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The Illusion of Solo Travel Expertise: Travel Advisors and Hospitality Brands Don't Have It


BRITNEE JOHNSON/THE GREATEST ASSIST





In This Article





In 2025, luxury travel brands and "expert" advisors are suddenly focused on solo travelers. However, the reality is that most of them are not truly committed. The straightforward truth is they are chasing the market's profits rather than addressing the specific needs of discerning solo travelers. Don't be misled by "solo travel" labels on websites created by those who have never intentionally chosen to travel alone.


This isn't about cynicism; it's about identifying superficial marketing. This is important because intentional solo travel fundamentally differs from traveling alone due to circumstance, obligation, or corporate needs. If the person crafting your journey hasn't navigated the psychological landscape of deliberate solitude—the delicate balance between autonomy and guidance, the emotional depth, and the quiet strength of a self-directed pace—they're offering you a performance, all appearance, no substance.



The Three Types of Solo Travel (And Why One Creates True Expertise)


Not all solo travel is created equal. There are three distinct categories, and conflating them is where most advisors reveal their inexperience:


Intentional Leisure Travel: You choose solitude for exploration, reflection, and personal expansion. This is transformative travel—introspective, strategic, identity-driven.


Work or Duty-Driven Solo Travel: Your job demands it. These trips are transactional, logistics-heavy, rarely allowing for personal rhythm or deep engagement with place.


Circumstantial Solo Travel: Family obligations, last-minute changes, or unforeseen events leave you traveling alone. This is reactive, not intentional.


Numerous luxury travel advisors who assert they specialize in solo travel have only crafted itineraries for the second and third categories. Traveling for business differs from traveling deliberately for leisure, and if someone promotes themselves as an expert solely based on work travel, they are being deceptive. If they've spent years in the industry focusing on designing honeymoons and multi-generational family vacations without ever prioritizing intentional solo leisure travel—until the market began to surge this decade—consider: why now? The reason is profit, not passion. You deserve more.



The Performance of Expertise


Performative solo travel expertise has telltale signs. Watch for:


  • Marketing-heavy campaigns saturated with buzzwords and phrases like "empowering travel", "solo travel made easy" and "self-discovery" but lacking personalized insight or psychological depth

  • Recycled itineraries that are couple-centric experiences with minor modifications—a waived single supplement does not constitute great solo travel design

  • Lack of lived experience: Advisors who have never intentionally traveled alone for leisure, who are uncomfortable spending extended time in solitude

  • Surface-level segmentation: Treating all solo travelers as a monolithic group rather than understanding the layered complexity of identity, psychology, and preference


Before trusting someone with your journey, ask these foundational questions:


  • Do they intentionally spend time alone—at restaurants, galleries, concerts—and genuinely enjoy it?

  • Do they actually spend time alone for reflection, growth, or enjoyment?

  • Has this advisor intentionally traveled alone for leisure, more than once?

  • Do they understand the subtle psychological distinctions of solo travel?

  • Do they understand the subtle emotional intelligence required to anticipate a solo traveler's unspoken needs?

  • Can they craft layered, multi-dimensional journeys for solo travelers seeking complex, identity-driven experiences?

  • Are they comfortable with solitude? Because if being alone is uncomfortable for them, they cannot authentically design for a solo traveler.


These questions separate authentic expertise from opportunistic branding and lip service. Practical wisdom exposes the façade.



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BRITNEE JOHNSON/THE GREATEST ASSIST


The Art of Understanding = Emotional Intelligence


Possessing keen insight and high emotional intelligence is non-negotiable when designing luxury experiences for intentional solo luxury travelers. True expertise requires a deep understanding of cultural shifts, individual psychology, lifestyle nuances, and the interior landscape of someone choosing to move through the world by themselves. Understanding deeper can be guided, but it isn’t something you learn from a manual or master overnight.


Not only does The Greatest Assist define a category, it’s led by an owner with an uncommon competitive advantage.

Being an only child raised by a single parent, I spent a lot of time alone and attended nine different schools in two states from elementary through high school. This early experience transformed me into a cosmopolitan individual, unknowingly refining my instincts for subtlety, nuance, and human behavior, granting me an intuitive ability to anticipate behaviors, preferences, and range—social skills that the travel industry cannot impart. Constant adaptation nurtured a global perspective from a young age, enabling me to quickly assess new environments, understand unspoken motivations, and devise solutions to problems before they arise. This significantly enhances the client experience, as I design with cultural fluency, having mastered the art of navigating unfamiliar environments and consistently engaging with diverse cultures, personalities, aesthetics, power dynamics, and value systems. The outcome is multi-dimensional taste, fluid interests, and a profoundly open mind that benefits clients.


 My advantage wasn't gained through acquisition; it was lived. It's uncommon, distinctive, and unlikely to be reproduced, if possible at all. The travel industry relies heavily on credentials, certifications, and smart marketing. Although these elements may impress some people, many others prioritize instinct over achievements. Years of experience and numerous awards mean little without the innate skills of observation, adaptation, and social intelligence that true solo travel demands. Superficial depth created by a brand or trend eventually becomes apparent to those who are observant. This is the difference between true expertise and mere illusion.



Wellness takes many forms.
Wellness takes many forms.

BRITNEE JOHNSON/THE GREATEST ASSIST



Solo Travelers Are Not Monolithic: Understanding Layered Identity and Complex Desire


Even within broad archetypes, solo travelers possess extraordinary complexity. Consider these specialized interests:


The Culinary Explorer seeks private tasting menus, chef-led market tours, and undiscovered local gems that tell regional stories through flavor.


The Astrotourist craves remote stargazing, astronomy-led excursions, and experiential science tours that connect cosmic perspective to personal expansion.


The Wellness Enthusiast integrates spa rituals, mindfulness practices, biohacking modalities, and cannabis-infused wellness options for holistic restoration.


The Cultural Curator pursues art galleries, theater, rare literature, and historic bookshops that offer intellectual engagement and aesthetic immersion.


The Visual Storyteller (photographer/videographer) seeks perfect light, breathtaking landscapes, and immersive environments that elevate creative expression.


But here's where most advisors fail: the truly discerning solo traveler often wants it all—sampling exquisite local cannabis while capturing a sunrise over ancient architecture, attending a private astronomy lecture before hunting for a rare first edition, indulging in a region-specific culinary masterpiece between wellness treatments.


Creating for such complexity necessitates an advisor who comprehends intricate desires and can weave them into a unified, luxurious experience that aligns with identity. This embodies true artistry and expertise.


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BRITNEE JOHNSON/THE GREATEST ASSIST


The Benefit of True Solo Travel Expertise for Luxury Hotels and Travel Brands


Luxury hospitality companies and travel brands aiming to cater to solo travelers need a team member who genuinely comprehends the lifestyle of intentional solo travelers and can integrate solo psychology with luxury travel design. Frequently, subtle details are missed, and offerings do not adequately acknowledge that solo travelers are diverse. A key factor to consider is how solo travel experiences vary across cultural, gender, and racial boundaries. For example:


Why the solo travel experience for a POC traveler may differ:


  • Cultural sensitivity: The atmosphere of certain areas, tours, or neighborhoods can feel either inviting or exclusionary, influenced by representation, safety factors, and historical background.

  • Representation matters: Encountering staff, guides, or fellow travelers who share similar experiences can enhance feelings of comfort, trust, and engagement.

  • Experiential preferences: Navigating historical sites, culinary experiences, and wellness activities may differ based on cultural context and personal safety considerations.


Why solo travel differs by gender:


  • Safety perception and reality: Female solo travelers often need discreet advice, increased risk awareness, and strategic planning that male travelers may not need to consider.

  • Social expectations and autonomy: Women often experience solitude differently than men, focusing on privacy, empowerment, and moments of restoration without external pressures.

  • Service nuance: Interactions, personalization, and the perception of autonomy can vary greatly, requiring hospitality staff and advisors to exercise thoughtful emotional intelligence.


Having someone who genuinely comprehends intentional solo travel is advantageous not only for the traveler but also serves as a strategic advantage for luxury hotels and resorts. This knowledge allows for the crafting of experiences that deeply resonate, boost bookings, and build loyalty. Lacking this understanding, offerings may seem transactional, superficial, or insincere. Possessing it, however, leads to a transformative outcome: travelers feel acknowledged, appreciated, and motivated to return, while brands gain significant benefits in terms of engagement, reputation, and revenue.



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BRITNEE JOHNSON/THE GREATEST ASSIST



Luxury Solo Travel Is an Art


Booking solo travel through an advisor who merely pretends to understand this market can ruin the experience and negatively affect hospitality properties. You cannot design for what you do not genuinely understand. It requires connecting client personality, behavioral insights, and recognizing that solo travel is deeply contextual. As this market grows, one crucial question arises to ensure alignment:


Do they truly grasp the cultural, psychological, and identity-based nuances of the clients they claim to serve?


Solo travel is more than a market opportunity—it is an art form. And not everyone is qualified to create it.






For luxury solo travelers: → Request your invitation





About the Author


Britnee R. Johnson Luxury Travel Experience Architect For The Solo Elite | Founder & CEO, The Greatest Assist

Britnee R. Johnson, visionary behind The Greatest Assist, the world’s first invitation-only luxury travel design house exclusively for affluent solo travelers, blends refined expertise in luxury travel and experiential marketing to sculpt hyper-personalized, emotionally intelligent experiences.



FEATURED IMAGES BY BRITNEE JOHNSON/THE GREATEST ASSIST


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