Travellers choosing to go it alone

The research, conducted for Agoda by YouGov, found that travellers look to step into the unknown on their own for some relaxation, with 61 per cent saying that they look to unwind on their solo trips, whilst only 48 per cent who travel with a friend giving that as the reason. Other factors given by solo travellers include getting away from routine (52 per cent) and exploring new cultures (45 per cent).

In the west, those who travel solo tend to be older, with the disposable income of Baby Boomers (39 per cent) and Generation Xers (24 per cent) making them more likely to travel alone. Asian travellers are significantly younger, however, with 41 per cent being Millennials and 38 per cent being Generation Xers. Westerners are also more likely to travel for longer, with 34 per cent taking trips lasting between four and seven days. Chinese travellers – whose younger demographic may not have as much disposable income – are more likely to take trips of only one to three nights (46 per cent).

The younger Asian demographic is also more likely to stay digitally connected to their friends and family back home, with 31 per cent spending four or more hours in front of a screen when they’re away, compared to 12 per cent of western travellers. In general, solo travellers spend 15 per cent more time in front of their screens whilst abroad than those who travel with a companion.

Cities top the lists of destinations that solo travellers, with London, UK topping the list for western travellers and Bangkok, Thailand topping the list for Asian travellers. Tokyo, Japan is popular with both groups, finding its way into both of the lists’ top three. Asian travellers however, are less likely to travel out of Asia, with all of the top 10 destinations for this demographic being on the continent. Western travellers, however, have Tokyo, Bangkok and Singapore all in the top 10.