If you are wondering why a man is writing about travelling women, it’s because all the women in my family seem to be travelling and I’m compelled to speak out!

My mom is heading back to the Bahamas with her friends – all women. Yesterday she called to let me know where her important documents are stored in the event of an emergency. She ended her conversation by saying “I’ll be back in about thirty days, Sweetheart.”

“Uh, OK Mom,” I said. “Thanks for the call. I love you and I guess I’ll see you in a month.”

She was so excited I couldn’t get another word in edgewise.

Five of the eight ladies accompanying her are single – four divorcees and one widow. The other three include my sister, my niece, and my niece’s best friend. Their husbands are staying home. None of the men, husbands or sons, had much say in the matter.

Women traveling in groups is a growing trend. Older women especially have more time to go where they want to go and more money to do what they want to do. Mature women account for 80 percent of all luxury travel and spend 40 percent more time on their vacation than their younger cohorts.

Travel services seem to be recognizing the trend. Websites such as Ladies On The Go based out of White Rock, are one of a growing retinue of available resources.

“Women who travel … like the security of knowing there are other women traveling alone on the tour.” says Sharleen Dickson, who spearheaded the Ladies on the Go traveling club initiative. The club’s motto is “Now it’s your turn to have fun!”

When husbands like myself go along, it’s almost always our wives who research the deals, book the trip and plan the itinerary. It turns out that men like me wouldn’t travel much if not for our wives. We tend to stay in our career box and spend little time planning trips. Galaxy Research, undertaking research for Trafalgar Tours, stated more than half of women 40 years old and up give a higher priority to saving for their next holiday over saving for a house, a car, jewellery or any other material possession.

Nowadays, when my mom or any other female relation alerts me to their upcoming trips, I’m quietly supportive. When my wife starts making travel plans, I stay out of her way. It seems my only job is to make sure my passport is up-to-date.

Suits me fine.

Mathieu Powell
CEO, Writing Impacts
Website

Mathieu Powell is the Island Woman representative for marketing and advertising for the Great Victoria area.  For more about advertising opportunities with Island Woman, click here.

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