And here's to 2019

Here's to wealth, health, happiness and more holidays in 2019!

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Solo Sojourn on the Yangtze River

CHINA'S landscapes are vast, its history and monuments epic. Complex and energetic – this is a country which must be experienced at least once in a lifetime. And the Yangtze River, the world’s third longest river at 6,280 kilometres (3,900 miles), is its symbolic lifeline. Flowing from Tibet to Shanghai and cutting through the dramatic mountains of the Yangtze River basin, the river’s fortunes are inextricably entwined with those of the country itself. 

Historically, the Yangtze served as a divider between northern and southern China, a natural barrier against invaders, and a waterway for transport and commerce. Today, the river basin is the country’s heartland, home to 500 million people – a tenth of the world’s population. One of the best ways to experience the #Yangtze is by #boat. And the luxuriously appointed Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer is hard to beat. 

Exploring the very best stretches of this immense waterway, this elegant vessel introduces a new standard of cruising in #China. More intimate and luxurious, with the largest cabins and suites on the river, all with private balconies and floor to ceiling picture windows, as well as the highest crew to passenger ratio on the river of 1:1, the atmosphere is more private club than cruise ship. 

www.sanctuaryretreats.com

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Solo Travel: not for us

DESPITE much buzz around the solo travel trend, 30.4 percent of Americans say they have never traveled alone. And those who have are more than five times as likely to travel domestically than internationally, according to a new survey conducted by Allianz Global Assistance.

Women are ten percent less likely to travel alone than men, with 35.2 percent noting they have never traveled alone, compared to 25.2 percent of men.

Gender also appears to impact solo travelers' perception of safety, with 76.6 percent of men saying they have never felt unsafe while traveling alone, while 60.3 percent of women say the same.

Solo male travelers seem more susceptible to theft, with almost ten percent (9.7 percent) reporting having been mugged or pickpocketed (versus 6.1 percent of women).

The next most pressing concerns for male travelers include: violence/terrorism (17.8 percent), a natural disaster (17.8 percent), being out after dark (14.8 percent), riding public transportation (10 percent), security/safety of drivers (6.9 percent) and visiting a restaurant/bar (also 6.9 percent).

Being out after dark is the second most concern for women (26.3 percent), followed by violence/terrorism (15.7 percent), natural disaster (9.6 percent percent) riding public transportation (9.4 percent), security/safety of drivers (7.8 percent) and visiting a restaurant/bar (3.7 percent).


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Adventure Travel Trends for 2019

AS experts in adventure travel, K E Travel have weighed in what we think will be popular in the year of travel ahead. We've seen rises and falls and our iexperts have identified 10 travel trends for 2019 

1. Cosmic events will be in the spotlight - More and more travellers are visiting the most distant reaches of the planet, and the chance to see the rare event of a solar eclipse is now more accessible than ever, with a 34% increase in bookings to the Polar Regions and Patagonia in 2018.

2. More travellers will take on the self-guided challenge - In the last year, tour operators have seen a 20% increase in self-guided holidays. Adventurers want to take the reins, pick their own departure dates and go at their own pace, with the assurance help is on hand if needed. 

3. Adventure travel will embrace the new ‘slow travel’ trend - With daily life only ever becoming more hectic and well-being at the forefront of the modern zeitgeist, travellers are increasingly seeking adventures which allow them to enjoy a leisurely pace, relax, and reconnect with the idea of exploration and travel.

4. Cruises will offer more active options - Whilst more travellers want to slow down, they don’t want to stand still either. Active cruises are the answer, which offer the opportunity to intersperse a relaxing journey with options for adventure.

5. Solo travel will continue to rise - Google searches for “solo travel” were at the highest they've ever been in 2018. Travel companies are now building catered products to not only accommodate, but celebrate the solo traveller. 

6. Adventure travel will go cross-borders  - With Europe’s most popular destinations only getting busier, adventure travel is looking to lesser-visited countries and seeing what else is out there.

7. New visa regulations will give rise to emerging destinations - As a booming adventure travel industry puts the spotlight on lesser-visited destinations, countries are taking note and making it easier for them to get there.

8. Travellers will look for smaller guided groups- KE has seen more travellers seek low-impact, small group numbers, with trips of less than 12 passengers selling most in 2018. 

9. Travel destinations will make a comeback - When once popular destinations suffer the threat of terrorism, or recover from a major disasters or events, reductions in the number of visitors are inevitable. However it’s when these situations start to settle that travellers are itching to return. In 2018 compared to 2017 KE has seen bookings to Turkey increase by a staggering 475%.

10. Non EU countries in Europe more popular than ever  - With only a few months to go until Brexit, the information of how it will affect travellers is still not clear. The uncertainty of EU travel has no doubt influenced travel to non-EU destinations such as Georgia, Albania and Norway. 



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Prestigious Travel Award for The Women's Travel Group

THE Women's Travel Group has again won a prestigious travel award from Travel Weekly Magazine. The Silver Magellan Award for 2018 honors the company's outreach to solo women looking for a travel group to join.

The Women's Travel Group has offered small group quality tours for women for 26 years and often chooses new and unusual destinations for women who have already traveled a great deal: Iran, Namibia, S Africa, India, Albania etc. Hotels are 4 star, meals in restaurants and guides are trained to cater to the intellectual needs of women travelers. Trips sometimes have speakers and always have unique visits.

The market for women's travel is barely touched by the large travel corporations; this boutique tour operator tries to fill that gap while providing hand holding for those taking their first trip. Some of the trips are co-organized by Sita World Tours of Encino CA, who have worked with The Group for many years.


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Solo travel: to do or not to do?

A recent women's travel safety survey revealed that 45 percent of female travelers feel less safe or much less safe about traveling than they did five years ago. Results of the travel trends survey, commissioned by AIG Travel, a worldwide leader in travel insurance and assistance services, also show that safety is top of mind for women while they are evaluating potential destinations as well as during their travels.

As solo travel rises in popularity, especially among females, increased reports of violence or geopolitical turmoil in some regions may heighten awareness of individual security and impact women's decisions on where and when to journey. To help minimize risks that females may face when traveling, AIG Travel recently launched a Women's Travel Safety initiative, which shares advice on how to research travel destinations, become familiar with local laws and customs, and leverage tools in the event of adverse situations, such as kidnappings or other crimes.

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Hiking and horses in Iceland

FOUR-STAR Hotel Husafell in West #Iceland welcomes solo travellers with 'Hiking and Horses,' a new four-day adventure package available until October 31.

Amidst volcanic and glacial landscapes in West Iceland, guests travel on horseback, hike nature trails, experience backcountry hospitality at a family-run horse farm, and mingle with fellow travellers on a nature and heritage walk around Husafell.

Independent spirits can customize their journey with trips to nearby Langjokull glacier and the world's largest lava cave, as well as on-property activities like outdoor thermal swimming, Northern Lights hunting and mountain biking.

Iceland’s small size, low crime-rate, friendly citizenry of English-speaking residents and transformative travel experiences make it an attractive destination for the rapidly growing #solotravel trend.

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Singles golf week

THAILAND'S famed holiday playground of #Pattaya will host a week of #golf, fun and entertainment for singles from 16 to 22 September 2018. Open to all singles, you don’t have to be off single figures, you just have to be single!

Australian based Go Golfing started hosting golfing get-togethers for singles more than 10 years ago. Founder, Peter McCarthy, arranged the events as an alternative to online dating or trying your luck in clubs and bars. The events were fun, social and classy and typically the majority of the singles were aged 30 to 55.

Now singles can bring their sense of fun and adventure and passion for golf to Pattaya, just 90 minutes’ drive from Bangkok. Pattaya is known worldwide as a holiday destination of amazing beauty, with sandy beaches, water sports, world-class golf, tantalising Thai cuisine, rooftop bars and exotic nightlife.

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Follow in the steps of the masters

WALKING vacation specialist “The Blue Walk” has announced the dates for a variety of #Art Walks in #France and #Italy that have proven to be a hit with solo travelers. 

Tailored to all skills levels, the tours are led by popular artist-teachers. They provide the perfect opportunity for budding novices and experienced artists to “follow in the steps of the masters” in some of Europe’s most picturesque cities and coastal towns. Tours are limited to small groups to allow for maximum one-on-one opportunities between students and art instructors.

Available tours include Art Walk Italy that incorporates watercolor and sketching lessons with artist Leslie Fehling, September 22 – 29; Watercolor Sketching in Paris with artist Laure Ferlita, October 7 – 13; and Chalk Painting in Florence, Italy with Tracy Lee Stum and Sharyn Chan, October 15 – 21.

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Go it alone and do it your way

SOLO travellers need not shy away from trips because Valentine’s Day is looming. Leading global luxury travel network Virtuoso, taking a page from crooner Justin Bieber’s book, offers this advice for singles: Go and love yourself.

To escape the incessant messages of romantic love that are everywhere in mid-February, Virtuoso “proposes” that singles give themselves the gift of a trip on their own. Singles are no longer waiting for a partner before seeing the world. Indeed, the 2018 Virtuoso Luxe Report found that two-thirds of the network’s advisors foresee growth in solo travel this year with the top Australian solo adventure destinations including Italy, the UK, the USA, New Zealand and Japan/Australia (tie).

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Stay, play and learn in Thailand with Akaryn Hotel Group

THE innovative Thailand-based hospitality group AKARYN Hotel Group who specialise in boutique experiences, is offering unique stay, play and learn packages created especially for independent women travellers. Following the rise of the female traveller, four of the Hotel Group properties in #Thailand are giving women the opportunity to enjoy an array of engaging experiences and learn new skills during a 4 Day, 3 Night stay known as the Deluxe Doyenne package.

akyra Beach Club Phuket, learn surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, or develop basic DJ skills with the resort’s resident DJ using a special smartphone app.

akyra Manor Chiang Mai, absorb the hotel’s design driven surroundings and pick up a brush to learn the art of painting from a local artist.

Aleenta Phuket Resort & Spa, learn the basics of Thai massage, yoga or Thai boxing from experienced instructors.

Aleenta Hua Hin Resort & Spa, visit the resort’s own organic farm, learn about Thai herbs and their benefits, then see how they are used at the Aleenta kitchen and Ayurah Spa.

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Solo travel top 5 destinations from Flash Pack

SOLO travel adventure holiday specialist Flash Pack was founded in 2014 by 30-somethings Radha Vyas and Lee Thompson, who were both frustrated by the lack of appealing group travel tour companies for single travellers their age.

Current bookings and recent search data show that certain destinations are top of the list for single travellers, who seek off the beaten track, small group adventures with like-minded travellers in their 30s and 40s.

1. Vietnam and Cambodia (60% female)

This 14-day adventure was one of the first tours launched in 2014 and continues to be the best seller. Each group has 14 people and a mix of Brits, Americans and Australians. Highlights of this tour include hiking the bamboo forests in Sapa, where few tour companies can go, a Hanoi street food tour, kayaking through limestone caves in Halong Bay, a Vietnamese cooking class and spending the night onboard a traditional junk boat.

2. Stunning Sri Lanka (80% female)

Rapidly catching up with Vietnam and Cambodia, is the popular Stunning Sri Lanka 11-day tour launched in 2015. It is a shorter trip and more appealing to people that haven’t travelled solo before. Flashpackers love the boutique hotels, visiting four UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Galle Fort, the Citadel of Polonnaruwa, Kandy and Sigiriya Rock Fortress), the wildlife safari in Yala National Park, bathing a local elephant in Amaya Lake, releasing baby turtles at a turtle-hatching project, and cycling through the ruins of Polonnaruwa by bike.

3. The Peak of Peru (50% male/50% female)

Since launching late 2016, each new date released of this 12-day tour is sold out within two weeks. The adventure level on his tour is higher as it includes challenges such as climbing the 5000m high Rainbow Mountain. Other highlights include exploring the capital city of Lima, boarding a traditional Amazonian boat into the jungle for a trek, cruising down the Madre de Dios River at night, strolling the charming streets of Cuzco, discovering Machu Pichu, cycling through the highlands of the Sacred Valley, and enjoy delicious Latin American cuisine washed down with potent Pisco sours.

4. Myanmar (40% male)

This unique 12-day tour attracts a different type of solo traveller to the other trips as it takes visitors completely off the beaten path to places where there are no other tourists. As an emerging destination, this tour is popular with well-travelled solo travellers. The best part is travelling down the Inle Lake toward Loikaw and meeting the Kayah’s Long Neck Karen tribe after a jungle picnic. Other highlights include a tour of Bagan’s temples by electric bike, a private cruise on the Ayeyarwady river, exploring Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset, trekking across Green Hill Valley and a visit to a Snake Temple.

5. Spain Vespa (50% male/50% female)

With so many ‘wow’ moments on this long weekend around the Segovia region of Spain, this is definitely the most instagrammed trip. Highlights including learning to ride an iconic vespa and feeling free whilst zooming through rural countryside with magnificent mountain views, visiting the stunning medieval villages of Riaza, Sepulveda and Pedraz, and enjoying local cuisines paired perfectly with local Spanish wines.

www.flashpack.com

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The Peak of Peru

FLASH Pack, the solo travel adventure specialist, offers a 12–day tour of #Peru with local Flash Pack guide & driver throughout the tour, two domestic flights to Maldonado & Cuzco, private minibus, Amazonian riverboats, mountain bikes and airport pickup.

The tour starts with exploring the rich culture of Peru’s capital before heading into the jungle on a typical Amazonian boat and trekking the epic habitat bursting with wildlife. 

Cruise down the Madre de Dios river on a night time boat through the jungle. Stroll the charming streets of Cuzco and admire the Inca heritage and artwork. Hike the kaleidoscopic Rainbow Mountain and sleep at a cosy base camp beneath the stars. Discover a lost city at Machu Picchu, a true bucket list destination. Mountain bike through the highlands of Sacred Valley and enjoy tasty Latin American cuisine washed down with potent Pisco sours.

From £2,299 per person: 11 nights’ twin-shared accommodation, including 11 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 4 dinners.


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Cheapflights reports boom among singletons

CHEAPFLIGHTS has seen a boom in single travellers searching for get-away-from-it-all flights, reporting an 18% rise among flight searches for solo travellers so far this year, compared to the same period in 2016. From the beginning of February to mid-May, ten of Cheapflights’s 20 most-popular destinations have seen increases in searches from people looking to travel on their own.

Far-flung destinations show the highest rise, with searches to Manila, capital of the Philippines, up 55% year-on-year and searches to Thailand’ capital Bangkok, up 37%. Searches for New York and Dubai are both up 13%. Closer to home, Lisbon is the most searched-for short-haul destination among independent travellers, up 25%. Paris (up 16%) and Barcelona (up 6%) are also being widely sought out by those looking to travel alone.

Other solo travellers are choosing to fly within the UK, with searches for London up 41%; Manchester up 33% and Glasgow up 4%.

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Up in the air . . .

AIR India has decided to reserve seats in an entire row, namely the third row, in Economy Class on its Domestic Flights for women passengers who wish to travel alone. These special seats, which can be availed by such women passengers, will come at no extra cost. 

A women passenger can request the seats at any of Air India’s booking offices in the city or at the airport and they can be taken up to 90 minutes before departure for Domestic flights.

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Cruise industry offers incentives for solo travelers

VALENTINE'S Day may put a spotlight on couples, there’s another great relationship on the horizon – singles and cruise travel. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise industry trade association, is celebrating the season of love by highlighting tips and benefits for travelers interested in going solo to discover a love of cruising.

“Recently, the travel industry has seen a growing trend in solo travel and the cruise industry is responding,” said Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO, CLIA. “Cruise lines now offer a variety of incentives, benefits and experiences designed with single cruise travellers in mind to ensure they also have the chance to discover the amazing benefits of cruise travel.”

From pricing discounts to specially tailored cruises, to events and activities designed specifically for singles, a variety of cruise lines offer benefits, rewards, and exclusive programs for solo cruisers.

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Picture Credit:  Carlo Mirante 27902480@N02/31209529902 via photopin

They want to get away … alone

GOING on holiday alone – once considered an awkward by-product of being single in later life – is now an ambition for almost a third of middle-aged Brits seeking adventure … and time to themselves. 

A survey of 10,000 UK holidaymakers has revealed that almost a third of over-50s have taken a solo trip in the last year, with many of them planning to do so again. Of those who’ve never done it, 17 percent said they would like to try it.

Top reasons cited for flying solo include doing what you want whenever you want, eating and drinking without any judgement from anyone, and getting quality ‘me’ time.

A city break in Barcelona, with its mix of beaches, culture, and nightlife was revealed to be the favourite solo holiday destination, closely followed by exploring the canals in Venice and visiting New York City.
The research (by over-50s travel and insurance specialist Stay sure) looked into the reasons behind changing attitudes to solo travel. 

Almost a third of over-50s cited said that enjoying their own company was one of their top reasons for going away alone, followed by being single or widowed, while seven percent said their children were now adults and would no longer go on holiday with them. Almost a quarter felt that they did not want to rely on partners or friends to plan their holidays. Others said they enjoyed the sense of adventure in a solo trip.

Making new friends was also highlighted as a reason to book a trip for one, with 16 per cent considering a solo trip as a chance to meet new people. Some said they had made a new friendship when they were on holiday alone, and had subsequently planned a trip together afterwards.

The research also highlighted common concerns about travelling alone. Paying single supplements for hotel rooms top of the list of anxieties, followed by personal safety worries and anxiety about having to eat alone in restaurants.

Chris Rolland, Staysure CEO said: ‘Our customer research confirms that people in their 60s, 70s and 80s have the sense of adventure for things that may have seemed unexpected from this age group in previous generations. Brits are now choosing to leave their partners at home to expand their horizons by planning incredible solo trips and discovering a world of truly unique experiences, including new friendships and even romance. 

In light of this trend, it’s important that travel and insurance providers are able to offer an increasingly wide range of affordable options to help Brits fulfil their ambitions.’ 

Top destinations that people travelling alone would choose to travel

1. Barcelona
2. Venice
3. New York
4. Rome
5. Malta
6. Sydney
7. Algarve
8. Amsterdam
9. California
10. Dublin

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Picture Credit: "Barcelona (2418242475)" by Bert Kaufmann from Roermond, Netherlands - BarcelonaUploaded by russavia. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barcelona_(2418242475).jpg#/media/File:Barcelona_(2418242475).jpg