• Women account for 85% of all consumer purchases including everything from autos to health care
• Women represent the majority of the online mark*

Women– young, old, single, married, widowed and gutsy are fueling an explosive growth in travel industry.Estimates are that women will spend some $125 billion on travel in the next year.

80% of all travel decisions are made by women.

Regardless of :
• who they travel with
• who pays for the trip
• or where they go

A woman is the decision maker.

75% of those who take cultural,
adventure or nature trips are women.

There has been a 230% increase in the number of women-only travel companies in past six years.

With 67 million participants, the potential of the women’s market exceeds $19 trillion annually.

Women also travel differently than men do.

87% of women say they go for the beautiful scenery, compared with 72% of men,
According to Market Researcher Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell.

While statistics are limited, an estimated 32 million single American women traveled at least once in the last year, and about three in 10 made tracks five times or more, according to the Travel Industry Association.

Bachelorette-hood: The number of single women age 35 and older has been increasing and now totals 28 million, the Census Bureau says.

The average adventure traveler is not a 28-year old male, but a 47-year-old female. And she wears a size 12 dress.

Women spend an average of $295 annually per individual on outdoor apparel and equipment, according to OutdoorIndustry.org

Who’s Traveling?

- Many older women are also experiencing this rite of passage.
- An increasing portion of solo female travelers are Baby Boomers and single mothers.

The travel industry is just waking up to the economic power of women.

Latest Statistics

The girlfriend getaway market represent a significant amount of money – four percent of all U.S. travel spending, which is almost $200 million a year. 24 percent of American women have taken a girlfriend getaway in the past three years, and 39 percent of American women plan on taking one in the next three years. Source: AAA Girlfriend Travel Research Project #070005

Over 80% of those working women who purchased travel products or services offline in the past month researched their purchases online beforehand. Sources: Nielsen Net Ratings/WashingtonPost.com and Newsweek.com

Don’t forget. An effective way to reach your female audience is through online community sites. According to comScore, women’s community sites jumped 35 percent, particularly Glam Media and iVillage.com.

Women Travel Statistics
Contact me for more up-to-date statistics, I keep track of many sources.

* Quote from Marketing2Women http://www.m2w.biz/

From the moment we step out the door, we are aware of who's behind us. With good reason. Safety is the number one concern of women travelers.

We can be aware of our surrounding. We can avoid questionable neighborhoods and we can communicate that we’re self-assured by walking confidently with our heads up.

There are other ways we can prepare ourselves and avoid trouble. I learned these safety tips traveling to ninety-plus countries and I hope they’ll be useful to you. Send a link to  friend and share them. One thing is certain, the more prepared you are, the safer you’ll be.

1. Make smart choices and use your common sense. Don’t be paranoid, but be aware that bad things do happen, and protect yourself.
2. Trust your instincts. They are well-honed from living in the USA. If you feel something is off, wrong, strange – get out, move on, flee, scream, whatever is appropriate. Do it quickly.
3. Body language: keep your head up, swing your arms and act confident. Adopt a no nonsense attitude. Walk with purpose and you’ll be less of a target for hustlers who prey on disoriented or timid tourists.
4. Most of the people who offer you food or drink are just being kind. However, the rare exception exists – drugging occasionally happens. Try not to leave your drink unattended in bars, and exercise good judgment when accepting food or drink from people. Rophynol, the date rape drug, is odorless, tasteless and colorless. It is a tranquilizer that can be slipped into your drink by a man who would like to have sex with a woman who is heavily sedated. If you are at a party, don’t accept a glass of punch unless you trust the host. Don’t think this won’t happen to you. Some women don’t even know they have been raped until it’s too late.
5. If you are being followed in the street and you feel threatened, duck into a shop and firmly tell the clerk: “I am a foreigner and someone is following me. I am frightened and need help.” If need be, have the clerk call a cab or police officer for you.
6. Try to sit or stand next to other women or family groups in restaurants, on trains or buses, and in other public places. It is unlikely that you will be approached or harassed if you’re in the company of other people.
7. Consider wearing a wedding ring, if you don’t already.
8. There is power in vocal embarrassment. I have found that many men are shamed by a verbal, loud woman admonishing them in public. Practice screaming before you leave home! Also shame them by shaking your finger in their faces. Even if the crowd doesn’t understand your words, they will understand your indignation and gestures. Most sleazy men do not want public attention.
9. Ask for help or company if you feel uncomfortable.
10. It is common for a would-be thief to use razor blades to cut purse straps, take the purse, and then get away in a thick sea of bodies. Wear a money belt to avoid this happening.
11. It can be difficult to know what is considered offensive or suggestive in segregated societies, such as in Orthodox Muslim areas. At times you may feel uncomfortable or vulnerable. You may not know if the local men view you as a sex symbol representing the immoral Western World. Take your cues from the local women. Watch them. If they don’t make eye-to-eye contact with men, follow their example. Blend in. Dress appropriately.
12. Clothing that is fashionable and appropriate in the USA may project a provocative image in another culture. Leave the revealing clothing at home.
13. Anticipate potential problems. For example: if a group of men or young boys approaches you on the sidewalk on your side of the street, cross to the other side to give them space and you peace of mind.
14. Be sure to know when the sun rises and sets. A bustling market can quickly empty out and be transformed into dark deserted streets. Plan to be back to your lodging or in a safe, busy neighborhood by dark.
15. Carry enough money in your shoe or money pouch to get you out of a tight spot. Be willing to spend this money on a cab in order to get you to a safe place or back to your lodging. Do not take unnecessary risks.
16. If in doubt, take a self defense course.

Women Travel Statistics indicate that the number one issue for women travelers is safety. Here are practical safety tips compiled by my college-age daughter and her friends, who have recently returned from studying abroad; from Florence to Kathmandu to Buenos Aires. Don’t miss the Guy Tips at the end.

• Bar Tips – Buddy System

Go with a buddy. It’s better to have two sets of eyes to watch for bad situations. Don’t leave without your buddy.

A cool beer in Germany. Keep your eye on it.

Get smart about Rophynol, “the date rape drug”, which is odorless, tasteless, and colorless. If a guy buys you a drink, don’t accept it unless you see the bartender pour it.  Carry your drink around with you. Don’t leave your glass unattended to go dance or to the toilet.

• Don’t Act Afraid

If you are, people can sense it and you can be a target for unwanted attention. Walk with purpose; chin up, aware of your surroundings. Know when to adopt the “don’t mess with me” attitude.

• Give and Take

Give warning to other travelers and ask local people (preferably women) and fellow travelers for advice: Is it safe to ride public buses? Is this neighborhood safe after dark? etc.

• Avoid Over-packing

You’ll carry your backpack everywhere; on and off trains, through city streets and into hostels. You can wear the same clothes over and over.

• Bring Less Clothes, More Stuff to make you feel at home.

Your room will seem empty and cold compared to your room at home or in your dorm or apt. Pack a picture, light frame, posters to put on the walls. You’ll appreciate them more than one more shirt you may wear one or two times.

• Use a Shoulder Purse with a zipper

Wear it at an across-the-body handbag. Keep the zipper shut.

• Wear a Money Belt – Carry Your Passport, Credit Cards, Most of Your Cash in it.

You  may think it’s stupid and feels weird. The hassle of having everything replaced is greater than getting used to wearing a money belt.

• Leave the Bling at Home

Wearing jewelery will make you a target for thieves.

• Beware of Decoys and Distractions

If someone comes up and starts flirting with you check out who else is with the person. His friend behind you may slash your purse and run off. If someone bumps into you. Check your wallet right away. No problem if you’re wearing your money belt!

• Ask For Help

If you feel unsafe, talk to someone, preferably a woman with a man or baby. Duck into a shop and tell the owner that you’re a tourist and someone is making you uncomfortable.

• Beware of Who Snaps Your Photo

Ask a family or woman to take your picture, not someone who could run off with your camera who you couldn’t catch.

• Pack Your Common Sense

Follow your instincts. Ask yourself if you would do this/walk there/go to a stranger’s apartment/ take this risk at home? Listen to your inner voice.

• Use Your City Smarts – Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Try to avoid dicey places like a deserted street in a big city. If you are alone, don’t walk down it. Having other people around is your best safety insurance.

• Carry Enough Cash For a Taxi

In your money belt, shoe or underwear and be prepared to use to get out of a questionable situation.

• Dress Down

Clothing that is fashionable and appropriate at home may project a provocative image in another culture. Leave the revealing clothing behind.

• GUYS….Chivalry is Always Cool

A great way to meet girls is to offer them help with their luggage; help them lift it onto the rack in the train compartment.

• GUYS….Be Careful With Your Ego

Hold your temper. Walk away. Getting into an argument with a local guy isn’t wise. He knows the city and probably has friends nearby to teach you a lesson.

• GUYS….Carry very little cash in your wallet

You may think it’s stupid to wear a money-belt, but it’s stupid to get ripped off.

As I learned at a summit on “Boomer Consumers” last week in San Francisco, 2011 is a year like no other: Beginning in January, 10,000 Americans will turn 65 every day. An emerging market is already out there, but the technology is unsophisticated, the vendors small. While the potential is great, awareness is low and adoption is limited, according to Dr. Mary Furlong, CEO of Furlong & Associates, the summit producer.

Here are some things industry leaders had to say about the Boomer market:

Social Media

A close look at what is working for companies who launch products and services to Boomers indicates that social networks are used to connect customers, families and friends.

Example: Ten years ago one woman would complain about a product or recommend a product to her immediate inner circle of women friends, perhaps 5-10. Today she goes online and writes a critique or sends a Facebook message to her friends; then it goes viral. One woman reaches thousands.

A survey by ivillage.com found that the “click-through rate” of Boomers on Internet advertising is three times greater than the average user.

Boomers Buy Technology

Example: Google’s study on Boomers found that 71% of the buyers of iPad are over 50.

Boomers Use Technology More than Gen X

Online Searches

According to Addie Braum of Google, “Boomers dominate the screens, spending more time online researching a product, before they get to the store. Their use of coupons is 339% above average and the time spent reviewing a product is 188% more than average.

• Boomers                   189 Hours/Month online
• Gen X                        159 Hours/Month online
• 60% are Female

Sponsored Links

69%                   Boomers who click on sponsored links

58%                   GenX ers who click on sponsored  links.

*Google/Neilsen Boomer Survey

The newest trends in mobile and how it is being used to reach and service the needs of diverse customers indicated that retail, point-to-point, and online learning are growing on mobile devices.

Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship

Boomers are starting more entrepreneurial businesses after retirement to earn money to finance their longevity and help secure the future of their children and grandchildren.

Boomers use social media to create social impact, such as donating to a cause.

I was surprised to discover how many Boomers were buying my travel books, communicating to me on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, but of course I’ve featured Gutsy Boomers traveling the world in A Woman’s World, Gutsy Women, and my Girlfriend Getaway books.

It turns out this is part of a trend.

Last week I joined America’s leading analysts, strategists and marketing experts on “Boomer Consumers” for a summit in San Francisco, which featured top executives from Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Dell, Eric Taub, New York Times,  ivillage.com, Vibrantnation.com, AARP, and United Airlines as speakers.  There we learned that Boomers represent an emerging economy as closely watched as China, India, Brazil and Russia.

According to Google VP and Internet  “co-father” Vint Cerf,  the Boomer Generation is one third of the US population, holds two thirds of our nation’s financial assets, grows by one person every second–and is under-reached and largely untapped, even with $2 trillion in spending power.

“More than 100 million Americans today are age 45 or older, and the households headed by someone 40 or older account for 91% of the America’s net worth,” said Dr. Mary Furlong, CEO, Furlong & Associates, the summit producer.

“People over 50 represent the largest, fastest growing, richest consumer market on the planet.,” said Jody Holtzman,  Sr. VP, AARP.

According to McKinsey Data, Boomers generate more than 40% of all disposable income and account for 50% of all consumer spending.

Understanding this $2 trillion market and its habits.

At a crossroads at the Kathmandu Guesthouse. Where next?

Of those who currently take nature, adventure or cultural trips, 75% are women.

Ten years ago, there were no such statistics. Now we know that the average adventure traveler is not a 28-year old male, but a 47-year-old female. And she wears a size 12 dress.

Last year women travelers spent over $95 billion in Outdoor Equipment, from hiking boots to specialized bike seats designed for the female anatomy.

The number of women-only tour operators has increased 230% in the past six years.

80% of all travel decisions are made by women.

Regardless of:

• who they travel with,
• who pays for the trip,
• or where they go,

Let’s face it: a woman is the decision maker.

In order to substantiate this statistic (from an article in the LA Times), I interviewed numerous owners of large travel agencies and tour operators.  I was told over and over:

“Yes, your statistics are right on. 75-80% of the decision makers we deal with are women.”

Travel decisions are made by women. For example:

• Mom researches and then books the summer vacation for the entire family;
• Grandma surfs the Internet, collects brochures, books tickets and accommodations for a multi-generational family reunion at a resort;
• A middle-aged empty-nester books a five-day hiking trip with friends while her husband is golfing.

Send me your stories!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx63JhlmTeQ