A survey has found that “Solidays” are on the rise with an increasing number of Brits heading off alone on holiday as friends and family struggle to fund travel plans.

Published: 23 Nov 2009

A survey has found that “Solidays” are on the rise with an increasing number of Brits heading off alone on holiday as friends and family struggle to fund travel plans.

According to an online poll of 4,000 adults conducted for ebookers.com, one in six said he or she had travelled alone on a leisure holiday in the past year because friends and family with whom they normally go were unable to afford the trip.

The survey also revealed:

· Men (22%) were twice as likely as women (11%) to venture on trips on their own;
· A third (33%) of those who travelled alone admitted that they wanted to try something different to the usual package holiday or city break;
· Top “soliday” destinations included Australia, South America, China and Africa;
· Those aged 18-25 were most keen on travelling alone, with 51% of those in this age range having taken a solo trip in the last 12 months;
· The most popular length of time for a Soliday is 5 – 7 days (21%).

The increasing popularity of “solidays”, as Ebookers has christened them, also results from better deals on offer to single travellers

Ben Reynolds, head of marketing at ebookers.com, said: “The recession is changing the way we travel, with people looking at new ways to ensure they can still jet off on a break this year. The soliday seems to be emerging as a trend for people who can still afford a break. Despite friends and family impacted by the recession choosing to stay at home, solidaymakers have found a way to plan and book travel carefully to ensure they get a bargain break - even if it means going alone.”