“During the pandemic, we all got used to walking more and exploring under our own steam. As a result we’ve a renewed love for discovering places on our own two feet. This is such a rewarding and enriching way to travel that we see this trend only continuing into the future,” says Explore’s Managing Director Michael Edwards. 
More people will be joining group tours solo. Solo travelers have always been a huge part of Explore’s groups, and yet as a trend it continues to grow. This year, 67% of bookings came from solo travelers; up from 64% in 2019. And this is a trend that is growing more widely too, with average monthly search volume for solo travel up 52% year on year.

Average vacation travel spend has increased across most regions – 7% on Europe trips and 8% on Americas, for example – a reflection of increased costs post-Covid, but also a hangover from many of us not being able to travel during the pandemic years. Longer haul, bucket-list type trips are selling incredibly well, reflecting a Carpe Diem mindset; with so many travel opportunities now available again, travelers want to ensure that their next adventure helps make up for the time that’s been lost.

Polar expeditions are selling strongly for 2023, with bookings leaning more strongly towards Antarctica, perhaps influenced by David Attenborough exposure and the sense of Carpe Diem that the pandemic has induced.

And it’s not just Antarctica that has been given a boost by this mindset. Other traditional big-ticket bucketlist trips like Kilimanjaro Climb (up 9%), Maldives Dhoni Cruise (up 17%) and Inca Trail (up 37%) have seen similar growth. Online search terms around ‘bucketlist’ travel, including ‘ultimate bucketlist’ and ‘bucketlist ideas’ are up 39% post Covid. 

On the post-Covid ‘Seize the Day’ mentality of adventure travelers, Marketing Director Jae Hopkins says: “We’re all guilty of saving the epic big adventures we’ve long dreamed of to a mental ‘to-do’ list, for when we have more time, more money or are celebrating a special milestone. Since Covid, I think we’re more aware how quickly things can change, and how we so often don’t get around to those ‘one day’ plans. Since travel has opened up post-pandemic, perhaps unsurprisingly we’re seeing these once-in-a-lifetime trips being booked in far greater numbers. More people are taking on challenges, more people are traveling solo – rather than waiting for friends and family plans to align – and just doing it.”