The UK’s leading authority on over 50s travel, www.silvertraveladvisor.com, has produced the first “Solo Silver Traveller” guide, specifically with the UK’s 22 million over 50s in mind. The freely available guide, produced in association with Solos Holidays, contains travel information and advice for the mature solo traveller and listings of companies who offer concessions, specialist holidays and specific travel services for older, solo travellers.
It can be downloaded here or to order a free printed version click here.
Silver Travel Advisor’s managing director, Debbie Marshall, said “According to the most recent national census 51% of the UK population is unmarried, around 40% don’t have a partner, and 28% of the UK’s 28 million households contain only one person.
Around 22 million people in England and Wales are over 50, some 35% of the population, and taking into account couples who like to go on holiday separately, there are a lot of older people who go on holiday on their own, or would do if they felt more confident about doing so, especially when they have found themselves single in later life by circumstance rather than by choice, and lack the confidence to know how to find the best options.
Silver Traveller’s free “Solo Silver Traveller” guide is designed for them, to select the best deals, the best singles facilities and find companies whose products are most suited to the older, solo traveller”.
Top advice for Silver Travellers
*From Silver Traveller’s “Solo Silver Traveller” guide
- Take time to research the destination and holiday type, especially if it’s the first time travelling solo
- Read reviews, forums, blogs and advice from other solo travellers
- Consider taking a short, UK-based solo holiday before embarking on a more adventurous trip
- Look for single traveller savings and watch out for supplements for solo use of a double room
- Don’t be coerced into joining group activities, but make the most of having company around
Top Single Stats
*From analysis of the Office of National Statistics most recent (2011) census
- 7 of the top 10 `most single; areas are in London. Other areas are Manchester, Nottingham and Brighton and Hove
- In the whole of the UK in 2014 there were 26.7 million households, of which 28% contained only one person.
- 51% of people in England and Wales are single
Top Silver Stats
*From analysis of the Office of National Statistics most recent (2011) census
- The UK has an ageing population, with over 11.4 million (17.7% of the population) aged 65 and over, a growth of 47% since mid-1974
- The number of people aged 75 and over has increased by 89% since 1974 and makes up 8% of the population.
- There were 21892 people aged over 50 in the last census (2011), 35% of the population
- During the 20th century, there were peaks in the numbers of births after both world wars and a longer baby boom during the 1960s. These ‘baby boomers’ are currently aged around 50 and will contribute to the continuing ageing of the UK population.
Silver Travel Advisor, www.silvertraveladvisor.com is the voice of the mature traveller. It is the only travel review and advice site specifically for the over 50s and features thousands of reviews of days out, destinations, hotels and holidays in the UK and worldwide.
The site offers a forum for mature travellers to exchange travel and holiday experiences and to find out about holiday destinations and different types of travel.
Membership is free and includes regular e-newsletters, exclusive offers and competitions and travel and holiday advice from Silver Travel Advisor’s travel professionals.
