and independent.
n













 . .
qd Travelling alone is a time to fulfil my own
desires and needs.
n













 . .
Notes Column headings are as follows: (1) number of units, (2) average, (3) standard deviation. Cronbach’s alpha = 0.809,
index average = 4.0.
69 of respondents agree or completely agree with
the statement about attending cultural and entertain-
ment events. Just over half of all respondents (53)
agree/completely agree with the statement about vis-
iting museums and galleries.
Table 5 (p. 182) shows the agreement of respon-
dents with claims about personal motives. The state-
ment about broadening horizons, exploring and learn-
ing new things on the road receives the highest level of
agreement (86), with 73 of all respondents agree-
ing or completely agreeingwith the statement that they
enjoy meeting new people while travelling, while 59
of respondents go on a trip in search of identity and
personal growth.
Respondents stressed the importance of discon-
necting and retreating from everyday life, as it gives
them time for themselves and their thoughts. When
asked about the change of environment and discon-
necting from everyday life, our respondents expressed
very high agreement and importance by saying:
Academica Turistica, Year 15, No. 2, August 2022 | 181
Rrezarta Ejupi and Zorana Medari Motives of Female Travellers for Solo Travel
Table 4 Cultural motives
Sub-questions Answers () () ()
     Total
qa I like to visit museums and galleries on my
travels.
n













 . .
qb I like to try local food on the trip. n













 . .
qc I love getting to know the culture and way
of life of other people and nations.
n













 . .
qd I like to see the sights at the destination. n













 . .
qe I like to take part in cultural and entertain-
ment events on my travels.
n













 . .
Notes Column headings are as follows: (1) number of units, (2) average, (3) standard deviation. Cronbach’s alpha = 0.809,
average = 3.9.
Table 5 Personal motives
Sub-questions Answers () () ()
     Total
qa On the journey, I like to meet new people. n













 . .
qb On the journey, I want to broaden my hori-
zons, explore and discover new things.
n













 . .
qc I go on a journey in search of my identity
and personal growth.
n













 . .
Notes Column headings are as follows: (1) number of units, (2) average, (3) standard deviation. Cronbach’s alpha = 0.719,
average = 3.9.
It’s definitely very important. Like I said before,
when you go out of your everyday life some-
how and see other people’s way of life, you re-
alise what’s important to you in life and what’s
not. Through travel, I learned to appreciate the
simplest things. [Nina, 34 years old]
Travels thus provide a form of escapism and an op-
portunity to relax in a different environment:
Detachment is very important to me.When I’m
on a trip, I don’t think about all the problems
I have at home, or all the things I can do. On
the journey, I take time for myself to relax and
forget about worries. [Eva, 24 years old]
Interviewees also stressed the importance of the
sense of empowerment and self-confidence that comes
from solo travel.
The women rely on themselves to organise trips
or solve problems, which in turn changes their self-
perceptions.
In addition to the self-confidence I gained, I also
became more resourceful and independent. I
don’t have to rely on anyone like myself to do
something or solve a problem. Now I am more
confident in myself that I can do something.
[Travels] give freedom and [are] full of new ex-
periences. They teachme a lot about myself and
the world in general. [Alenka, 27 years old]
182 | Academica Turistica, Year 15, No. 2, August 2022
Rrezarta Ejupi and Zorana Medari Motives of Female Travellers for Solo Travel
Independent travel gives me more self-confi-
dence to be able to plan and travel without spe-
cial parental accompaniment as we did when
we were children. They change [sic] my whole
thinking about myself, the people around me,
the cultures and the world. [Maša, 20 years old]
Competencies, such as independence, that the trav-
ellers acquired on their journeys were often trans-
ferred into their daily lives. The transformative aspect
of travel was often emphasised by respondents. This is
evident from quotes such as the following:
You get extra confidence to go anywhere alone.
In the past I didn’t go to the cinema alone, now
I’ll go alone, it’s not a problem for me because I
got used to it abroad. [Nina, 35 years old]
I definitely gain a lot of self-confidence, I see
that I can step out of my comfort zone and I am
able to get myself out of a stressful or difficult
situation. I have becomemore independent and
patient, because there is no one else to help you
andmake things easier. And that’s good because
you see that you’re resourceful enough and can
adapt to different situations. [Tara, 28 years old]
The findings are consistent with Wilson and Lit-
tle (2005), who believe that travellers in general are
looking for experiences that provide them with an es-
cape and freedom from their comfort zone. According
to Wilson and Harris (2006) and Wilson and Little
(2008), challenges have a positive effect on the trav-
eller, as overcoming these challenges while travelling
leads to a strong sense of empowerment and a boost
in self-confidence. In particular, independent travel
greatly helped our travellers to increase their confi-
dence and resourcefulness. It has also made the trav-
ellers more confident in themselves and their abili-
ties. Overcoming fears, challenges and obstacles while
travelling leads to more personal development, self-
confidence and a sense of strength. These acquired
skills are transferred to other areas of daily life, both at
home and at work (Wilson & Harris, 2006; Harris &
Wilson, 2007), highlighting the transformative power
of solo travel (Phillips, 2019).
Our interviewees showed an interest in the culture
of the destinations they visited. They emphasised the
importance of learning about the local people, their
culture, and their specialties. Learning about the local
country, culture, history, and people, as well as partici-
pating in cultural activities, are important elements of
solo travel:
Even before I go on a trip, I learn about the his-
tory of the country and their culture. But I think
you really get to know a destination only when
you actually visit it and get to know the people
and meet their way of life. I met locals every-
where, while visiting attractions, while taking
public transport, and especially in the evening
while visiting some bars. [Sara, 24 years old]
On the trip, I like to experience things that are
typical for the destination I am visiting. I like to
try the activities they offer and explore their cul-
ture. I also spend a lot of time with the locals to
get an in-depth picture of the state of this coun-
try and not just what the media is portraying.
[Nina, 35 years old]
Attending various cultural events also allows them
to gain a better insight into the destination:
I love attending events that help me understand
the culture of the destination I attend. When
I was in Turkey, I attended an event in a city
where some kind of competition took place,
where men competed in different categories.
There was also a lot of dancing and singing at
the event. [Maša, 20 years old]
An important part of visiting and getting to
know the destination is also getting to know
the techno scene of the destination. Sometimes
mymainmotive for visiting is a festival, around
which I then organise other activities. [Sara, 24
years old]
According toChiang and Jogartnam (2006), an im-
portant aspect of female solo travel is the exploration
of other cultures. An important reason why women
Academica Turistica, Year 15, No. 2, August 2022 | 183
Rrezarta Ejupi and Zorana Medari Motives of Female Travellers for Solo Travel
choose to travel independently is the relationship be-
tween travel and experience. Their goal is not to travel
alone, but to gain skills and new experiences (Wil-
son & Harris, 2006; Wilson & Little, 2008). Attending
events on the trip proved to be an important aspect of
understanding different cultures.
Respondents also expressed a strong desire to learn
new things. They described how they broadened their
horizons in different ways by attending classes, work-
shops, and events.
I like to look at everything and try everything
little by little. Above all, I want to broaden my
horizons, to learn something new. Try some-
thing new, experience, see as much as possi-
ble, try local specialities, meet new people and
have time to observe the surroundings. I give
a lot more to experiences and memories than
to something material. I like to enrich my soul.
[Alenka, 27 years old]
I always avoid hotels and tourist attractions and
prefer to get to know more remote areas where
you see real life and where there are local peo-
ple. I attend some events, music events are al-
ways a way to get to know people and culture.
Another thing, of course, is street food. I also
like to visit some historical or art museums, so
you get to know the place you are in very well.
[Tara, 28 years old]
Getting to know people is something fundamental
to their travels. They also explained where and how
they meet new people.
Yes, that’s one of my main motives for indepen-
dent travel. So far, I have met many of them
at the destination where I spent the night, the
owners of accommodation or other indepen-
dent travellers. [Tara, 28 years old]
One of the mainmotives for my travels is meet-
ing people. They are easiest to meet in a hostel
where youmeet other independent travellers. If
you are somewhere for a long time, you can go
to a language course or other workshops and get
to know them there. Couchsurfing is also great
for getting to know each other. [Alenka, 27 years
old]
This is in line with previous research. Namely, Pe-
reira and Silva (2018) believe that travellers are highly
motivated to learn and expand their knowledge thro-
ugh travel experiences. Additionally, as Wilson and
Harris (2006) say, one of the characteristics of trav-
ellers is also the desire to interact, meet other people
and build relationships.
Conclusion
Understanding travel motivations is one of the most
important priorities in tourism today. In our study
of independent female travellers, motives were classi-
fied into three different categories: psychological, cul-
tural and personal. Independent travellers, as an im-
portant tourism segment, seek more than just travel,
namely the desire for independence, learning, chal-
lenges, meeting new people, new experiences, per-
sonal growth and the search for identity (Pereira &
Silva, 2018).
Based on the analysis, we found that, in line with
the previous research, the three selected groups ofmo-
tives (cultural, personal and psychological) are all rele-
vant for Slovenian female independent travellers. Still,
they attach the greatest importance to the psycholog-
ical motives, that is, they see independent travel pri-
marily as a time to fulfil their own needs and desires
and theway to gain confidence and independence. The
change of environment and the aspect of disconnect-
ing or getting out of the daily routine are also impor-
tant for them.
In relation to cultural motives, they like to learn
about new cultures and ways of life, try local gastron-
omy and attend various events during their travels.
Personal motives such as broadening their horizons,
discovering and learning new things during their trav-
els and meeting new people are also very important.
By providing the experiences of a unique segment
of Slovenian women, our study contributes to the cur-
rent literature on solo travel by women and deserves
the attention of suppliers interested in segmenting
the market for independent women’s travel. Based on
184 | Academica Turistica, Year 15, No. 2, August 2022
Rrezarta Ejupi and Zorana Medari Motives of Female Travellers for Solo Travel
these findings, destination marketing teams can at-
tract independent travellers by promoting psycholog-
ical, cultural, and personalmotives. Promotional cam-
paigns could emphasise the motive to escape routine,
themotive to change environments, themotive to have
new experiences, the motive to engage in cultural ac-
tivities, and the motive to acquire new skills.
Interpretation of the data may be limited by sev-
eral factors. Our sample included only travellers from
Slovenia, so our results cannot be generalised to all
women travelling alone. In addition, due to selective
sampling, the results cannot be generalised to all solo
female travellers from Slovenia.Moreover,most of our
travellers were travelling for short periods of time and
therefore differ from travellerswho choose to travel for
longer periods of time. For further research, we sug-
gest expanding the sample to include solo travellers
who travel for longer periods of time. It would also be
useful to include travellers from different countries.
References
Bond, N., & Falk, J. (2012). Tourism and identity-relatedmo-
tivations: Why am I here (and not there)? International
Journal of Tourism Research, 15(5), 430–442.
Chiang, C., & Jogaratnam, G. (2006). Why do women travel
solo for purposes of leisure? Journal of Vacation Market-
ing, 12(1), 59–70.
Crompton, J. (1979). Motivation for pleasure vacation. An-
nals of Tourism Research, 6(4), 408–424.
Gibson, H. J., Berdychevsky, L., & Bell, H. L. (2012). Girl-
friend getaways over the life course: Change and conti-
nuity. Annals of Leisure Research, 15(1), 38–54.
Harris, C., &Wilson, E. (2007). Travelling beyond the bound-
aries of constraint:Women, travel and empowerment. In
A. Pritchard, N. Morgan, I. Ateljevic, & C. Harris (Eds.),
Tourism and gender: Embodiment, sensuality and experi-
ence (pp. 235–250). cabi.
Hyde, K. F., & Lawson, R. (2003). The nature of independent
travel. Journal of Travel Research, 42(1), 13–23.
Jordan, F., & Aitchison, C. (2008). Tourism and the sexual-
isation of the gaze: Solo female tourists’ experiences of
gendered power, surveillance and embodiment. Leisure
Studies, 27(3), 329–349.
Jordan, F., & Gibson, H. (2005).We’re not stupid . . . But we’ll
not stay home either: Experiences of solo women travel-
ers. Tourism Review International, 9(2), 195–211.
Junek, O., Binney, W., & Winn, S. (2006). All-female travel:
What do women really want? Tourism, 54(1), 53–62.
Laesser, C., Beritelli, P., & Bieger, T. (2009). Solo travel: Ex-
plorative insights from a mature market (Switzerland).
Journal of Vacation Marketing, 15(3), 217–227.
Mahika, E. C. (2011). Current trends in tourist motivation.
Cactus Tourism Journal, 2(2), 15–24.
McNamara, K. E., & Prideaux, B. (2010). A typology of solo
independent women travellers. International Journal of
Tourism Research, 12(1), 253–264.
Middleton, V. T., Fyall, A., Morgan, M., & Ranchhod, A.
(2009).Marketing in travel and tourism. Routledge.
Osman, H., Brown, L., & Phung, T. M. T. (2020). The travel
motivations and experiences of female Vietnamese solo
travellers. Tourist Studies, 20(2), 248–267.
Pearce, L. P., & Lee, U. I. (2005). Developing the travel ca-
reer approach to tourist motivation. Journal of Travel Re-
search, 43(3), 226–237.
Pereira, A., & Silva, C. (2018). Women solo travellers: Moti-
vations and experiences.Millenium, 2(6), 99–106.
Phillips, B. (2019). The evolution of long-term independent
travel. In B. Philips, Learning by going: Transformative
learning through long-term independent travel (pp. 43–
66). Springer.
Seow, D., & Brown, L. (2018). The solo female Asian tourist.
Current Issues in Tourism, 21(10), 1187–1206.
Swarbrooke, J., & Horner, S. (2007). Consumer behaviour in
tourism. Routledge.
United Nations. (2010). International recommendations for
tourism statistics 2008 (Studies and Methods, Series M,
No. 83/Rev 1).
Wilson, E., & Harris, C. (2006). Meaningful travel: Women,
independent travel and the search for self and meaning.
Tourism, 54(2), 161–172.
Wilson, E., & Little, D. (2005). A ‘relative escape’? The im-
pact of constraints on women who travel solo. Tourism
Review International, 9(2), 155–175.
Wilson, E., & Little, D. E. (2008). The solo female travel ex-
perience: Exploring the ‘geography of women’s fear.’Cur-
rent Issues in Tourism, 11(2), 167–186.
World Tourism Organisation. (1994). Recommendations on
tourism statistic.
Yang, E. C. L. (2020). What motivates and hinders people
from travelling alone? A study of solo and non-solo trav-
ellers. Current Issues in Tourism, 24(3), 1–14.
Yang, E. C. L., Yang, M. J. H., & Khoo-Lattimore, C. (2019).
The meanings of solo travel for Asian women. Tourism
Review, 74(5), 1047–1057.
Academica Turistica, Year 15, No. 2, August 2022 | 185