Solo travellers can find themselves paying over €2,000 more for their holiday package, but more travel agents are now catering for single adventurers.
Solo travel has soared in popularity over the last decade, and it’s continuing to be a building trend in 2025 as holidaymakers seek trips that aid self-reflection and individual well-being.
The American Express 2024 Global Travel Trends Report found that 76 per cent of Millennials and Gen-Z planned on taking a solo trip in 2024.
66 per cent of respondents cited ‘self-love and treating themselves’ as reasons for going on a holiday alone.
Airbnb’s spring trends report for 2025 found a 90 per cent growth in solo travel searches, while Riviera Travel announced at a recent conference that solo travellers are one of the fastest-growing demographics booking river cruises.
But despite being an increasingly important group within the tourism industry, solo travellers still have to contend with challenges like package holiday supplements and safety concerns.
Here’s how you can avoid extra charges for travelling alone and the top destinations for 2025.
How solo travellers can avoid package holiday supplements
While package holidays are often advertised on a ‘price per person’ basis, these deals are usually calculated based on a minimum of two people per booking.
Solo travellers can find themselves paying over €2,000 more for their holiday package – often dubbed the ‘singles tax’.
Experts from holiday booking group Travel Republic recommend searching specifically for single traveller deals through their site.
Other travel agents have also begun advertising trips for single adventurers, including TUI, Intrepid and Jet2holidays.
Riviera Travel offers dedicated solo trips on the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Rhone and Douro, which do not carry a supplement.
What are the best European destinations for solo travel in 2025?
Travel Republic also advises holidaymakers to read reviews and research a destination’s ‘solo travel friendliness’.
To narrow down your choice of destination, luxury private guided travel firm Kensington released a report earlier this year on the best solo travel spots in 2025.
Among more common destinations for those travelling on their own like Thailand and Australia, four European countries made the top 10. Second place in the ranking went to Italy for its cultural riches and culinary prowess.
“Travelling solo here isn’t lonely – it’s liberating,” the company writes. “Every museum, piazza, and trattoria offers a reason to explore deeper.”
Spain came in seventh spot, described as “the solo traveller’s playground”.
“Travelling Spain means living like a local – late-night dinners, street festivals, and endless sangria,” Kensignton writes. “Tourism in Spain blends history with celebration, making it a top destination for solo explorers in 2025.”
Iceland, making number eight, “is a dream destination for solo travellers who love raw nature and mystical landscapes” and “the go-to solo destination for photographers and fearless explorers.”
France comes in ninth place, with solo travellers enjoying Bordeaux’s wine trails, river cruises in the Loire Valley or skiing in the Alps.
