The exploration of Iranian solo female travellers' experiences

Abstract

For various reasons, some women experience solo travel in different parts of the world. However, as with many leisure activities, access to travel and tourism does not have the same distribution between different social groups, including other classes and genders (men and women). While there is a growing body of research on solo female travellers, few studies have included women from Middle Eastern or Muslim majority countries. Drawing upon a series of in-depth interviews, this paper examines the travel experiences of Iranian solo female travellers, which have been mainly overlooked in prior studies on the topic. The study's findings indicate that solo travel motivations can be categorized into personal factors: freedom and flexibility, self-empowerment, independence, and exploration. Also, the absence of family responsibilities, routines, and gender constraints, as well as the promotion of their social and personal selves, contributed to their well-being. The results also indicate that, despite the restrictions imposed by Iran's religious-patriarchal society, tourism has made women more visible in the public sphere. Overall, this study fills a significant gap in tourism research by highlighting the experience, limitations, and motivation of solo female travellers, which heralds social change.