Senior Travel Tips For Solo Travelers

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you provide me some tips and resources for older people who travel alone? I am a young, 63-year-old widow and am looking for some different opportunities for solo travelers but don't know where to start. What can you tell me?

Soloing At 63

Dear Soloing:

Travel for single seniors is big business these days. In fact, according to the Travel Industry Association, single travelers make up almost 25 percent of the U.S. traveling public. Here are some resources to help get you started.

Lots of Choices

Whether you're interested in solitary travel, want to meet compatible traveling companions or have interests in various types of group travel, there are plenty of organizations and specialized tours to satisfy your needs. A great place to start is the Connecting Solo Travel Network (www.cstn.org, 800-557-1757), an international organization that provides tips, advice and resources for single travelers in a bimonthly newsletter, as well as a "Single-Friendly Travel Directory" which lists tour operators and resorts with special offerings for solo travelers. Annual membership fee is $35.

Added Expense

One of the biggest problems with solo travel that you need to be aware of is the added expense known as the single supplement. Because most people travel in pairs, travel companies typically base their prices on double occupancy. Therefore, the single traveler pays the same amount for that room as two persons would pay. The solution? Bargain with the company to get a lower rate or look for travel companies that offer "singles friendly" rates.

Travel Companions

If you feel like you'd like to travel with a companion but don't have one, there are various services to aid you, including:

+ TravelChums: An online service that helps solo travelers find like-minded travel companions. At www.travelchums. com you can create your own profile and search their database (nearly 35,000 members) for travel companions that interest you. Membership is free. However, if you want to contact other members, you'll have to pay a $15 monthly subscription fee.

+ Travel Companion Exchange: This is another good resource for finding a travel partner. They publish a bimonthly newsletter that offers advice on bargain travel, safety tips and more. See www.travelcompanions.com.

Adventure Travel

Another popular option that many singles opt for is "alternative travel", which includes various types of educational, volunteer and off-the-beaten-path trips. A good place to find this kind of travel is at Elderhostel (www.elderhostel.org, 877- 426-8056), the world's largest educational travel organization for adults 55 and over. They offer thousands of programs, hosted by educational and cultural institutions in all 50 states and 90 countries. Other good resources for adventure travel include www.50plusexpeditions.com, www.walkingtheworld.com and www.transitionsabroad.com.

Singles Tours

If tours or group travel tickle your fancy, there are many organizations that specialize in singles tours. Here are some to consider.

+ All Singles Travel (allsinglestravel.com, 800-717-3231): Caters exclusively to solo travelers, thus offering tours and cruises free of the dreaded singles supplement.

+ O Solo Mio Single Tours (osolomio.com, 800-959-8568): Specializes in group travel for solo travelers and finds compatible travel partners. Most travelers are in their 40s and 50s.

+ Singles Travel International (singlestravelintl. com, 877-765-6874): Offers trips in North America and overseas to people of all ages. They guarantee to find solo travelers a roommate, otherwise they will pay the singles supplement.

+ Travel Time for Singles (traveltimeforsingles. com, 800-469-0091): Offers adventure tours and cruises to various destinations domestically and internationally.

Savvy Tips: The most common problem that keeps people from traveling alone is the fear of dining alone. A resource that offers strategies and tips to help increase your comfort is www.solodining. com. Safety can be another big issue, especially for women, but the best advice here is to use common sense and trust your instincts. Also, see www.womentraveltips. com.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the "NBC Today Show" and author of The Savvy Senior books.

The Gazette does not endorse the contents of The Savvy Senior. Check with professionals about the contents of this column.