Solo travelling on the rise

Scotland is a top choice for solo travel

The majority of solo travellers are female (84%) and over half recommend Europe as the best destination for their first solo trip. Hannah Rose – a solo travel influencer known as @postcardsbyhannah – has Italy, the French Riviera and the Maldives checked off her travel bucket list. But she thinks Scotland’s inclusive culture makes it the ideal place to travel alone.

She said: “The first time I visited Scotland solo I went to Glasgow. I chatted with the owner of a coffee shop who was so pleased I had picked his home city to visit, that he refused to let me pay my bill. He then called his partner and co-owner who invited me on a night out with her friends. She gave me her number and we still chat to this day. 

“I don’t know any other place in the world where locals make me feel comfortable and want to chat to me when they realise I am travelling solo. 

“Scotland isn’t just the perfect choice for solo women, but it is a very inclusive country that welcomes those from all walks of life. It is a safe country for the LGBTQ community whilst also being accessible to those less able.” 

Hannah added that solo travel can also mean slow travel – where visitors take their time in a location instead of checking off hotspots. 

The Waters Edge Restaurant, Isle of Glencoe Hotel 

She said: “Scotland is the ideal place to enjoy ‘slow travel.’ Whether you are visiting larger cities such as Edinburgh or exploring the wilderness of the Highlands, it shouldn’t be rushed.  

“Travelling solo means I can set the pace. If I want to sit in a coffee shop and watch the world go by I can. If I want to climb a hill and spend an hour sitting at the top admiring the view, then I absolutely will.” 

Catering to the solo traveller market

Tour company Mary’s Meanders specialise in Outlander experiences and have seen a rise in solo travellers in recent years. 

Guide Emma Chalmers said: “Since we started offering Outlander Tours, we have frequently hosted solo travellers. They have increased slightly since the pandemic but what is interesting is that they now say things like “I got tired of waiting for my friends/family members to commit and decided to just go for it”, “just because my husband doesn’t want to travel doesn’t mean I can’t”." 

Emma and her team cater for the solo travel market to ensure customers feel safe when holidaying in Scotland. 

She said: “We have a hand holding approach, we offer zoom calls in advance of the guest booking, we are happy to answer any type of question about little things that might be worrying them. It is all about building their confidence if needed.” 

Although many visitors venture out alone, they often end up making important connections thanks to group tours offered by businesses. 

Emma added: “We set up WhatsApp group chats so everyone can start to get to know each other. This works really well; in fact, we have even had guests meet up in the airport and fly over together.”