Tui throws weight behind campaign to 'end solo travel penalties'
Ilaria Grasso MacolaTui has backed a new campaign to end the "social stigma" and additional costs often associated with solo travel following a surge in demand from UK customers.
One in five Brits (21%) now want to travel solo according to new research by deals site HolidayPirates, which has partnered with Tui to launch the campaign.
Reasons range from not wanting to wait for someone to join them (18%) to having the flexibility to change their plans on a whim (17%) and avoiding arguments (10%).
One in four young travellers (25%) highlighted the need "to find themselves" as a reason to travel alone, while one in five (20%) cited wanting to push themselves out of their comfort zone.
Respondents, though, expressed frustration at the stigma and extra costs associated with solo travel, with almost one in four (23%) feeling deterred by single supplements and 15% saying the travel industry doesn’t cater enough for the market.
In particular, almost a third of millennials highlighted the need for a 24-hour hotline for solo travellers while almost a quarter (23%) want providers to allocate a quota of single occupancy rooms in hotels and accommodations.
“Our research has shown that while there is growing confidence to get out there, there is also a sense of frustration with a travel industry that hasn’t quite caught up with consumer preferences,” said Phil Salcedo, HolidayPirates’ head of market UK and North America.
A Tui spokesperson added: “We’re committed to securing more single rooms with single occupancy rates to meet customer demand. We also have live codes on our solo travel landing page where customers can save £150 on holidays departing between now and October."
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