The woman as a solo traveler: motivational factors and challenges
Abstract
Women are increasingly fighting for their place in the world and for gender equality. The achievements of feminism have allowed women greater involvement and participation in the travel industry, especially in solo travel. The central issue underpinning this research involves analyzing the tourism universe regarding women traveling alone, considering the cultural elements of this choice, as well as the motivational factors and challenges involved. This study aims to analyze the meaning and impact of solo travel on women's lives and their perceptions of this practice. The specific objectives are to understand how women are represented in free travel, analyze the factors motivating women to travel alone, and identify the obstacles limiting their ability to travel solo. The study employed a qualitative method and an exploratory and descriptive approach. Online interviews were conducted with ten women who travel solo, using a semi-structured interview guide. Content analysis revealed that their main motivations are linked to freedom, autonomy, and self-knowledge, while challenges are closely related to gender-based violence. This study contributes to gender studies in tourism, highlighting the importance of considering the tourist experience beyond conventional approaches and emphasizing women’s role as driving agents in this sector.
Downloads
References
Bardin, L. (2011). Análise de Conteúdo. Edições 70.
Cacho, A. do N. B., & Azevedo, F. F. de. (2010). O turismo no contexto da sociedade informacional. Revista Brasileira de Pesquisa em Turismo, 4(2), 31–48. https://doi.org/10.7784/rbtur.v4i2.266
Canada. Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada. (2013). Her own way: A woman’s safe-travel guide. Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada.
Carvalho, G., Batista, M. M., & Costa, C. (2015). Mulheres que viajam sozinhas: Reflexões sobre gênero e experiências turísticas. Revista Turismo e Desenvolvimento, 23, 59–67.
Federici, S. (2019). Calibã e a bruxa: Mulheres, corpos e acumulação primitiva. Editora Elefante.
Hyde, K. F., & Lawson, R. (2003). The nature of independent travel. Journal of Travel Research, 42(1), 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287503253944
Jordan, F., & Gibson, H. (2005). “We’re not stupid... but we’ll not stay home either”: Experiences of solo women travellers. Tourism Review International, 9(2), 195–212. http://dx.doi.org/10.3727/154427205774791663
McNamara, K. E., & Prideaux, B. (2010). A typology of solo independent women travellers. International Journal of Tourism Research, 12, 253–264. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.751
Melo, G. P. F. S., & Soeiro, Í. C. M. (2020). A mulher e o deslocamento turístico no mundo contemporâneo: uma contribuição teórico-metodológica aos estudos do turismo. Caderno Virtual de Turismo, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.18472/cvt.20n2.2020.1764
Myers, L. M. (2010). Women’s independent travel experiences in New Zealand [Tese de doutorado, University of Sunderland].
Pereira, A., & Silva, C. (2018). Women solo travellers: Motivations and experiences. Millenium - Journal of Education, Technologies and Health, 2(6), 99–106. https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0206.09.00165
Priori da Silva, C. (2020). Mulheres que viajam sozinhas: Vozes femininas latino-americanas nos relatos de viagem “Mas você vai sozinha?” e “Días de viagem” [Dissertação de mestrado, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora].
Reis, A. M. (2016). Mulheres e viagens: Insegurança e medo? [Trabalho de conclusão de curso, Universidade Federal Fluminense].
Silva, B. R. do N., & Moraes, C. M. dos S. (2021). Mulheres viajantes: Pensando a formação de redes online de mulheres para viagens. Revista Iberoamericana de Turismo - RITUR, 11, 58–74.
Silva, J. M. (2019). Feminismo na atualidade: A formação da quarta onda. Independently Published.
Wilson, E. (2004). A “journey of her own”? The impact of constraints on women’s solo travel [Tese de doutorado, Griffith University].
Wilson, E., & Harris, C. (2006). Meaningful travel: Women, independent travel and the search for self and meaning. Tourism: An International Interdisciplinary Journal, 54(2), 161–172. https://hrcak.srce.hr/161466
Wilson, E., & Little, D. (2005). A “relative escape”? The impact of constraints on women who travel solo. Tourism Review International, 9(2), 155–175. https://doi.org/10.3727/154427205774791672
Copyright (c) 2025 Areda Gomes Ferreira, Carolina Lescura de Carvalho Castro Volta, Alissandra Nazareth de Carvalho, Raquel Wachtler Pandolpho, Marcelo Viana Ramos
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors/researchers who publish in Ateliê do Turismo accept the following terms:
1 - Copyright:
Authors/researchers retain their copyright, but grant Ateliê do Turismo non-exclusive exploitation rights (reproduction, distribution and publicity). They grant Ateliê do Turismo the right of first publication of their work/research, which will be simultaneously subject to the license indicated in point 2. Authors may establish other additional agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in Ateliê do Turismo, provided that their initial publication in this journal is acknowledged.
2 - License.
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
