Nazish Faiz
On social media, we often come across images of women either riding a bike alone in a beautiful city or traveling the world after selling everything they own. Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in the trend of solo female travelers — women traveling alone for leisure and exploration.
One major reason for this is the tour operator companies that provide facilities for women traveling alone. So, are these companies responsible for the rise in this trend?
Ayman Abdullah works as the Deputy General Manager in the HR Department of a private school. Since 2016, Ayman has traveled to 13 countries. Her first flight was in 2016, and since then, she has been traveling the world alone.
She explains, “At that time, my parents were very worried. They were most concerned about my safety. They would think twice before sending me anywhere, and they wouldn’t allow me to travel with friends either.”
Ayman also had to face the same mindset that many women like her encounter. Ayman explains, “Her parents didn’t allow her to travel to the northern areas alone, or even with friends.”
Ayman decided to travel the world and began searching for a tour operator company that would allow her to travel with ease. That’s when she came across a company that specifically caters to women.
She says, “When I decided to travel, I found a company that was providing full guidance to women. They explained everything thoroughly before the tour started and answered all security-related questions. I felt confident that I could easily convince my family.”
Ayman’s life changed when her mother set a condition before granting permission: she wanted to meet the people from the company and see who else would be traveling with her.
Ayman shares that her mother met with the owner of the company, after which Ayman took her first international trip to Turkey.
She says, “Traveling with such a company made me realize how important the role of these companies is. I didn’t even know how to check in my luggage, how to get a taxi or bus from the airport in another country, or how to exchange currency.”
This trip made Ayman so independent that, afterward, she traveled solo to several countries. Today, she encourages other women to think about doing the same. Ayman believes that “the presence of such companies is probably the reason why the mindset in my home changed.”
Like Ayman, Hadia Khoso also had a strong desire to travel the world. However, societal norms often stood in the way of her passion. Hadia is from Rahim Yar Khan and has traveled to over 15 countries so far.
She says, “I come from a small town, but my dreams are very big. I researched to find a company that could help me convince my parents.”
Hadia’s situation is slightly different. Initially, she traveled to two countries with her sister. During that experience, she realized that traveling to other countries required a lot of information and planning, as she faced many difficulties while traveling with her sister. This led her parents to forbid her from traveling alone.
Afterward, Hadia began searching for a travel company that would not only provide her with the opportunity to explore the world but also equip her with the knowledge and support to travel alone with ease.
She explains, “I noticed one thing common across many companies — they were taking both male and female corporate clients. This didn’t sit well with me or my family. Then, I came across a company on Instagram that specifically catered to women. I asked them a lot of questions, and they answered every single one. This increased my and my family’s trust in them.”
Are tour companies responsible for the increase in the trend of solo travel among women?
Fawad Malik runs a tour company in Pakistan that provides services exclusively for women. His company offers travel facilities for women not only in Pakistan but also in various countries around the world. What started as a company taking three women on a trip now takes more than 60 women on every tour.
He says, “I started this company in 2013, and at that time, it was the only company created specifically for women. Before starting this company, I had already traveled to 30 countries myself.”
During this time, Fawad noticed that “the number of women traveling from Pakistan was very low.” To increase the representation of Pakistani tourists around the world, he started this company. Today, the women traveling with him have visited several countries.
Initially, Fawad worked in the corporate sector, so he received an excellent response right from the first trip.
Fawad also shared that it wasn’t all easy. When he started this venture, he faced many challenges. He says, “In the beginning, I had to travel to several cities like Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar to meet the families of the women and personally reassure them that their daughters would be safe.”
What services do these companies provide that other companies do not?
Security and safety are the biggest concerns for every woman. Questions like how to reach the accommodation, how to book a taxi, who will be the tour guide, which currency to carry, where to find halal food, and how to shop are just a few of the many things that come to mind for women traveling alone.
Fawad says that his company takes all these factors into consideration before planning any tour.
He explains, “When we plan a tour, we create a WhatsApp group 15 days in advance, where we add all the women so they can talk to each other and get to know who is from where. This helps reduce their security-related concerns.”
Currency: “In the WhatsApp group, we inform them to carry only dollars and to exchange their currency once they reach the destination.”
Accommodation: “When arranging accommodation, we consider factors like age, profession, and interests. For example, we place women of the same age group or the same profession in the same room so they can bond and become friends.”
Halal Food: “The biggest issue is finding halal food. We choose hotels in locations where halal food is available nearby, along with places to visit and shopping malls, so women don’t have to travel far.”
Hotel Pickup: “We inform the women in the WhatsApp group beforehand that they should all meet at a specific location as soon as they land. This way, they can safely transfer from the airport to the hotel.”
Phone Number: “We have a permanent company phone number, which is shared with the families of all the women. If anyone’s phone goes off, their family can call the company to check on their well-being.”
Promoting Pakistani Culture: “We make sure all the women understand that they are representing Pakistan in the country they are visiting. Therefore, they need to be mindful of their behavior and avoid presenting a negative image of Pakistan, while also adhering to the local laws.”
Fawad is confident that such companies will empower more women to build self-confidence and travel solo.
