Solo, But Not Alone

This thesis examines the impact of social interactions on memorable solo travel experiences for female Gen Z members. It focuses on Gen Z as an emergent market segment and investigates how technology enables and mediates connections. While typically framed as a solitary endeavor, this research questions how solo travel is inherently shaped by social dynamics. The main research question examines how social interactions shape the memorability of solo travel experiences for female Gen Z travelers. Therefore, the objective is to investigate how interpersonal encounters and digital tools shape not only the travel experience but also the memory attributed to it. The research employed a qualitative analysis of thirteen semi-structured interviews with female Gen Z member who are currently living in Europe. Thematic analysis revealed that Gen Z women navigate a space between independence and connection. While all participants were seeking autonomy and independence, there was an evident social significance with other travelers. While the depth of these interactions varied from fleeting to long-term friendships, all enhanced emotional engagement and memory-making. With the help of digital tools participants stayed connected even after traveling, but more importantly, also connect with family and friends from home during the traveling. Digital tools not only served as guidance and reassurance for female travelers, but created safety nets over distances without which participants would not travel solo. Sharing memorable moments was another integral part of the experiences, as it enhanced meaning-making and reflection processes. Overall, three typologies emerged from the findings: The Social Solo Traveler, the Semi-Social Traveler, the Life Crisis Traveler, as well as a conceptual framework for Memorable Solo Travel Experiences (MSTE). This thesis contributes to the literature on Gen Z solo travel by reframing solo travel as an inherently social and digitally mediated experience. Implications include the need for tourism providers to design products that support emotional safety and community-building for solo travelers. Additionally, this thesis questions whether pre-conceived understandings of "authentic" solo travel impose exclusionary ideals, particularly for women, by undervaluing the collective dimensions that often define these experiences.