Women are the future of tourism

Travel & Lessons on Independence

Lexie Limitless is listed in the Guinness World Records as the youngest person in history to have visited all sovereign countries. The young girl comes from Nevada City, California, USA. At the age of 23, Lexie has set foot in a total of 196 countries, both to satisfy her passion for travel and to challenge herself to overcome the limits that a woman traveling alone can encounter.

Lexie said it took her three years to visit every country and break the world record. She worked multiple jobs to earn money, saved up since she was 12, and started traveling at a very young age because her mother owned a travel company in California. Those were probably the first sparks that ignited her passion for travel.

"I grew up with my mom on business trips around the world, in over 70 countries. After saving for over 6 years and graduating from college at 18, I decided to start my own adventures," Lexie said.

Of course, not all trips are smooth sailing. She encounters many obstacles, such as arranging visas to some countries. It took Lexia months to get valid documents to enter Venezuela, Pakistan and many others. But all the challenges are worth it, in exchange for the unforgettable experiences Lexie has on her journeys. "There are so many incredible experiences that you can probably only enjoy when traveling alone. You open yourself up to hospitality and interaction with local people more than when traveling with a large group," she shared.

Lexie's adventures exposed her to many people and cultures, but the most valuable experience of all was discovering her independence. After years of traveling the globe, she learned a new lesson: "When traveling alone, especially as a woman, it is extremely important to have the basic ability to perceive, understand, and judge the problems of everyday life."

Lexie shares that when traveling to countries that are considered dangerous or unstable, she learns that everything around her can change at any time, and that is something we have to accept when experiencing such trips. "The only thing we can control is our own thoughts."

For Lexie, there is no substitute for travel, which she loves as part of her life. "But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the occasional break to recover from the adventures of the past few years," she added.

a future of travel for women

In recent years, many Western travelers, especially women, have been moving more toward “traveling for the experience” rather than the enjoyment. Lexie is not alone, and there are a growing number of women-only travelers, or those traveling solo, to Asia, Africa, and other cities. They are more interested in exploring nature, spending time with locals, and connecting with the land. With the #MeToo movement pushing women to explore more about themselves, it seems that the future of travel that is exclusive and focused on women is more open than ever.

“Travel that connects women is one of the greatest areas ever discovered. It could completely change the way we think about travel,” says Linda Higdon, founder of Global Heart Journeys, who quit her career as a classical pianist 18 years ago to start a tour company dedicated to women, and to empower women in developing countries to promote travel.

Women-focused travel has existed for some time, though it has not been given much attention. Women-focused tours have existed and thrived since the late 1970s, especially when Wild Women expeditions began with all-female canoe trips in Ontario in 1991. However, at that time, women participating in outdoor adventure activities was controversial.

Today, as society becomes more liberal and open, the field of women's travel is showing signs of "blooming" and attracting more attention. Women's travel options continue to grow, with a series of travel companies and shops appearing that target a specific group of people, such as providing travel services for plus-size women, opening tours for lesbians andnon-binary(non-binary person).

"We are working to remove limitations for women, and travel is just a small part of that. There are so many ways for women to explore the world," said Kelly Lewis, founder of Damesly Travel Company.

The rise of female-focused tours is a testament to the growing influence of women in all industries. The psychology and safety factors have helped these tours grow rapidly, opening up a new potential tourism market and creating more jobs for women in the tourism industry. Wild Women Expeditions is committed to hiring local women to lead trips around the world, and this has led to Morocco having its first female mountain guide. Deborah Calmeyer, founder of Roar Africa Women’s Safaris in her native South Africa, has opened up opportunities for many women in positions from chefs to hunters to pilots.

For some, giving women leadership roles in tourism is a form of feminist activism. Rocio Vazquez Landeta, a traveler and domestic violence survivor, organized the Eat Like a Local walking tour in Mexico City and decided to only employ women. “It’s my own way. As a woman in power, it’s my responsibility to create better opportunities for other women.”

Conclusion

Developing tourism specifically for women not only expands the opportunities for exploration for half of the world, but also contributes to changing many old prejudices in society. Up to now, this is still a trend mainly concentrated in Europe and America. In many developing and underdeveloped countries, women are almost only present in providing tourism services.

In Vietnam, there used to be tours specifically for women, but they did not develop into a movement or a specific direction. Nowadays, we still often only know about solo travel for women, through the inspirational trips of female travel bloggers such as Bui Viet Ha, Nhi Dang, Quynh Anh Nguyen,...

"Traveling alone always gives me a lot of unexpected emotions. If I had to name three things I love most about traveling alone, they would be: surprise, freedom..." - travel blogger Bui Viet Ha shared,"...and the opportunity to discover yourself".

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