Tour operator Dertour is reporting a significant shift in customer demand towards individual travel options. According to the company's latest travel barometer for the winter season, around 18 percent of all bookings were for solo travelers.
In response to this ongoing market trend, the tourism company, part of the Rewe Group, plans to specifically expand its portfolio for singles and solo travelers. Already this season, the provider is focusing more on structured active and hiking tours, which are specifically tailored to the needs of unaccompanied travelers and emphasize shared experiences.
The existing program comprises guided small group tours to various destinations worldwide, with the company utilizing a strategic partnership with the Innsbruck Alpine School (ASI) for tour operation. All tours are led by authorized ASI mountain guides, guaranteeing a high level of logistical and professional expertise. The portfolio includes, among other things, an eight-day tour of Northern Ireland, combining natural highlights such as Glenveagh National Park and the Giant's Causeway. For long-haul travelers, structured tours in Costa Rica are offered, as well as a 13-day cultural and hiking tour through Sri Lanka, which combines jungle treks with visits to historical sites such as Sigiriya.
From a business perspective, the solo traveler segment traditionally presents logistical challenges for tour operators, particularly due to the often-criticized single supplement in the hotel industry. Dertour, in cooperation with its partner hotels, attempts to counteract this problem by offering tailored room allotments. Furthermore, the travel process is simplified through services such as organized luggage transfers between stages. Industry analysts point out that specifically targeting solo travelers in organized active tourism is an important tool for customer retention, as the combination of an individual vacation style and the security of group dynamics facilitates market entry into the booming singles travel market.
The expansion of this segment reflects the general consolidation in the German tour operator market, where differentiation and specialization are becoming increasingly important. By offering fixed-date group tours for solo travelers, the operator is counteracting the fragmentation of booking behavior and simultaneously ensuring more stable occupancy rates for flights and hotels during the off-season. Dertour announced that it will continue to closely analyze booking data for this segment in order to develop additional destinations in Europe and overseas for this target group in upcoming catalog runs.