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In a trend that’s likely to spread, a remarkable rise in solo travel has been uncovered in the US – with nearly one in four Americans saying they prefer to travel alone.

New research has found that nearly half of Americans (45%) feel that travelling with someone else tends to hold them back from doing what they want, as a travel partner may not have the same preferences. Others feel travel with a partner makes them more likely to end up doing things they don’t really want to do.

The new survey of 2000 Americans was conducted by pollster OnePoll on behalf of Travelex and widely publicised by the New York Post.

The survey found that half of all respondents said they’d be more willing to talk to locals while travelling alone, and another 46% felt they’d be more spontaneous when on their won. Well over half (57%) felt they were much more likely to go out of their comfort zone when traveling solo.

Two in every five (42%) said they had found romance while travelling and one in 10 said they found romance while travelling completely alone.

Magnificent solitude

The downside is the over half (52%) considered travelling alone to be a lot less safe. Another 49% worried they’d get lonely.

Despite its drawbacks, nearly half of Americans polled (44%) said travelling alone was something they’d like to do a lot more of in future.

Respondents nominated the following as activities they’d like to do while travelling alone:

Thrill of lone discovery

  • Go to local markets and shops           58%
  • Take photos/videos                              53%
  • Talk to locals                                       50%
  • Be spontaneous                                  45%
  • Take public transport                           42%
  • Check out the nightlife                         38%
  • Partake in local customs/traditions    36%

 

Written by Peter Needham