With women making up to 82% of all travel decisions, shouldn’t we have more media and products catering to us? Let’s start with women travel television hosts. Photo via Samantha Brow/PBS
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So here’s the thing: Women make up to 82%. of all travel decisions, whether it’s choosing for themselves/family, including the destination, booking accommodations, or deciding on tours and activities. We are also increasingly the largest books of solo and adventure travel. So why aren’t there more shows and products geared towards us? Good question, especially because random male comedians/celebrities keep getting travel shows when the market is stagnant, and their cultural interactions (not counting the wonderful Anthony Bourdain, obviously) are largely lacking. It’s been wonderful to see the rise of so many wonderful women independent creators, blogs, and podcasters over the years, and some women-led brands catering to women (ie. Beis and Away luggage), but it is not enough. While larger women’s publications like Vogue and Goop offer travel guides, the best to do it is Conde Nast Traveler’s Women Who Travel section and podcast that had a huge response when first launched in 2017. While some networks like VICE have created women-hosted shows over the years, and networks like the Food Channel or Netflix favor celebrity series, there is still a giant gap for original personalities, authentic connections, and creativity through a women’s gaze. As one of the original women travel hosts, Samantha Brown has spoken about this often as well, stating “There is a whole consumer base with a massive budget that [they’re] not reaching because [they] do not have a woman”.
Women’s travel is as diverse as our experiences, and we need to shine a light on many more areas. Let’s start with some background reading:
- Skift: The Woman Traveler – Key Data and Insights: Skift Research
- Virtuoso: A recent study by travel advisory Virtuoso and leading travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender found that 71 per cent of their solo travel clients are women
- Forbes Travel Trends Report 2025: The Rise Of The Female Adventure Traveler (with a significant rise in solo and group travel, particularly among women over 40)
- Future Partners: Their recent survey shows almost 40% of female travelers are planning a solo trip in 2025
- Amex Travel: Solo female travel is on the rise, with a notable increase in searches and bookings for solo trips. American Express reports that 76% of millennial and Gen Z travelers planned solo trips in 2024
- CNT: CEOs of most major travel companies are still men, dictating the trajectory of a marketplace in which women account for majority of travel planning decisions and spend $125 billion annually on trips
As a fellow frequent solo traveler, I was happy to hear that the fabulous Tracee Ellis Ross is heading her own solo travel show for Roku. Tracee has always been a strong advocate for solo travel, viewing it as a form of radical self-care and a way to be herself in the world. She emphasizes that solo travel allows her to create space for herself and honor her needs, particularly in places that aren’t home. Ross’s passion for solo travel is so profound that she now has an original series, “Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross,” dedicated to sharing her experiences and inspiring others to explore the world alone. Here are some more making a path:
1. Samantha Brown: The OG of travel hosting, you can watch her current program “Places To Love” on PBS
2. Padma Lakshmi: A longtime tv host, her show “Taste The Nation” is on Hulu which she fought hard to create and produce
3. Oneika Raymond: She has hosted various travel shows for NBC & Travel Channel
4. Eva Longoria: The actress has hosted both “Searching for Mexico” and “Searching for Spain” on CNN (much like Stanley Tucci in Italy)
5: Tracee Ellis Ross: The actress is a frequent solo traveler who now has a new travel docu-series of the same name on Roku.
What I would encourage is more individual creating, at a time where the entertainment x media field has changed greatly, you have a better chance collaborating with other creatives to shoot an original series on youtube or TikTok. In the end, you can build your own brand, get your own advertising money, have some fun, and maybe even get the attention of one of the giants. We will have more coming soon from Pop Passport as well.
Carrie x
