At St Ives Retirement Living, 62% of our residents rank travel as their #1 hobby.
More and more of us are travelling solo and the reasons are many and varied. There are plenty of options available to plan your best holiday yet, so we spoke to Villa Carlotta Travel who specialise in organising travel for solo travellers for their advice.
Plan your own solo trip, or join a tour?
You can choose to create your own holiday and make all the plans yourself or alternatively there are companies that provide group tours as well as dedicated singles group tours.
Firstly you need to establish whether you are confident and willing to be fully independent and travel by yourself. If not, the best option is to look for a group tour operator. You will learn from the experience without the hassle of organising and will be able to relax and enjoy the safety and security a group tour offers, plus pick up tips for future adventures.
If you have chosen to go with a tour operator the next step is to look into what level of independence you wish for while on your tour.
- Would you like the itinerary to be fully inclusive i.e. all activities and attractions planned and included?
- Do you want to leave Perth with your group or would you like to meet up with your fellow travelling companions at the destination?
- Are you seeking a small intimate group of fellow travellers or would you like a good sized group for socialising and mixing?
- Do you want a dedicated singles group so you can travel with like-minded people for companionship?
- Would you like the safety and security of a Tour Leader from the time you leave Perth?
Each of these questions will lead you to discover the type of company who is going to be the best fit for you as this is paramount before considering your chosen destination or holiday experience. Travelling with a company that fits best with your needs will make for the best outcome!
Things to consider before deciding your destination.
Once you have chosen the tour operator for your first solo travelling experience it’s then time to check out their holiday experiences on offer. This will be very exciting! Some points worth considering for your holiday selection are:
- How many hotel changes are in the itinerary? Being a single traveller and constantly lugging your suitcase around may not be what you are looking for.
- Are there activities planned on some of the evenings to encourage socialisation after dinner?
- If time is spent on a coach do they offer seat rotations so you mix with your fellow travel companions?
- Is it fully escorted so that you have a point of contact at all times for your questions and concerns?
- Is it a group departure for couples and singles or is it a dedicated singles departure?
- What would be the minimum and maximum numbers on the tour?
- Do you have the option to have your own room if you wish?
- If you wanted to consider sharing a room how is this managed?
- Do they offer a safe transfer service to and from your home to the tour departure point?
St Ives Retirement Living offers the ultimate lock-and-leave retirement lifestyle. You’ll find a range of easy-care homes for sale at our villages, plus an abundance of stunning amenities. Book a tour and see for yourself today.
Villa Carlotta Travel is a family owned WA touring company who has been delivering fully escorted Australian and world-wide tours for the mature single traveller for over 25 years. To discover Villa’s full range of holidays visit www.villa.com.au or FreeCall 1800 066 272 for a holiday magazine.