Cover Insight Vacations will roll out its first women-only tours in 2025 to encourage solo travel and spotlight women in the travel industry (Photo: Getty)
Insight Vacations will roll out its first women-only tours in 2025 to encourage solo travel and spotlight women in the travel industry (Photo: Getty)
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Premium tour provider Insight Vacations will roll out its first women-only tours in 2025 to encourage solo travel and spotlight women in the travel industry
Ever wished you could travel to someplace exotic without having to wait on your regular travel buddies to align their schedules and agree on a destination? Have you always wanted to take the plunge into the unknown with a solo trip, without the looming fears of safety and convenience? If you do feel this way, you’re not alone as it happens.
Launching in 2025, premium tour operator Insight Vacations’ women-only tours are specially created for women by women to encourage solo female travel as well as highlight the amazing stories of women behind the most unique travel experiences in the world. The Peru with Machu Picchu trip, for instance, will see travellers meeting the Quechua weavers of Peru’s Sacred Valley and learn about the cultural importance of this ancient craft and how their visit helps preserve this culture. The Best of Morrocco Tour involves attending a baking class at a women’s cooperative which empowers women to become professional chefs.
The list goes on, including carefully curated itineraries spanning from North Africa to South America, with trips in Egypt and Portugal to Scotland, Italy, and the US, among others.
Read more: 5 tips for solo female travellers
Above Marta Brozzetti at her workshop in Perugia - one of the last traditional women-owned weaving workshops in Italy (Photo: Insight Vacations)
Marta Brozzetti at her workshop in Perugia - one of the last traditional women-owned weaving workshops in Italy (Photo: Insight Vacations)
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The tours are all about helping women travel with confidence. Each small group tour includes a maximum of just 24 travellers with the average group size being 20, ensuring a more premium experience with plenty of solo room options available. Another feature is the ‘Business class’ quality of each tour, featuring stylish and comfortable hotels hand-picked by a female travel director as well as top-rated dining experiences and stress-free activities to get travellers acquainted with their environment in a more meaningful way.
TTC Tour Brands Asia managing director Mae Cheah says that little details, like ensuring plenty of single rooms, are important in these women-only tours. “We wanted to open doors to all women, especially solo or older travellers who prefer the additional security or companionship of travelling with fellow females.” She adds: “Our women-only tours are something we’ve carefully developed for women by women to meet their unique needs of exploring new cultures.”
See also: 6 colonial cottages in Malaysia for a nostalgic countryside staycation
Above A recent survey showed that solo female travellers tend to seek travel recommendations and advice from other female travellers (Photo: Getty)
A recent survey showed that solo female travellers tend to seek travel recommendations and advice from other female travellers (Photo: Getty)
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Insight Vacations’ women-only tours follows a recent survey done in collaboration with Journey Women, in which over 1,000 female travellers participated. Results showed that 65 per cent of those surveyed “look for tour companies that offer women-only tours or solo trips for women” while 43 per cent felt that solo or older female travellers were generally ignored by most travel industry offerings.
Interestingly, 73 per cent of the women surveyed preferred to seek recommendations and travel advice from other women before travelling solo.
“Women-only travel isn’t just about exploring new destinations,” says Insight Vacations chief operating officer Ulla Hefel-Böhler. “It’s about breaking down barriers, rewriting stories and redefining our place in the world while creating unforgettable memories with women who share an adventurous spirit.”
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Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
