Going ‘Solo’: A Critical Exploration of its Meaning in the Context of Travel

This conceptual paper critically re-evaluates the meanings of ‘solo’ travel, examining beyond its typical implications of aloneness or independence. The paper defines ‘solo’ and distinguishes it from similar terms. It examines embodied, emotional and social practices as analytically distinct and interrelated dimensions. Their operation within wider cultural and structural settings, including commodification and mobility inequities, is also explored. The analysis suggests that solo travel is a relational practice with boundaries that include sections of autonomy and connectivity. However, these dimensions can be problematic due to access inequalities. This study questions the simplistic binary framing of freedom versus loneliness, and calls for more inclusive representation in the tourism industry and more intersectional research to be conducted.