Latest / GowayPro Travel Tales / Solo Women's Travel with Goway
Transcript
- 0:00Hey there everyone, I'm Don, Professor Goay and welcome to the GoayPro Travel Tale Podcast.
- 0:13Travel far and travel often.
- 0:20Tales podcast.
- 0:21um Again, in our new studio, we may mention this, and I will for a few more podcasts, because I'm very pleased with our new look.
- 0:30We're still enhancing some of it, but this is our new more sort of casual, I guess, vibe versus over the desk setup.
- 0:39Today, we're talking to Linda Warner, who is our...
- 0:42Now, this I don't know.
- 0:44What's your official title?
- 0:45Like, you're head of product, but what's the...
- 0:47Director of product.
- 0:48Director of product.
- 0:49There we go.
- 0:50So Linda looks after or overseas, is that a good way of turning overseas our product development for all our departments?
- 0:58I'm gonna start again.
- 1:00Okay.
- 1:02Say it again.
- 1:03Okay.
- 1:04Introduce me one more time.
- 1:04All right, let's do this.
- 1:06Okay.
- 1:06Today we are with Linda Warner, who is our Director of Product.
- 1:10And Linda, in that role, what's your role, guess?
- 1:15Is it guiding the direction of the product?
- 1:18Is it overseeing all of our product from all our departments?
- 1:21Obviously in conjunction with our commercial managers or what they used to be called product managers.
- 1:25Is that you sort of corral those cats so to speak when it comes to product?
- 1:29Yeah, that's absolutely fair statement.
- 1:30It's sort of to oversee brand standards across all of our divisions to do some gap analysis.
- 1:37You know, do we have the same type of themes, the same type of wording across all of our all of our divisions and our product lines sort of to see it from a higher level and yeah,
- 1:47I'm sure we have some brand standards.
- 1:49Yeah, that's important because as we record this, which is December of twenty five, we have just launched our
- 1:55I say new website, but updated website, Go8 3.0, I guess.
- 2:02And some of you mentioned there like standards across everything we do, the language we use, because the website has been redesigned to be a lot more user friendly, lot more
- 2:11visually stimulating.
- 2:13And again, as you just mentioned, part of that was bringing our products, because again, we do all seven continents from all levels, three to five star, soft adventure, hard
- 2:22adventure, high end luxury.
- 2:25everything we do pretty much everything out there.
- 2:27So you were trying to standardize across a lot of apartments, like travel themes and travel styles.
- 2:32that the fair terminology that we use?
- 2:35That's absolutely fair and that's absolutely correct.
- 2:37So when our partners are working with us, they've got customers in one division, you know, part of the world traveling and then other customers in different parts that they're
- 2:46getting the same type of itineraries, bespoke experiences across all of our apartments.
- 2:53or I say to you, want to do an adventure trip in Peru, and you go, this, this, this, this, when I come back next time, hopefully, or even on the same trip even, I now want to do
- 3:01adventure in Africa that our destination specialists are delivering, as you mentioned, a similar, because obviously every country's different, but a similar level of product.
- 3:11So adventure equals adventure across everything, luxury, wellness, so on and so forth, yeah?
- 3:17It's true, because across the board, what the customers are looking for,
- 3:20you know, these unique experiences, cooking classes, local experiences, hiking experiences, nature bathing, whatever it might be.
- 3:28We really are seeing those type of themes across, you know, across all travel, regardless of destination.
- 3:34So ensuring that we have those product offerings across the board and that every commercial manager and every product team is looking at things the same way.
- 3:42same way.
- 3:43exactly.
- 3:44And again, in turn, we then deliver the same.
- 3:47expectations.
- 3:48I know that's all right, not expectations.
- 3:50We deliver the same type of product regardless of destination.
- 3:53Again, within reason based on country.
- 3:57So because one of GoA's biggest issues has been a victim of our own success in that because we do all seven continents we can offer, I don't want to say every type of style
- 4:07of travel, but pretty much every style of travel.
- 4:09We ran into that confusion and different terminology being used and also people
- 4:16We did have travel styles which could be the same thing, etc.
- 4:20So part of your role recently has been to again refine that, regroup our travel styles and as part of that a new one that's come out of it for GoWay at least, I know it's been
- 4:31around for a while, is women's only travel or women's solo travel?
- 4:36Is both of those expressions describing what we're doing or are we choosing a particular title for this?
- 4:43Is it women's only or women's solo or
- 4:46But either or.
- 4:47Do you know what?
- 4:47We've actually had a lot of internal conversations about this as well.
- 4:51uh The trend is that women are starting to travel more on their own.
- 4:58So solo women definitely is very applicable.
- 5:00uh But the way we have been looking at it with the new small group tours that we've designed as well as in our custom side of the business when people are looking to travel
- 5:10independently, it's women focused.
- 5:13uh Because there's still a lot of women
- 5:15while they're traveling as a woman, you know, often with a sister or a friend who also is a woman.
- 5:21So, yes, often it is solo women, but it's more women only.
- 5:27only, okay.
- 5:27Yeah.
- 5:28So it caters to both, obviously, a solo female traveler or a woman who wants to travel with other women, okay, or as in, so doesn't have a sister, mother, friend to travel with,
- 5:40they can join us.
- 5:41So let's go back to the basics here.
- 5:44Now,
- 5:44This style of travel has been around for a while.
- 5:47A of companies have been approaching it before Go Way has, but in our sort of restructure, rebirth of that new website, et cetera, we're now taking it on.
- 5:57Regardless of whether Go Way is doing it anyone else is doing it, as a female, um what's the logic?
- 6:05No, that's two questions.
- 6:06I'll ask you one as a professional, but first, as a female who wishes to travel, you, and speaking on behalf of all womanhood out there,
- 6:14No pressure.
- 6:16Why is woman only female solo travel an important thing to this demographic?
- 6:23Absolutely.
- 6:24And you know what?
- 6:24There's many different points.
- 6:27Obviously one that often comes up, you know, is it safety?
- 6:29it comfort?
- 6:30Is it, you know, uh even in myself, I've traveled a lot as a single woman, independent, you know, independent travel.
- 6:38And it's a question I often get almost at the forefront.
- 6:42Did you feel safe?
- 6:43Was it okay?
- 6:44Did you go out at night?
- 6:45You know, what did you do?
- 6:46um So I do think some of that then when you're traveling with other women, yeah, there's a little bit of a safety and a comfort.
- 6:55have a tour leader, have an organized itinerary in cases, and you're traveling with a small group.
- 6:59So, you know, that certainly is one of the check boxes.
- 7:02um But as I mentioned, sort of like-minded women.
- 7:07it brings together women of similar interests.
- 7:10Often people are in stage of life where maybe they're trying to rediscover themselves and the other women on the trip are doing sort that same thing.
- 7:19can also, often women are in sort of a caretaker role.
- 7:24For years, maybe while they're raising children or of certain demographics more taking care of the home.
- 7:32And so it brings them together with maybe other women who spent a lot of.
- 7:35years doing that and now are looking to do something for themselves to expand their own and rediscover themselves, if you will.
- 7:43Look, let me just interrupt here for a second, because my wife, who we met traveling, she left, you know, she did what you saying.
- 7:50She was an independent traveler, left and did some exotic traveling, you know, to Africa or Asia first, then to Africa.
- 7:57One thing led to another.
- 7:58ended up coming to Latin America, where she met me.
- 8:00But she was like, I guess, a perfect example of the demographic.
- 8:04that we're looking at here.
- 8:06In her case, young professional, traveled independently.
- 8:12She went for group travel.
- 8:14I think, well not solely and wholly, but a lot had to do with safety.
- 8:18As an individual, not a female necessarily, just as an individual solo travel, but obviously females, sadly enough, have to be more concerned about that.
- 8:27But she didn't look at the time,
- 8:31for a female only group.
- 8:32She went for a group environment for the safety and obviously to meet other people as well.
- 8:37So what differentiates the structure of this product or again, as a female traveler and professional, why is it important do you think to have the female only aspect to it?
- 8:51No, that's a good question.
- 8:52Beyond safety.
- 8:53Absolutely.
- 8:55So I think what we're seeing when you are joining, so let's say you've made the decision to do a small group trip, often people come in couples and then often some of the feedback
- 9:07is they felt a little bit like a third wheel or an odd man out, still having a great time, but when you're then traveling in a group of just women and going back, a lot of them are
- 9:18probably solo travelers, so they are already coming, there's a higher chance of lots of single people coming together.
- 9:24uh
- 9:25But it's just an empowering, supportive environment when there's just women.
- 9:31And I think the conversations you might have or the experiences that you're talking about with your fellow travelers, it's already appeared a little bit different than when you
- 9:40have couples and different Yeah, and I must admit, as a traveler and as a tour guide, again, not complaints we got, but often people, again, regardless of mixed groups, so to
- 9:52speak.
- 9:54And each trip varied because we had groups of up to 25.
- 9:57So you could have a group of 25 single people one time, then you could have a truck full of almost all couples.
- 10:02But when you got in that sort of 50-50 mix of couples and singles, yeah, there was that, again, not complaint, but I wish there more single people because couples are cool, but
- 10:14couples are couples.
- 10:15So, yeah, I guess by extension to your point.
- 10:18uh
- 10:20But again, yeah, there could be couples, of course, on the Women's Only Group.
- 10:23of course.
- 10:23Of course.
- 10:24But generally speaking, it's predominantly more single people or, as you mentioned, companions in respect to, like, mother-daughter, mother— Friends, sisters?
- 10:35Friends.
- 10:35absolutely.
- 10:36Or even female social groups or groups of friends going out on that particular trip.
- 10:42Absolutely.
- 10:43Right.
- 10:43Absolutely.
- 10:45So, when this was coming to the fore for Go Away,
- 10:50Did we start out in the discussion points uh from a destination point of view?
- 10:56Did you, in consultation with the commercial managers, discuss, start in the safer countries, again, because safety being an issue?
- 11:04Or did you sort of throw it at the wall and go for, let's go to the exotic destinations?
- 11:11Okay, an example.
- 11:13Africa has a reputation, particularly for white females.
- 11:17I've heard lots of stories, nothing horrible, but just that.
- 11:21pressure of being a single female in a male dominated environment, or something like Africa versus Australia or New Zealand, is more, I don't know what the word is, not
- 11:32developed, you know what mean, like safer countries, more westernized countries.
- 11:38Was that part of the thought process when designing our?
- 11:41Yeah, so I mean from a custom standpoint we have been developing individual day tours and programs that might be female focused through all destinations and that's for independent
- 11:54travel for somebody who's looking to travel independently.
- 11:57But we now have these new small group experiences that we've just developed and are going out and there so far we have Thailand, India, Dubai, Morocco.
- 12:07Brazil is just coming online and we're looking at a few others.
- 12:14You know what, we did start to kind of look where might women really seek out a group.
- 12:21So I guess, you know, does that tie a little bit more to safety?
- 12:24Not even just a unique culture where maybe they just feel, you know, I would prefer to be with a group and a guide.
- 12:31um
- 12:32But really, we're going to be looking across the world, you know, and again, just bringing sort of a group together, regardless of destination.
- 12:41Yeah.
- 12:41So again, we've just launched this and therefore, I think, I wasn't counting, but I you're at six or seven destinations, i.e.
- 12:48six or seven itineraries out the door.
- 12:51the intent will be, like all the product we do, refine it, see what's popular, what's more successful, and then hopefully expand the portfolio of country options.
- 13:00Correct.
- 13:00Exactly.
- 13:01That's exactly our plan.
- 13:02So a lot of this actually came.
- 13:04We've been seeing our own with our sales teams.
- 13:06We've been hearing there's a real increase for people looking for women only travel.
- 13:11But a lot actually came from our trade partners.
- 13:13We did our first ever travel advisory board, travel agent advisory board in August.
- 13:18And that was one of the main topics actually that came up.
- 13:21You know, is there more that you could offer for women only?
- 13:25We did our roadshow together there in September.
- 13:27And I mean, that was a topic that came up.
- 13:29That came up all the time and you know what women of course, they're still looking for a classic itinerary with the must-do sights and attractions It's not like that changes.
- 13:39They still want you know to see the country as a whole um But they're looking to do it in a relaxed meaningful Way that's tailored to women Women often appreciate guides who guide
- 13:53with a storytelling, you know, I don't know what maybe women are a little
- 13:56more talkative, but they really enjoy being immersed in the culture.
- 14:01know, home hosted dinners, engaging with locals.
- 14:05Now, do you find that, like you said, women are more social?
- 14:11I know that was meant not as a blanket statement on all women versus all men, but again, coming back to the designers itineraries, like a lot what you're saying, I would see a lot
- 14:23of men liking well.
- 14:25Is it okay?
- 14:26This is like, so I'm having the conversation because you just for those not watching the video, Linda just raised her eyebrows like my wife would would do with me if I said
- 14:36something silly.
- 14:37But I guess my point is because when you look at an itinerary, I'm going to say eight out of 10, because you said it yourself a minute ago, these itineraries are still doing the
- 14:48things that everyone wants to do with some added focal points for a female.
- 14:54But some of the focal points you just mentioned, I don't see them being dismissed by a male traveler.
- 15:01I guess this is not challenging you or the commercial managers, but as a concept, and I think lot of our travel professionals would like to probably understand this if they've
- 15:11never done this.
- 15:12And this is like, how do I sell this to you as a female saying, this trip to Peru is good for you as a single female versus this sort of normal trip?
- 15:21Right, because, and you say to me, because it's got this, this, and this, what are those elements that make it special or more beneficial for a female traveler?
- 15:29No, and you know what, I'm more joking with you, and of course we have our small group Odyssey program, which is quite successful, and of course anybody can book onto that, and
- 15:39it still has really wonderful immersive experiences there as well.
- 15:45So yeah, these ones are just meant for women wanting to travel with other women.
- 15:49We also have
- 15:50female tour leaders on them?
- 15:53my other question because I had heard, or I know for a fact that there are a lot of requests coming for trips in Africa.
- 16:03Naturally, by this request, comes from women only traveling together, not groups per se, but two or three women.
- 16:10They're requesting female safari guides, game drivers.
- 16:14They want as much possible, particularly in countries which may
- 16:19not have a great reputation with female empowerment.
- 16:21They're trying to encourage that by asking for female guides, female drivers, as much female aspect of it as well.
- 16:30So you already answered my question.
- 16:32So these tours will have female guides all the time?
- 16:36Yes.
- 16:37I mean, that's definitely what we're intending with these.
- 16:40um And do you know what?
- 16:42It kind of just comes full circle.
- 16:44The main increase, the group that we are seeing the largest increase for this
- 16:49this type of solo women travel is actually 45 plus.
- 16:54And I think it comes with maybe a change in life.
- 16:58Often kids are older, getting out of the house, um people are stable financially, stable in their careers.
- 17:05And also I think as you grow older, especially I can think I can speak as a woman, you feel more comfortable in your own skin.
- 17:13And sometimes again, going back to the caregiver, raising young children,
- 17:18A lot of people, you know, often have desires to travel.
- 17:21They were always waiting for the right time or other people to join them, whether that be their spouse or a friend.
- 17:27And now women are kind of just, you know what, I really would like to travel.
- 17:31I want to do these things.
- 17:32You know, I'm going to do it, you know, I'm going to do it on my own.
- 17:36So even on our trips, you know, to have that female theme come full circle, we're really uh incorporating visits to female cooperatives, uh women-led businesses.
- 17:48uh And back to your comment on female guides, you're right.
- 17:51In a lot of countries, the guides that are female, it's very low numbers.
- 17:57It is more of a male-centric career.
- 17:59um It just brings it, know, empowers women to get into these professions as well.
- 18:08And yeah, so I feel like it makes it well-rounded.
- 18:11yeah, again, I'm just playing devil's advocate to a degree here.
- 18:14Like I'm on your side, because as you know, I coach a female rugby team.
- 18:18And, you know, I'm surrounded by women there.
- 18:22There's quite a lot of women here at Galway as well.
- 18:24But even still, like, you when women get together, like men get together, there's different social vibes to it as well.
- 18:32And you're 100 % right.
- 18:33There are aspects of a group of women together which men don't want to interact with and vice versa.
- 18:38So it makes perfect sense that when a group of women together, they will chat about stuff that affects them and they want to chat about.
- 18:47Again, I was just playing devil's advocate to a degree.
- 18:50Another point that I just thought about as you were speaking there is that when I was a tour guide, and I've seen it here a go away as well, we'd have like uh a gentleman would
- 18:59join the trip, travel for three months going around Latin America or through the Middle East.
- 19:04ah And then on the flip side, next trip would be a female, both married, not to each other, but married.
- 19:09And we'd say, where's your better half?
- 19:12Where's your spouse?
- 19:13Well, they don't like this type of travel.
- 19:15So I do this.
- 19:17she does that or I do this and he does that.
- 19:19So that's another angle as well because as you said people you know they become empty nesters you know not every married couple want to do exactly the same thing trouble wise
- 19:31and I know that I like what my wife does like the adventure stuff but there a lot of spouses male or female who don't like the same travel style as their other partner so they
- 19:41this is a good opportunity for a female to travel in the style.
- 19:46let alone the company traveling the style that she wants to with, again, to your earlier point, like-minded travelers.
- 19:53It's true.
- 19:54And I think often what we also hear from women is they cater maybe to their spouse or, what would you like to do on the itinerary?
- 20:03And here now they can feel, you know what, I only have to worry about myself.
- 20:06You know, what would I like to do?
- 20:08It's interesting you bring that up because that's...
- 20:12That type of thinking is reflective of an older societal attitude that the male has, not the right word, dominance, but precedent over decision-making.
- 20:22And that surprises me that that is still something that plays into the thought process of the female and her travel decisions.
- 20:32Do you know what, again, what we're telling this biggest group that's increasing is, you know, 45, 55 plus.
- 20:39And plus, you know, I'm talking 60s, 70s.
- 20:42So I think that is kind of that generation that maybe you're referring to.
- 20:46But also women in their 30s to 50s.
- 20:49And I think this goes back to what you were saying with your wife, traveling independently um before marriage, before kids.
- 20:56A lot of career driven women, financially stable, looking for these experiences um in life.
- 21:05So that demographic definitely is Let me ask you this.
- 21:07When you and the commercial managers were-
- 21:10sort of thrashing this out.
- 21:13Stats of late, both male and female, show that the younger generation are not in as a rush, if a rush at all, to get married and or have kids for whole lot of different
- 21:24reasons.
- 21:25It's one just a different societal vibe at the moment.
- 21:29Finance has become, you have three younger kids, I have three older kids, now we know how expensive it is to raise a kid.
- 21:35A lot of people are actually foregoing family commitments.
- 21:39because of finances and also I'd say a lot of people are lot more self-centered.
- 21:45don't mean that in negative way, but you know I'm going to look after myself for a while.
- 21:50Did you, was that part of the decision making knowing that women are not having kids therefore they have more disposable income?
- 21:56Not looking to sell them, not because a lot of people, male or female, would travel to meet someone.
- 22:01Right.
- 22:02No, 100%.
- 22:04And I think that sort of that third bubble actually is the single divorced or widowed women.
- 22:11Where women really are on their own for various reasons.
- 22:14And the first in that component is single.
- 22:17Yes, no partner, not for whatever reason.
- 22:21Or then, yeah, divorced, post divorce or widowed is what we're also seeing.
- 22:26So there's, I guess, an emotional safety aspect there.
- 22:29single woman, it
- 22:32younger or older who just is not interested in the whole dating scene while traveling.
- 22:38If they travel with women, that really doesn't become a concern for them.
- 22:42They're not going to be hassled or pressured or...
- 22:45Exactly.
- 22:46Yeah.
- 22:47Do you know what?
- 22:47And the perfect example for this scenario is actually my mom.
- 22:50My dad passed away nine years ago and they used to do a lot of traveling together, always together independently.
- 22:57And, you know, my mom wanted to continue traveling.
- 23:00She enjoyed traveling.
- 23:03but suddenly didn't feel, you know, she was well into her 60s, now in her 70s, didn't feel so comfortable doing it on her own.
- 23:09So she's joined groups and various types of groups, both women only or anybody and definitely did find, yeah, often on a non-women only, there would just be lots of couples,
- 23:23you know, and they were doing, you know, sometimes couple things.
- 23:27So she also enjoys joining women only, only because then often,
- 23:32Yeah, she even has met some other widows who are now traveling and made some good friends actually.
- 23:39Well, I can see my wife, Janna, doing this as well for that female company side of things.
- 23:44It doesn't mean it has to be the only way she travels now.
- 23:47can be, you say, travel like that, travel purely independently, or travel with me or with our kids.
- 23:55So it's a good, yet another option, I guess, as well for a traveler in this instance, obviously.
- 24:02female traveler.
- 24:03So on the more technical side of things, the age range these trips are designed for, is there a specific age range or like could an 18 year old woman join and be with a whole lot
- 24:16of 65 year old women?
- 24:17Is that going to be a concern so to speak?
- 24:21Do you know what we'll sort of see how it unfolds.
- 24:24We've been seeing with our own odysseys
- 24:28Typically, our average client is definitely 55 plus m for the Odysseys.
- 24:32uh So we've kind of designed these women-only trips sort of in a similar fashion.
- 24:38So again, we do think the trend again is that 45 plus, but of course any adult female can join it.
- 24:45Right.
- 24:46So we have a travel professional out there.
- 24:48They have a group of six 18-year-olds or six 35-year-olds, whatever.
- 24:54know, a clump of women of a certain age group or social connections, they can, can they take over one of these departures?
- 25:01Do you know what, it's a very interesting conversation because yes, with six, you know, definitely we'd be open to the discussion.
- 25:08We of course also have a wonderful groups only department, which typically is 10 plus.
- 25:15But no, we could we could certainly discuss something.
- 25:18so just to clarify the itineraries, which we'll go through in a minute.
- 25:21These are set departures, set dates, Correct.
- 25:23Are they guaranteed to run all the time?
- 25:26Do you know what?
- 25:26We guarantee them, we try to guarantee them as low as possible and that's two.
- 25:29Two people to operate because again I completely understand people are less likely to book if something isn't guaranteed.
- 25:37Once you're dreaming about that trip, you you want it to go so we will guarantee these trips at two passengers.
- 25:44Right, so is there a maximum to these groups?
- 25:4616.
- 25:4716.
- 25:4716 passengers.
- 25:49Again, going back to my original question, someone comes in with, I'd say, probably six to eight plus would be where this conversation would kick off.
- 25:56They could take over that particular date if they wished, right?
- 26:00We'd probably still run two trips, but we could create a dedicated departure for them on that date or a date of their choosing.
- 26:08We could.
- 26:09OK.
- 26:09We could, yes.
- 26:11And again, if uh a female's calling up and saying, hey, know, this group.
- 26:18Will we be able to tell them how many people are booked and sort of age?
- 26:21I know there's a privacy issue here, but again, this is something we got as an overland guide when people call up how many are booked, what's the age group?
- 26:29Because again, this is overlanding tented, more of an adventure thing.
- 26:33But that question came up often about they wanted to know who they're going to spend.
- 26:38I know our trips aren't as long as this, three weeks, four weeks, six months with.
- 26:41It was a bigger question in that style of travel.
- 26:45Are we as a client or an agent able to get that information from us or ballpark it?
- 26:50Absolutely.
- 26:50We can give number of passengers if your clients are booking and you'd like to know, you know, how many people are booked so far.
- 26:55Absolutely.
- 26:56We can give you that.
- 26:58Unfortunately, due to privacy laws, we can't give out people's data.
- 27:01That's fair.
- 27:02Okay, fine.
- 27:04But again, as you're saying, GoWay's average demographic too is sort of that mid 30s to well and beyond.
- 27:12So again, I guess I'm asking,
- 27:15you know, for the younger crowd who probably don't look to go away for the travel, which is a shame, but it's at this stage, it's sort of a, it is what it is.
- 27:24ah But I just know if I was an 18 year old, 19 year old wanting to join an old guy's trip and there was a whole lot of 55 year olds on there, that wouldn't be the thing for me.
- 27:33But again, I guess we can cross that bridge when we.
- 27:36come to it should should pop up you know what and interestingly enough if if yes if you are you know by yourself and you'd like to join a small group tour then you know that
- 27:45might be the best option but if you already have a few other female friends yeah um do you know what i mean what we specialize in is custom custom travel so we can definitely also
- 27:57look into that yeah of course instead of joining one of these set departures and you have a few friends already why don't we look at that
- 28:03setting something up on that point, as we are famous for customizing, when we say in the go away world set departures, that's set itinerary as well.
- 28:11Set date, set itinerary.
- 28:12So these are not up for customization if you join as a one or two.
- 28:16If you want to take over an itinerary.
- 28:19Correct.
- 28:19We can then start looking at tweaking it.
- 28:21like that.
- 28:23But you know what, anything that we have within the itineraries, we could certainly do on an independent basis as well.
- 28:29So some of these activities that we've been talking about, market visits, um spa treatments, course, cooking classes, street food tours, high tea experiences, a lot in
- 28:41nature.
- 28:41Again, women really like to do sort of nature travel, slow down dinners with wines, shopping.
- 28:49we could definitely also incorporate those into independent travel.
- 28:53Now you mentioned before that there'd be a whole lot of, well not a whole lot of, that you are incorporating into these itineraries where applicable and available, things like women
- 29:01co-ops and stuff like that.
- 29:03So if someone joins a trip and that's a central piece to it, can they um speak to our destination specialists about maybe donations, contributions, things like that?
- 29:15Because I know people in general, male or female,
- 29:17There's a lot more giving back in thought processes now in travel.
- 29:21want to leave, what's the expression, leave only footprints type vibe.
- 29:26But people want to be more involved, more hands-on.
- 29:28They want to interact more with local communities and cultures.
- 29:32And I'm asking this because when we were in Morocco, we went to a couple of women's cooperatives and buying their goods, in the instance I was, was one way.
- 29:43But if someone wanted to volunteer, like orphanages and things like that.
- 29:46Do you know what?
- 29:47Absolutely.
- 29:47And we're more than happy to answer these questions.
- 29:49And typically we will go right back to the excursion and sort of see what would be best.
- 29:57Often, actually, it's, yeah, buying goods or buying the service, you know, instead of, you know, instead of donations.
- 30:06Because essentially, yeah, we're empowering people sort of to be so.
- 30:11resourceful.
- 30:12And again, just to reiterate, a lot of these itineraries are designed not only for the female passengers, travelers point of view, but exposing them to female situations in
- 30:25these respective countries by one obviously getting female guides, which is one thing.
- 30:30uh Because the reason I ask this is I did a fantastic podcast uh with a female guide.
- 30:38Well, she's not a guide per se, but she
- 30:41uh is in charge, I can't remember the lodge, it's in Africa, but she's in charge of the female side of it in respect to um female empowerment within South Africa.
- 30:53So it's educating young women in general, getting them to school, ah health issues, making sure hospitals have all the right facilities, and then encourage them to get into tourism
- 31:04in this instance.
- 31:05So a lot of the activities or the concept of these itineraries are built around that.
- 31:11thought process as well, correct?
- 31:13It really is.
- 31:13Honestly, it's full circle because I think women, seeing other women and sharing stories, I don't know, that's really part of it, right?
- 31:25It adds to this women empowerment, I guess, in support of other women and cultures, you know, and beliefs and religions.
- 31:36I think it's a huge aspect of Yeah, well, it's a sad...
- 31:41situation where female empowerment still has to be a thing.
- 31:47it shouldn't be and should just be it is.
- 31:49Like you are empowered.
- 31:51work with married to very strong women, work with a lot of very strong women, coach women's rugby, very strong women physically and emotionally and mentally.
- 32:00And I just find it, I'm pleased we're doing it and other tour companies as well.
- 32:05It's great to expose all travelers to what needs to be done in other countries.
- 32:11at all levels, but obviously in this case, female freedoms, empowerment, et cetera.
- 32:16So it's a good thing.
- 32:17It's a fantastic thing.
- 32:18uh And can we just go over the itineraries again that we coming out the gate with?
- 32:23Yeah.
- 32:24So right now we have Thailand, India, Jordan, Dubai, Morocco, and Brazil will be up shortly, but more to come.
- 32:32We're just looking at Europe and other Africa.
- 32:35And the way we've done our room allotments is all single rooms.
- 32:40So the rate that we're going out with is a single room uh rate.
- 32:44Because again, going back to the solo women, a lot of them will be solo travelers, but even those traveling with a sister or a friend, people still tend to like the single room.
- 32:55So just for clarity, they are set departures, set itineraries.
- 32:59Minimum to guaranteed to rent guaranteed to run all pricing is for a single room Yes, if a mother daughter sisters want a double room.
- 33:07We can of course look at that of course and or triples if you are traveling in bigger Groups typically we look at twin twin share but we could certainly look at that if it came
- 33:17up again as always there's a flexibility to There is but we went out with room allocations for single.
- 33:23Yes.
- 33:23Okay.
- 33:24All right.
- 33:24Well, thank you Linda
- 33:26So again, that was six, I think six or seven itineraries.
- 33:28Sorry, I keep asking.
- 33:29no six itineraries and more coming more coming soon.
- 33:32Now, I guess on your website that women solo travelers under travel styles if people want to go looking for it.
- 33:39is yeah, it's under travel styles solo and women solo and women.
- 33:43Okay, they're all listed there.
- 33:44ah As Linda has mentioned, we have a group's department.
- 33:48So if you see an itinerary that were any itinerary on gov.com, but obviously these ones are designed as Linda has explained ah for book.
- 33:55dropped my microphone.
- 33:57For female travelers, ah you can speak to our groups department if you have 10 or more females wanting to do a trip.
- 34:05So I guess before we say goodbye, ah for travel professionals out there wanting to now tap into this, other than clients they already have, speaking to or touching base with social
- 34:18groups, female-focused social groups is a good way to maybe get this going if they want to.
- 34:24if you out there wanna tap into this new travel product, yeah?
- 34:28Do you know what?
- 34:29couldn't agree more.
- 34:30And again, going back to my mom, who is now widowed, um she has joined so many social circles and a lot of them are catered to women or single women.
- 34:40So many clubs, dance clubs, meetups.
- 34:44There's actually lots in our everyday life that's sort of women-centric.
- 34:50So all those itineraries are on the website now.
- 34:53basically ready to book.
- 34:54Absolutely.
- 34:55And again, as I say, if you want to customize something, we can do that.
- 34:58Is there anything else you'd to leave our travel professionals with about our women-only solo travel?
- 35:04I keep mixing it up.
- 35:05Do you know, it is, you know, it goes hand in hand, but yeah, essentially it's women-only.
- 35:10Women-only, sorry.
- 35:11Thank you very much for having me.
- 35:12I think it's an important topic and I think it's a trend that will only continue to skyrocket.
- 35:19Yeah, I think women will continue to travel in this way.
- 35:22I'm to be really pedantic here.
- 35:24So if someone calls in and they ask for women-only travel, are they speaking to a female destination specialist?
- 35:30Do you know what?
- 35:30Or is there going to be a guy on the phone extolling the virtues of women's-only travel?
- 35:36Do you know what?
- 35:37mean, you could probably request a female-only, but I think any of us I'm just winding you up, and hopefully— as you just said, seriously, if someone wants to speak to a female— Of
- 35:46course.
- 35:47destination specialist about female travel, of course.
- 35:50Just please request that.
- 35:51But I was just, I was being little bit facetious.
- 35:53Okay, Linda, thank you very much for your time.
- 35:56Again, thank you everyone out there for listening in today.
- 35:59We appreciate your time, knowing how busy you are.
- 36:01And until next time.
- 36:17you oh