Solo Women Travel: Initiatives undertaken by countries to make travelling safer

Traveling can be a great way to explore the world, learn about different cultures and create memories that last a lifetime. However, it is important to keep safety and comfort in mind, especially for women travelers. With an increasing number of women around the world opting for solo trips, governments and tourism authorities are putting their best foot forward in taking initiatives to make travelling safer for women.

Initiatives undertaken by countries pertaining to safety for women travellers 

Ensuring immediate safety with Panic Buttons

Safety is a key priority for women who are travelling alone. Both governments and private players have recognised this and are devoting more focus and resources to ensure the highest levels of comfort and safety for female travelers. For instance, to give safer transportation experience to women, many countries now offer women-only transportation options in buses and train carriages. Many of these come with features such as panic buttons that women can use if they feel threatened or unsafe. This connects to a central system that immediately alerts concerned authorities.

Another common initiative is the installation of female-only train cars or buses. In India, the Delhi Metro has implemented female-only train cars. Similarly, Mumbai, has trains that are specifically dedicated for women to travel during peak hours. In other parts of the world, similar arrangements can be seen to make solo travelling safer for women in public transport. 

Initiating safer women accommodation

Some countries also provide women-only accommodation options such as hotels that cater only to female guests. Other initiatives include the creation of safe spaces in airports and train stations. 

Importance of SOS systems for solo women travelers

Many women travelers seek adventure activities such as trekking, hiking, and skiing. To ensure safety in conditions like these, an important SOS system is GPS tracking. GPS trackers can be attached to a person’s belongings or worn as a bracelet. These devices allow tracking the required location in case of an emergency and can be especially useful in remote areas where there is lack of or intermittent mobile network coverage.

Solo women travellers seek immersive experiences that allow them to feel the pulse and tempo of the local ways in a destination. Exploring local markets and buying souvenirs is a popular activity among women travelers. Visiting museums, art galleries and historical landmarks is also a great way to learn about the local heritage and cultures. 

With safety as a major concern for these travellers, governments and private organisations in countries like Singapore, Australia, and Japan have various initiatives to ensure relatively protected and seamless travel, including helplines and apps for women in emergencies. These helplines and apps can be used to alert the authorities of a distressed woman’s location and the situation she is in. These apps can also be used to send out distress signals.

As many countries, including Singapore, make it more convenient and increasingly cater to expectations of solo woman travellers, various travel options would open up for them. Women travellers traversing the world and enjoying the diversity in experiences is certainly more than a temporary trend. Solo women travel will be a growing space filled with much potential and opportunities for destinations.