TRAVEL SOLO – BUT NO NEED TO GO IT ALONE
More and more adults are travelling the world each year. In fact a recent study by Visa found that around 24% of trips undertaken last year were people travelling solo. That’s 10% up on 2014.
But there are still many more who would love to travel but would prefer to do it with someone else. Traditionally, solo travellers have found themselves caught between a rock and a hard place: wander the world alone, or sign onto a group tour and endure acting a perpetual “plus one.” Thankfully, a new alternative is now available and promises to serve marginalised solo travellers in a new way: by offering solo only group tours. As it turns out, solo group tours is more than an oxymoron – it’s a travel revelation.
Traditional tour companies build their businesses on forming large group tours from small group numbers: a couple of two, a family of five, and a group of 4 life-long friends. Add them all up and you’ve got a full bus. But what about that lone ranger, the solo traveller who also wants to bike through the rice paddies in Vietnam but doesn’t have anyone to go with him or her? Solo travellers are often tacked on to round out group numbers, but not without having to pay a premium price in the form of high single supplement room fees (an additional cost for booking a single hotel room or tour place – sometimes up to double).
While solo travellers suffer through additional tour fees, they also often suffer through dozens of uncomfortable social situations. Have you ever found yourself single and away from home on Valentine’s Day? That same prickling sensation is what it feels like to be the only solo traveller amid a slew of giddy couples and happy families. Sure, there are wonderful moments to be had, such as long conversations on the tour bus and swapping stories over Belgian waffles at breakfast. But the solo traveller is never really able to settle into a comfortable rhythm.
Solo travellers simply can’t compete with the life-long friendships and “inside jokes.” Far too many times the solo traveller in the group feels like the “odd man/woman out,” the “third wheel,” or the gypsy loner that wandered into a kind of travel foster home. That is, until now.
Rewriting the Rules of Solo Travel
Rather than grouping together families, friends, and couples, solo group tours unite the plus ones – gathering everyone together on equal ground and eliminating the possibility of feeling like the lone outsider. Instead, everyone is unified by their desire to see the world and their airplane ticket for one.
Adults interested in seeing the world on their own, will find infinite advantages to signing up for a solo group tour with Two’s a Crowd. In many ways it’s the best of both worlds – the comfort, peace of mind and camaraderie of an organised group tour, coupled with the autonomy and privacy of solo travel.
Here are just a few of the advantages of travelling with Two’s a Crowd:
Like-Minded Individuals Rather than feeling like a third wheel on someone else’s romantic getaway, solo travellers enjoy the company of other like-minded individuals who have set out to see the world on their own.
Guaranteed Single Room For many, sharing a room with a stranger sounds like the worst way to spend a holiday, which is why Two’s a Crowd ensures their travellers get a sanctuary all to themselves. No sharing …ever.
No or Low Single Supplements There is no need to put up with solo traveller high premiums any longer, because no longer are solo travellers seen as the group’s “filler” to round out the numbers. With Two’s a Crowd, there are no high special fees or penalties, because we don’t believe that travelling by yourself should be that much more expensive.
Worry-Free Itinerary Because the tour is organised by a professional tour company, the itinerary is carefully designed and operates under the watchful gaze of local guides and a tour host. Hotels and restaurants are pre-vetted for quality, as are guides and all activities, and any wrinkles that may arise during the course of the tour are addressed by a tour host whose job it is to make sure you are comfortable and relaxed.
Time to savour the experience Many travellers have negative memories of group tours: large groups of up to 40 people, military style organisation with early starts and late finishes. Not to mention often just seeing sites through a bus window. It doesn’t need to be like that. Our itineraries include time out to do your own thing – go for a wander through a local market, relax by the pool or whatever takes your fancy. Our tour guides always have plenty of suggestions. Plus our groups sizes average 15 and are capped at 20 so no need for 5-star generals to act as guides.
Outstanding destinations We believe solo travellers deserve the same travel opportunities as everyone else, which is why we actively develop exceptional global adventures from Kenya to Vietnam, Peru to Italy.
The Best of Both Worlds By viewing solo travellers as the priority – rather than an afterthought – it’s possible to deliver a truly unforgettable travel experience that combines the best of both worlds: the comforts of group travel with the autonomy of solo travel.
So you see, it’s not an oxymoron, it’s the best of both worlds. And as it turns out, travelling solo doesn’t mean you have to go the road alone. No need to contort your body to snap the perfect selfie – just hand off the camera to your solo traveller friend to take the picture for you. And when the trip is through, keep in touch with your new mates.
