Tour de Zoomer: Russians have become more likely to travel alone
Russian tourists increasingly prefer to travel alone, tour operators and hoteliers told Izvestia. Over the past 10 years, their number has increased by 30%. This is due to the new consumer model among young people, who strive for independence and freedom to choose a route, time and format of recreation, as well as an increase in the proportion of single people over the age of 50. Against this background, hotels are rethinking their approach to serving this group of travelers. By the end of 2024, the global solo travel market amounted to about $471.7 billion, and by 2030 it will grow to $1.07 trillion. How the travel market is being transformed due to changes in consumer behavior of Russians — in the Izvestia article.
How the solo tourism market is growing
Over the past 10 years, the number of tourists who prefer to travel alone has grown by almost a third (30%) and may approach 10 million people by the end of 2025. Such data was provided to Izvestia by Sergey Romashkin, Vice President of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, CEO of the Dolphin tour operator.
The double-digit growth rates of this travel segment are also confirmed by other market participants interviewed by Izvestia. This year, the share of solo tourists out of the total number was 27%, which is 4 percentage points (pp) more than in 2024, said a representative of the Ostrovok service. In OneTwoTrip, the share of hotel bookings with a stay of at least a week per guest in January–October 2025 increased by a third compared to the same period a year earlier, said its representative Elena Shelekhova. The number of such trips has grown the most abroad — an increase of 37% year-on-year, said Yuri Vyushin, Director of Development of the Tutu hotel market.
In Cosmos Hotel Group, the share of bookings per guest increased by 15% year-on-year, Alexander Biba, the company's president, told Izvestia. The growth in the number of solo travelers is more pronounced in the Krasnaya Polyana and Arkhyz ski resorts, said Vadim Trukshin, CEO of the Mantera Group. At the same time, family and group guests predominate in the hotels of the marine cluster in Sochi, he added.
Russian Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) hotels have a stable share of bookings per person, Alexandra Grebenkina, the group's commercial director in Russia, told Izvestia. Individual travel as a format has been occupying a steady volume in the demand structure for several years, she added. In Anex, the percentage of solo tourists has increased - over the past seven years, their share in tour sales has amounted to 3.9—4.9%, said a company representative.
Most often, single tourists went to the Far East this year, said the representative of Ostrovok. The Kamchatka Territory was in the highest demand, with 46% of the total bookings for trips to this region. This is followed by the Sakhalin and Amur regions (45%), Krasnoyarsk (44%) and Khabarovsk (41%) territories, according to the service data. Abkhazia was the leader among foreign destinations (11%), as well as Turkey — 10%, Belarus — 9%, France and Armenia — 9% and 7%, respectively, according to the Tutu data.
Kamchatka Territory, views of the Koryak volcano
Yandex Travels did not respond to Izvestia's request.
Who is the driver of this market
The growth of solo tourism is due to social changes associated with an increase in the proportion of zoomers (people born between 1997 and 2012) and millennials (1981-1996) among tourists, Vadim Trukshin noted. According to him, representatives of these generations especially highly value personal freedom.
According to an American Express survey, 69% of the world's travelers plan to travel alone this year. At the same time, the number of such respondents is higher among the younger generation — 76%. Individual trips break stereotypes about traditional group or family vacations, give a sense of freedom and the opportunity to get a unique experience, the study says. Such tourists prefer flexibility and a personal recreation format instead of group scenarios, Alexander Biba noted. The interest in conscious trips focused on recovery and sports has also increased, the expert noted.
The patient undergoes a neural sleep procedure in a sanatorium
Unlike other generations, zoomers do not tend to adopt a savings model, said Mikhail Burmistrov, CEO of Infoline Analytics. It makes no sense to save for an apartment or a car in conditions of too high prices and expensive loans, so they earn and immediately spend actively, he explained.
For zoomers, independence is the most important part of identity, explained an interlocutor of Izvestia at a major tour operator. At the same time, a vacation with a partner or friends involves the need to compromise, which does not allow you to experience a unique experience that no one imposes, he said. In addition, solo travel is often cheaper, Mikhail Burmistrov added.
According to Alexander Biba, in some aspects, the consumer activity of zoomers is higher than that of other generations with a higher income level. For example, in the impressions industry, when a young consumer spends the money they earn on restaurants, entertainment and travel, Mikhail Burmistrov noted. According to a September survey by the American consulting company McKinsey, 52% of the representatives of generation Z said that they spend a significant part of their own money on impressions, while among baby boomers (born from 1946 to 1964) only 29% of such people.
The growth of solo tourism is associated with the simplification of independent travel arrangements, says Yuri Vyushin. Guests are increasingly planning trips on their own — they book a hotel and buy tickets, as well as think over their own tourist route, Alexander Biba noted. The demand for personalized experiences has increased after the pandemic, Vadim Trukshin added.
In addition, people have become more likely to combine leisure and work (bleisure tourism) — they go on business, but stay to see the city or relax by the sea, said Yuri Vyushin. Against the background of growing business activity in the regions, the number of such bookings in January-October increased by 15-20% year–on-year, said a representative of Azimut Hotels. This was facilitated by remote work and freelancing — individual entrepreneurs aged 25-40 often come on business, combining this with rest.
Another growing segment is guests over the age of 50, said a representative of the network. According to him, such people are increasingly traveling alone after their children have grown up. They are actively exploring new leisure formats, agrees Vadim Trukshin from Mantera. At the same time, the dynamic growth of solo trips among such guests is evident in sanatoriums, the representative of Azimut Hotels added. The share of such guests there reaches 50-60%, said Sergey Romashkin.
Changes in the consumer structure require new solutions from hoteliers. Companies are increasing the number of superior rooms, creating spaces for relaxation and work, thoughtful spa areas and gastronomic concepts with an emphasis on locality, said Alexander Biba. There is a transformation of the trend — from traveling alone to conscious solo tourism with a focus on self-development and deep immersion in the local context, said Vadim Trukshin.
By the end of 2024, the global solo travel market amounted to about $471.7 billion, according to data from the research company Spherical Insights. By 2030, it will double to 1.07 trillion rubles, Grand View Research predicts. In Russia, the growth of this segment is associated with the proliferation of short weekend trips, where the individual format is becoming a key driver of demand, Alexander Biba summed up.
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