Recent research has revealed that 35 per cent of people now head on holidays abroad alone, with figures expected to rise to 38 per cent by the end of this year.

Myrtos BeachOf the large number of people taking holidays alone, the biggest surge in demand is for singles holidays for the over 50s, which is thought to be due to this age bracket having more independence.

Research has also shown that the average age of a solo travellers is 54, and that 58 per cent of those travelling alone are women. The findings suggest that men are more likely to take cycling and sailing trips, whereas women would seem to prefer to take walking holidays or head on exotic trips such as African safaris.

The top destination for single travellers was discovered to be Greece, following closely by Portugal and St Lucia, although trends suggest that adventure holidays are becoming increasingly popular. Image Credit: Tony Hisgett (Flickr.com)