Offering Woman Traveler Tours

For women who want to travel but are single or have an uninterested partner, the option of traveling solo may seem like no option at all. That's where women traveler groups can meet a variety of needs, among them safety issues, logistics, and the desire for camaraderie.

While many tour providers are dedicated specifically to women's travel, offering tours for women could provide you access to this growing niche market. Groups Today spoke with several leaders in the field about marketing to and serving women's groups.

Know your target audience.

Debra Asberry, founder and president of Women Traveling Together, finds clients usually fall into one of three groups: Women who took an international trip in high school or college and haven't traveled since; women who've visited the European capitals and are ready to branch out, but not go crazy—who are looking for English-friendly locations such as Iceland, South Africa, or Chile; and women who are well-traveled, ready for more remote locations (possibly lacking in infrastructure, such as Bali, Madagascar, and Tanzania), and may strive to visit every continent, with Antarctica at the top of the list.

Market and support appropriately.

Women's needs are a little different than traditional group travelers', Asberry notes. "Safety and camaraderie are top concerns, and solo travelers tend to need more support. They don't have a spouse who's also getting all of the trip information, so they have more questions. Solo travelers may have more concerns or anxiety about logistics, like whether or not there will really be someone there to meet them at the airport."

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Photo courtesy of WomenTraveling.com.