Here’s some food for thought: more and more women traveling together are finding it life-transforming.
Just as local support impact women positively within our hometowns, women traveling together beyond our nests also encompasses the ability to empower women on a much broader level. And as we continue to pave the way towards equality, freedom, opportunities, and safety for all women, we see more of how this world is slowly but surely opening doors for us. As much as we’ve walked a long way en route to our goals collectively, we still have a ways to sprint over to. But it is important to look back and note how this world has evolved and how we can persistently use it to our advantage.
Why Women Traveling Together Is Good For The Heart
And one paramount change we’ve had over the years involve the travel industry. Women are not only traveling more, but women traveling together is the new trend. In fact, travel companies dedicated to women-only customers have hugely increased by 230% over the past few years. That speaks volumes of how many more of travelers nowadays are women.
In this article, I would like to talk about why women traveling together is good for the heart.
Taking Back Our Voices
For far too long, women have been left out of decision-making. Our thoughts, feelings, and opinions have been dismissed and branded insignificant. Traveling in a group of women-only means changing the narrative and setting a new norm for all the other women out there who have yet to find their voice and courage to explore the world. When we leave the patriarch’s den who used to rule our lives, we leave our comfort zone. We embark on a journey where we control our voices, decisions, and eventually take back ownership of our lives. It is ultimately up to us to set the path along with fellow women who tour the globe with a purpose.
The power of female-focused travel and women traveling together is the strength in numbers and comfort in estrogen. We move our female comrades with our tales and inspire them to take the same leap into the world of travel and exploration. It’s important that we see positive reflections of ourselves in society. And exploring the world one place at a time with other women hand in hand bring us one step closer to that.
Women For Women
Women traveling together means gaining the opportunity to not only serve as a pillar to our own groups, but also to support female-owned businesses, female-led tours, and female-run charities. Being an advocate of women-owned establishments during our time of recreational travel perpetuates the idea that we don’t only support each other during times of rallies or during International Women’s Day, but also during our down time where we are relaxed and off-edge.
It shows camaraderie, a sense of freedom, and unity that comes from traveling on a women-only adventure. It’s important we give women business owners the boost they need to employ more women who need a voice and space which essentially means that supporting female-powered businesses works on the economy of sisterhood.
Whether its contributing to the income opportunities of women, mentoring the next generation of female leaders, or highlighting the role women played in history to foster greater respect, women are changing the face of traveling for the better. Studies even show that more women are taking on unconventional career paths in the tourism industry.
For instance, in places like Peru, women-owned tour companies motivate local women to lead treks along the Inca Trail. In Mongolia, there are local women who organise trips to meet local females who milk animals and collect water from the river. And in Portugal, women are turning to winery making to make women travelers more comfortable in drinking alcohol with fellow women with no fear of losing inhibitions or judgments.
It is a domino effect; a continuing of female inspiration and influence brought about by women traveling together.
A Ripple Effect
Different women have different stories. We’ve all walked our own paths and have various experiences that can be new to other people. Women traveling together can lead us to unknown waters that we wouldn’t have otherwise experienced and extraordinary strangers we wouldn’t have otherwise met. And because of this, more women are travelling than ever before. We reach far-out places, lesser known cities, and roads less walked on. We seek comfort and safety in female guides who encourage and nurture us.
Taking men out of the equation can lead to women really opening up and diving into new experiences. Especially in cultures where it is not so co-gender friendly. For instance, a nude beach in Ibiza, a Hammam bath in Morocco, or a local salon in Iran. When we get into these experiences, it is so much easier because there are no longer any traditional gender roles at play – there is nothing else that divides us.
The benefits of women traveling together reinforces strength of the local women. They feel empowered by their recognition and support from the women visiting. The mere vigour of women are seen, heard, celebrated and honoured. Together, we can raise the status of women and henceforth improve society. As we open more options for both travelers and locals, we also successfully eradicate limitations for women everywhere.
Lifelong Friendships
As women, we naturally curate friendships and forge bonds that can last a lifetime.
Being with women, as we all know, can innately be more comfortable for us. There is substantially no gender pressure. We can wear anything we desire, say what we want, explore whatever we fancy, and discover at our own accord. Traveling with fellow women enables us to be at our best selves – no pretentions, no fears, and no hesitations. We find ourselves at our most adventurous, most relaxed, most daring, and most jovial mood. Simply put, we can just be ourselves and enjoy what life has to offer.
Two years ago, I was traveling alone in Taipei and met a woman from Italy. She was also traveling alone. But unlike me, she was hesitant and reserved. I reached out to her and we immediately connected. I invited her for ice cream and she obliged, much to her delight. She was happy traveling alone, but she was happier when she was with me. She felt safe, comforted, and socialised. It was good for her morale and I was happy to be the bearer of that feeling. Solo-travelling as a female has its charm and can be cathartic, but women traveling together is metamorphic.
As the sun rise, we arrive alone; as the sun sets, we depart together.
Beneath The Surface
Traveling is one of the most empowering experiences any human can have. But for women, it can be life-changing. Even more so, doing it with other women who have gone through the same ordeals as us. Traveling encourages us to trust our instincts, be confident in our decisions, embrace changes, and push our personal boundaries.
That woman you met on the train, could have made a life-altering decision once she got back to her country because of her new-found confidence. That meek friend you have that you brought alongside with you for a quick city trip, could have gotten the courage to finally speak up because she now feels safe and supported. That little girl who saw you with your friends hiking the mountain, could have been inspired to set out adventures with her own friends. And that body-insecure woman who saw you strutting your bikini on the beach and flaunting your whole imperfect yet beautiful self, could have persuaded her to take a trip to the shops and buy her first swimsuit.
Our globetrots are more than an Instagram post, more than a TikTok video, more than a snap of selfie. Our travels are a groundswell of a movement formed during travelling. It is almost like starting off from a childlike skip and ending with a giant leap. We travel for fun, excitement, and for the experience. But we also travel for the movement, the cause, and all the other women in this world. This is why women traveling together is good for the heart.
Rachel is an intrepid world traveller, lifestyle connoisseuse, and Girls Who Travel’s resident beauty advisor. She is a lover of the ocean, flowers, movies, journalism, and has a penchant for medium-sized tattoos. When she is not busy with life, she writes stories of her globetrots as well as tips & tricks on how to make the best out of travelling.
Women traveling together strengthens the heart, and warms the soul! Great article by Rachel Anne Galvan ~ insightful.