There’s a surprising travel trend on the rise among Australian women, and it has nothing to do with big group holidays, partying overseas or chasing scroll-stopping photos for social media. According to a just-released report from Reflections Holidays, research shows solo travelling has significantly grown in popularity over the last few years and women are leading the charge. Solo trips, once considered a niche way to experience destinations, are quickly becoming the preferred way for Aussie women to explore the world.The Wander Woman Report delves into the motivations and desires of Australian women who regularly travel solo, or plan to.It shows an overwhelming 72 per cent of Aussie women value relaxation and escaping from routine as the most valuable activity they want to engage with while on a solo trip, emphasising the need for restorative travel and regular resets in order to physically and mentally thrive. Unexpectedly, just 36 per cent of those surveyed travel with the intention of forming new friendships and connections.“Solo travel is certainly no longer the niche experience it once was, and women are leading this charge,” Nick Baker, CEO of Reflections Holidays tells news.com.au.“There’s a growing appreciation that travelling solo isn’t something that ‘happens’ to people as a result of no suitable travel companions, it’s a way of travelling that millions of Australians are embracing.”And it’s not just a young woman’s game, with flexibility to travel on their own schedule being the key inspiration for 63 per cent of women aged 65 to 74 years old.“There’s also been a noticeable shift towards prioritising experiences over things. People are seeking meaningful travel moments, spending more time in nature, embracing slower-paced holidays and looking for opportunities to genuinely switch off from the pressures of everyday life,” Mr Baker adds. The independent research aligns with some pretty bleak ABS data that tells us more than one-third (36 per cent) of Aussie women frequently feel rushed or pressed for time, driven by a combination of paid work, unpaid household labour, and care giving responsibilities.In short, the everyday routine can be exhausting. No surprises there.Elizabeth Fallon, a 31-year-old occupational therapist, has been travelling the world solo for many years after dreaming of experiencing the places, cultures and adventures she was seeing on TV screens as a young girl.“When I finally had the opportunity to travel for myself, I was hooked. Every trip fuelled my curiosity even further, and what started as a dream quickly became a lifelong passion for exploring the world and connecting with people from different cultures,” she tells news.com.au.“Some of my most memorable moments include watching the sunrise over Cappadocia with ahundred hot air balloons across the sky, swimming with humpback whales in Australia, free diving in the crystal waters of the Philippines, and immersing myself in the vibrant cultures of Sri Lanka and India.”The content creator, who has built up a modest following on Instagram sharing her travel experiences as ElizzaExplores, explains what stays with her, long after each trip, isn’t always the destination itself, “it’s the people I’ve met, the stories I’ve heard and the moments that have challenged my perspective and helped me grow”. “That’s what keeps me coming back to travel time and time again.”When it comes to opting to experience a destination solo, versus with a companion, Mr Baker says there’s a growing realisation that a travel companion or companions may stifle flexibility and be unwelcome ‘noise’ for those craving solitude and a restorative solo trip. “Most of us have experienced being in group chats and becoming frustrated at the continual accommodating of others’ needs,” he says. “Australian women are refusing to be shackled by this – and going their own way is becoming increasingly appealing.”Sadly, as women, there have always been safety fears associated with travelling solo and Ms Fallon admits she has experienced unsafe situations in the past.“Unfortunately, no matter where I’ve travelled, there have been moments where I’ve felt unsafe as a solo female traveller. Sometimes it’s something fleeting that passes within minutes, while other times it’s been enough to make me completely rethink a route, activity or destination.”The results of the Wander Woman report proves that personal safety and security is still the number one concern when it comes to females travelling solo, with 74 per cent flagging it as the biggest barrier.Ms Fallon recalls a particularly scary moment during a recent solo trip that knocked her confidence and “made me question whether I wanted to continue travelling alone”.Mr Baker says organisations may have taken steps to account for solo travellers, but the strength of the research shows that personal safety and security will continue to heavily influence destination and accommodation choices.“For travel providers, catering to solo travellers should no longer be a ‘nice to have’ but seen as a requirement. Almost half of those surveyed (49 per cent) said they would likely considersolo travel if organisations offered dedicated solo female travel packages featuring items, like safe central cabins and small group bookings.“There’s a difference between feeling safe and being safe: solo female travellers want to be able to fully trust their accommodation provider and notice the ‘little’ precautions that may have been installed to make a difference,” he adds. Associate Professor at University of Newcastle, Tamara Young, says women have always travelled alone. “What has changed is that the tourism industry is starting to take them seriously, rather than treating them as an afterthought once couples and families are accounted for.She adds: “For the past two decades, the evidence has been consistent and it challenges common assumptions. Women who travel alone are not timid, and they are not naive about risk. They assess it and go anyway, by choice rather than for lack of a companion. What they are seeking matters more: independence, time that is theirs alone, and a stronger sense of self.”As for the preferred destinations of solo female travellers, Bali, Japan and New Zealand continue to be very popular. However, it’s what female solo travellers are doing when on a trip that’s the noticeable difference.“Our research showed that above all other activities, they value relaxation and escape from routine as the major priority – indicating that busy, everyday lives can sometimes be too much and there’s a desire and a need to reset and reconnect on their own terms.”