Over the past five years, wellness travel has grown at a rapid clip of 7.8 per cent annually (more than twice as fast as general tourism), according to the 2018 Global Wellness Tourism Economy report.
Behind this swift ascent? In large part, women.
A dramatic uptick in solo female travel bookings has boosted the industry across the board. Luxury travel designer Jacada Travel, for example, recently reported a year-on-year increase of 150 per cent, while Hostelworld revealed a 45 per cent surge between 2015 and 2017.
Some women travel to escape daily demands, others to rekindle old friendships, embark on a bucket-list challenge or learn a new skill. No matter why you’re flying solo, we’ve rounded up a few notable women-only retreats, hikes and hotels to fuel your wanderlust:
Island retreat SuperShe, Finland
1. Join the tribe in Finland
Off the southern coast of Finland, SuperShe stole headlines when it opened last year as one of the world’s first women-only island retreats. On this 3.5-hectare island, you’ll find minimalist Nordic-inspired cabins, Baltic Sea views, Finnish saunas, an al fresco yoga pavilion, as well as a buffet of fitness, nature and dining experiences.
The 10-person island has quickly carved out a niche for itself as a haven for women looking to create lifelong relationships and a support system, as founder Kristina Roth, a German-American entrepreneur, puts it. ‘Women don’t enjoy enough together, there have always been men’s clubs, they play golf, it’s where ideas are made. But when you get a bunch of strong-willed women together, magic can happen.’