Why is it more expensive to stay alone? Solo travelers are changing the tourism industry that's based on "double occupancy."

There is a place I want to go. I've managed to get some time off. I've prepared a budget. Yet, when I open the reservation page, what I see is "price per person based on double occupancy." As soon as I change the number of people to one, a higher price than expected appears.

Those who have been puzzled by such pricing displays are likely also aware of the allure of solo travel. You can decide when to wake up, where to have lunch, and how long to linger at a museum. However, when you try to buy that freedom, the lack of a companion can sometimes lead to additional costs.

In an article published on Phys.org on September 13, 2026, behavioral scientist Peter McGraw argued that the tourism industry is finally beginning to pay attention to the demand from solo travelers. However, the challenge is not solved by simply increasing the number of single-person plans.

The question is whether solo visitors can be placed at the center of services from the start.

The Rise of Solo Travel Reflected in Increased Searches

According to travel trends announced by Google in April 2026, interest in searches for "solo travel" reached an all-time high, and "women solo travel" hit its highest level in 15 years. At the same time, searches for "travel groups" and "tour groups" also reached record highs.

While more people are searching for solo travel, there is also a strong movement to search for group travel and tours. Although it cannot be concluded that the same people are searching for both, the coexistence of interest in solo travel and social interaction is intriguing.

Hilton's 2026 trend report also states that 26% of travelers plan to travel solo within the year, and 48% add solo travel days before or after family trips.

It is important to note that solo travel is not just for singles. You can set aside a day to walk alone in the city before a family vacation. After a business trip, you can stay one more night for yourself. Even if you depart with companions, you can spend part of your stay separately. Solo time can be incorporated into various types of travel.

However, search interest is not the same as actual booking numbers, and travel plans are different from completed trips. These numbers cannot be directly interpreted as the global solo travel population or market size. Nonetheless, it suggests that interest in the option of traveling alone is becoming harder for companies to ignore.

The Mechanism Behind "Higher Prices for Solo Travelers"

When considering the cost of solo travel, it's important to distinguish between "not being able to share the room cost" and "additional charges for single occupancy."

For example, if a hotel room costs 30,000 yen per night, it would be 15,000 yen per person if two people stay, but 30,000 yen for one person. This is a calculation example and not the rate of a specific facility. In this case, the hotel is not penalizing solo guests; the per-person cost increases because there is no one to share the room cost with.

On the other hand, cruises and package tours often have a "single supplement," an additional charge for solo travelers using a room based on the rate for double occupancy.

Service providers have their reasons. Just because there is one less guest doesn't mean the construction and maintenance costs of the room are halved. Costs for operating the ship and preparing itineraries remain. Simply labeling all additional charges as unfair does not help understand why this system has persisted.

However, being able to explain the reasons for the costs and being able to offer products that customers can agree with are different matters.

For those who want to travel alone, it's not just about explaining "buying a product for two people as one." It's about being able to compare and choose the right size, total cost, meals, and experiences for themselves. The pricing issue is also about product design, reflecting what kind of users the tourism industry has considered standard.

The Abolition of Additional Charges is Progress, But Price Reduction and Design Change are Different

Measures are already being taken. In January 2026, U.S. travel company Tauck announced that it would waive the single supplement for Category 1 cabins on European river cruises that year. This applies to over 250 departures. For land tours, they plan to reduce additional charges by up to $600 for 37 itineraries and 105 departures.

Although there are conditions such as specific cabins and departure dates, these measures make it easier for solo travelers to consider their options.

On the other hand, Norwegian Cruise Line's initiative, as introduced in the original article, goes a step beyond price changes. In 2010, the company introduced "Studio" cabins for solo travelers on the Norwegian Epic. These are small private cabins combined with a lounge where solo travelers can gather.

This combination has significance. Privacy is ensured in the sleeping area, and if you want to chat, you can move to a communal space. Instead of cramming everything into the room, they provide separate spaces for personal time and social interaction.

The original article also points out that while the company expanded its solo cabin category to all 19 ships by 2024, some of these were reclassified from existing double cabins. Expanding the sales target is not the same as redesigning the space for single occupancy.

Moreover, the name "solo" does not uniformly convey what facilities are available. The company's official page, which was checked, notes that lounge use is intended for Solo Studio. Information design that clarifies the conditions for each ship and cabin, not just the product name, is essential.

McGraw also cites the "Solo" cabins at YOTEL in New York, which are designed for one person and are about 10 square meters. The point here is not that small rooms are the answer, but that there are options designed for single use from the start.

Some people prefer compact rooms, while others are willing to pay for spacious cabins or balconies. Designing products for solo travelers is not about guiding everyone to the smallest room. It starts with separating the presence of companions from the desired comfort level.

Do People Traveling Alone Want to Be Alone All the Time?

One misconception about solo travel is that it is a way to avoid contact with others.

Of course, some people seek silence. However, the desire to plan one's own itinerary and the desire to dine with someone locally can coexist. You can take a morning walk alone, join a cooking class at noon, and rest in your room in the evening. There is no contradiction in such a way of spending time.

A survey by Mastercard and The Harris Poll, involving over 15,000 people from 11 countries, found that 39% of international travelers have experienced solo travel. Additionally, 70% of leisure travelers abroad are interested in solo experiences designed to connect with like-minded people.

This 70% is not a figure for "all solo travel experiencers." It is necessary to read while keeping the survey's scope in mind, but the potential for products that combine freedom and interaction becomes apparent.

For example, dinner parties that only those who wish to attend can join, short city walks, and lounges where conversations naturally start. Systems where you can sign up alone and then leave at your convenience can be considered.

What is important here is not making participation in social interactions a condition for success. Travelers should have the freedom to meet someone and the freedom to decide not to talk today. If social interaction is forced under the guise of hospitality, it could undermine the very appeal of solo travel.

Reflections on Social Media: Pre-Departure Barriers and Uncertainties at the Destination

Posts on public social media and forums reveal not only expectations about solo travel but also friction with others and uncertainties at the destination. The following are summaries of related Reddit posts and replies, not direct reactions to the current Phys.org article. These are a few personal experiences and do not represent the overall opinion on social media.

One post, from November 2025, is a consultation by a 30-year-old man with his family. When he informed them of his two-week solo trip, his parents strongly opposed it, causing a rift in family relations.

Replies included encouragement to make his own decisions as an adult. On the other hand, some shared experiences of easing family concerns through sharing itineraries and regular contact. Even among those who support the departure, approaches to maintaining distance with family vary.

What can be inferred from this is that even if there are bookable products, some people are required to explain their decision to go out alone. Travel barriers are not only found within price lists.

Another post, reported in February 2025, is by a woman planning a seven-week trip to Europe. After falling ill, she confessed that she was not enjoying the trip and was unsure whether to return home.

Replies included advice to rest first and that it's okay to change plans. Notably, a later update from the poster reported that she continued traveling, made friends at a hostel, and changed her itinerary to spend time on an Italian farm.

This experience should not be turned into a narrative that solo travel necessarily involves overcoming difficulties. However, it is clear that a flexible itinerary and interaction when needed were meaningful to this traveler.

These two posts cannot be captured by simply praising solo travel or labeling it as lonely. Travel involves moments where you choose to depart on your own and moments where you seek someone's understanding. Tourism services are supported by the nuanced demands that lie in between.

Making "Solo Traveler Welcome" a Reality from Booking to Stay

Considering these materials, addressing solo travel requires more than just featuring a single person in advertisements. It is necessary to ensure that a solo customer does not face difficulties before booking, during their stay, and when plans change. The following are proposals based on the interview materials.

First, make it easier to search for the total cost for single occupancy from the start. If the standard number of people is tucked away in a small note and the burden becomes clear only at the end of the booking, the effort to compare increases. Even just displaying products that can be purchased solo for those who input a single-person budget can improve ease of selection.

Next, allow separate choices for rooms and social interaction. Preferring a quiet room does not necessarily mean one does not want to socialize. If the design requires choosing a shared room to participate in a dinner party, it means sacrificing either privacy or social interaction.

Furthermore, clarify the conditions for solo participation. Experiences and transfers may have minimum participant numbers. Whether you can apply solo, when it will be confirmed, and what happens if it doesn't materialize—knowing these conditions makes it easier for travelers to prepare alternatives.

The same applies to meals. Even without installing luxurious facilities, menus that are easy to order for one person and seats where you can sit comfortably can be provided. Being able to consult staff when needed also adds value to the service.

Finally, incorporate the possibility of changing preferences during the trip. Instead of fixing solo travelers as either "social adventurers" or "people who want to spend quietly," consider that the same person may seek both on different days. This might be closer to how people actually spend their time.

You Can Travel Alone Without Taking on a Special Challenge

Solo travel is often associated with courage or self-discovery. That may be the motivation for some. However, not all travelers want to change their lives.

Wanting to see a favorite exhibition. Wanting to sleep near the sea. Simply not having matching vacation days with a companion. Such reasons are enough for a trip to be worthwhile.

Overly worrying about whether solo travelers can enjoy themselves or elevating it as a noble challenge, even with good intentions, can lead to treating them as exceptions.

The change that the tourism industry should aim for is not just highlighting solo travel as a special product. It is about providing options as part of regular services, where you can naturally book even when setting the number of people to one, maintain your own pace during your stay, and meet people when you want to talk.

The freedom of solo travel is not complete just because there is no companion. Its value is created by being able to choose the destination, how to spend time, and the distance from others.

When the "1 person" option on the booking screen becomes an ordinary choice that requires no additional explanation, the tourism industry can move from the stage of accepting solo travelers to the stage of creating travel for individual customers.

Source URLs

1. Phys.org / Peter McGraw "The tourism industry is slowly waking up to solo travelers' needs" (September 13, 2026). Issues raised regarding the tourism industry's assumption of double occupancy, NCL's initiatives in 2010 and 2024, and YOTEL's room examples.
   https://phys.org/news/2026-09-tourism-industry-slowly-solo.html

2. Google "Discover this year’s trending summer travel destinations and activities." Search trends for solo travel, women's solo travel, travel groups, etc., in 2026.
   https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/travel/2026-travel-trends/

3. Hilton "Hushpitality: Seeking Sweet Silence." Source of 26% planning solo travel in 2026 and 48% adding solo days before or after family trips.
   https://stories.hilton.com/2026-trends/hushpitality-seeking-sweet-silence

4. Tauck "Tauck Announces 2026 Savings for Solo Travelers" (January 20, 2026). Conditions for waiving additional charges for eligible rooms, over 250 river cruise departures, and discounts on land tours.
   https://www.tauck.com/media/press-releases/tauck-announces-2026-savings-for-solo-travelers

5. Norwegian Cruise Line "Studio & Solo Staterooms." Notes on facilities and usage conditions for the solo cabin category and Studio Lounge. Due to comprehensive guidance and restrictions on the official page, this article does not conclude that all solo cabins are available for use.
   https://www.ncl.com/staterooms/studio-and-solo

6. Mastercard "What are the