Singles summer getaways

By Jim Kierstead

Singles Travel Editor

While many singles prefer to “go it alone” in planning trips, others would rather look at a host of professionally prepared options and then make a choice, letting a professional put it all together for them.

Singles Travel International (www.singlestravelintl.com) ofBoca Raton, FL, specializes in putting together itineraries for the lone traveler.  For the coming summer season they’ve developed packages aiming at luxury cruises and tours ranging from East Africa, Spain, Italy, Alaska and scores of additional destinations.

Some have already gone by the boards at press time, but here’s what’s available:

- Again on the QM2 from July 2-6 the ship sails to the Bahamas.

- Focusing on singles in the 30s through 40s age group, the company offers a “Spectacular Spain” with a 10-day vacation on the Iberian Peninsula visiting Madrid, Toledo, Grenada, Seville, Cordoba and other destinations.

- Few destinations can compare to Italy for food, wine, history and romance.  Italy ’s great cities will be the focus of an August 1-8 trip again aimed at the 30/40s age group that features museums, cathedrals, vineyards and even olive groves.

- The Heart of Alaska cruise from August 13-20 shows the state’s “wild side” with a combination of grand class cruising and luxury travel.

Single travelers now number eleven percent of all leisure travelers in the U.S. travel alone and the number is growing.  So it is no surprise that travel counselors are seeing increasing business from single travelers who are looking not only for advice about great destinations but also about how to travel safely.

Travelers between the ages of 18-35 are the largest group of solo travelers, accounting for 35 percent of all single travelers, according to the Travel Industry Association.  The next largest group of solo travelers are 35-49 year olds (27 percent), 50-64 year olds (26 percent) and 65+ (12 percent)

.A recent survey of AAA/CAA clubs found that 27 percent of travel counselors are seeing an increase in

the number of trips they are booking for single travelers.

AAA asked more than 100 of their travel agents in the U.S. and Canada about their advice for today’s single traveler and the responses provide some interesting insights for the leisure traveler who is out there alone.  For both men and women, AAA/CAA travel professionals said that Europe is the first destination they would suggest to single travelers looking for advice on where to vacation.  For women traveling alone Hawaii and the Caribbean were other top vacation suggestions.  For men, Mexico and Hawaii came in second and third as the top destinations suggested by counselors.

AAA/CAA also offered valuable advice for solo travelers.  The top three suggestions are to take prearranged tours, travel with a group and leave a copy of your itinerary and international travel documents

(passport, visas) at home with family and friends.

  “There are nearly 90 million single people in the U.S. and this is clearly a market that the travel industry has been focused on in the past few years” said AAA’s VP of Travel, Sandra Hughes, citing data from the U.S. Census Bureau.  “More than half of these single Americans are women and the industry is seeing the impact of this particular group due to the increasing popularity of

girlfriend getaways and other women-only vacations.”

 In response to the growing trend, AAA offers the following advice for singles traveling the world alone:   

• Plan ahead.  If you are traveling alone it is important to know the lay of the land before you arrive.  That means doing research, reading maps and guide books and talking to certified travel professionals who have experienced the destination first hand.  Know where your hotels are located, how you will get around and where you want to go.  The fewer decisions you need to make when you first arrive, the less likely it is you will get lost or distracted.  AAA/CAA travel agencies distribute 26 different TourBook® guides for destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.  Club locations also provide travel guides and maps for  North America and Europe.

Also be sure to have the proper documentation when traveling internationally- valid passport and visas (if required), medical and trip cancellation/interruption protection for unexpected emergencies, and an International Driving Permit if traveling by car.  AAA offices can provide assistance in obtaining these services.

• Research your hotel in advance.  Not all hotel rating systems are equal.  Some do not include a full inspection, others are based on traveler reviews, which are not reliable, and others do not take into consideration hotel service and only look  at the hotels’ physical features.  Before arriving, check out the hotel’s AAA Diamond Rating which will give you the most detailed information available about the hotel’s features, services and amenities.  More than 60,000 hotels are rated

by AAA and the details are available to everyone at AAA.com.

Try to exude a calm, no nonsense air in public places.  You may not always feel calm and confident, but others will pick up on your cues and sometimes just acting confident will do the trick.

• Avoid single supplement fees by using a travel professional.  Many tour companies and cruise lines charge extra fees for single people who travel alone.  However, an expert travel counselor can help you find deals for single travelers that are not available, or may be difficult to find on the Internet. 
• Other suggestions include: don’t go out alone at night, be careful to limit alcohol consumption, carry a cell phone, arrive during daylight hours, and wear comfortable shoes.  Prepaid Travel Money Cards, offered through AAA, can protect travel funds against loss or theft.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides 50 million members with travel, insurance, financial, and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be

visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.