Hey Travel Industry: We’re Over Here!
Interesting how "S" for solo traveler is central to the dollar sign. Hey travel industry, we're an important market niche!
For the past two Mondays, I’ve shared with you some behind the scene views of the Solo Traveler Project. I first asked “what can I do for you?”. You gave me lots to think about. I then suggested that we start an inner circle for Solo Traveler. That took off quickly. We now have hosts in 10 cities!
Another goal I have for the Project, is to get the travel industry to look at solo travelers differently – to consider us as an important market niche.
Hey Travel Industry: take a look at this.
Traditionally, the travel industry has focused on prospects that bring at least two people to the restaurant, bar, ticketed events… Unfortunately, this strategy has most of the industry vying for the same pool of double-occupancy customers.
Companies willing to take a different view about occupancy can target the solo travel niche and a whole new pool of prospects. A pool that is not well served and one that is poised for growth thanks to:
- A downward trend in marriage rates; in 1960, 72% of adults were married while in 2009 only 52%.
- Blogs like Solo Traveler that inspire and encourage people to head out on their own – converting non-travelers to travelers.
We are also an important niche because solo travelers travel a lot. When I asked members of the Solo Travel Society on Facebook how much time they travel in a year, 50% said 3-5 weeks; 18% more than 5 weeks; 20% 2 weeks and only 12% 1 week.
Serving the Solo Traveler Market
Solo travelers want hotel room rates for singles, and cruises, resorts and tours without single supplement fees. Companies like Norwegian Cruise Lines and Abercrombie & Kent have already created offerings specifically for our niche and seen positive results.
The Solo Traveler Project has a variety of services to help companies communicate with solo travelers better. I’m not talking about advertising. I’m talking about offering real value to solo travelers to earn brand recognition amongst them and permission to communicate with them. If you have a service that is solo travel positive – airlines, booking engines, insurance services, tours, cruises, hotels, hostels, resorts… – please contact me at info@solotravelerblog.com and we’ll work together to improve how you relate to and serve solo travelers.
