Solo Female Travel Safety
In Fall 2024 as part of my User Research Methods course, I worked in a team of three over the course of 7 weeks to answer the question of, “How can a technology-based solution support solo female travelers by helping reduce the anxiety of personal safety and improve their trip planning?” During the 7 weeks, we conducted observational studies and interviews of experienced solo female travelers and those interested in solo travel. We analyzed findings before presenting design implications.
Summary
Role
UX Researcher, Team Lead
Methods: Observational Studies, User Interviews, Affinity Diagramming, Qualitative Data Coding, Persona Spectrums, Personas, Scenarios, User Journey Mapping, Priority Matrices
Tools: Figma (FigJam), Atlas.ti
Methods & Tools
Introduction
More women are choosing to travel solo, driven by adventure, independence, and personal growth.
Safety concerns often deter or influence travel choices:
Assault
Gender Discrimination
Racial Discrimination
Access to resources and opportunities can empower more women to explore new destinations and cultures independently. Online communities, such as Facebook travel groups or Instagram accounts focused on solo female travel, provide support and guidance, reducing some safety-related anxiety. While some applications do focus solely on safety or building communities, few provide a holistic solution that empowers female travelers with both community support and practical safety measures.
Background
Current applications address specific aspects of solo female travel but lack a holistic approach:
Competitor Analysis
NomadHer
NomadHer is an application that verifies users and provides a platform for solo female travelers to ask questions, connect, and meet up. However, it does not address in-trip safety concerns.
bSafe
bSAfe provides safety features, such as an SOS alarm, live streaming, follow me (which allow friends to track you), fake calls, and check-ins. However, it is not travel-specific and lacks cultural and location-specific safety information.
How can a technology-based solution support solo female travelers by helping reduce the anxiety of personal safety and improve their trip planning?
Research Objective
Methodology
For our first round, we conducted an observational study to understand the process the travelers take when planning for a trip, and we asked how they would plan a solo travel trip to a destination of their choice with safety considerations in mind.
Observational Study
We observed six women aged 23 to 47. Four participants had solo traveled, and two had an interest but had not yet done so. We recruited participants through a local women’s group in Chicago and word of mouth. We screened participants before proceeding with the observations to ensure that they met the inclusion criteria of having solo travel experience or interest.
Participants
| Participant # | Age | Occupation | Education | Location | Solo Traveled? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36 | Caregiver, Copywriter | B.A. - Journalism | Chicago, IL | Yes |
| 2 | 47 | Training Consultant | B.S. - Family Therapy | Huntley, IL | Yes |
| 3 | 23 | Program Manager | B.S. - Journalism | Chicago, IL | No |
| 4 | 28 | Recruiter | Master’s | Dallas, TX | No |
| 5 | 28 | Teacher | Bachelor’s | Garland, TX | Yes |
| 6 | 25 | Marketing Assistant | B.S. - Architecture | Los Angeles, CA | Yes |
Experienced Solo Traveler
Imagine you are looking to travel to a new destination for your next vacation. You can choose the location, which you will use for the observation portion. You want to plan for safety during your trip. Can you show me how you would go about planning the trip?
Interested in Solo Travel
Imagine you are wanting to travel solo on your next vacation. You can choose the location, which you will use for the observation portion. You want to plan for safety during your trip. Can you show me how you would go about planning the trip? Additionally, can you show me some considerations you would keep in mind?
Data Collection
We consolidated our findings using FigJam, grouping notes into similar categories and themes to create an affinity diagram. Next, we created a sequence diagram detailing the common steps participants took to plan for travel safety, shown below.
Data Analysis
Affinity Diagram
Sequence Visualization
Interviews
We conducted interviews with six women aged 23 to 30. Five participants had solo traveled, while one had only traveled solo domestically once. The recruitment and screening criteria mirrored those of the observation study.
Participants
| Participant # | Age | Occupation | Education | Location | Solo Traveled? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | Marketing Manager | Bachelor's | Chicago, IL | Yes |
| 2 | 24 | Consultant | Master's | Randolph, MA | Yes |
| 3 | 24 | HR Assistant | Bachelor's | Los Angeles, CA | Yes |
| 4 | 23 | Research Lab Assistant | Bachelor’s | Los Angeles, CA | Yes |
| 5 | 28 | Communications Manager | Master’s | Dallas, TX | No (one domestically) |
| 6 | 27 | Social Media Manager | Bachelor's | Dallas, TX | Yes |
We conducted the interviews remotely via Zoom and recorded the sessions with the participants’ verbal consent.
We asked participants about:
Motivations for solo travel
Memorable trips and their impact on personal growth
Research methods and trusted sources for travel planning
Safety considerations, including emergency planning and cultural preparation
Desired features in a technology-based solution for solo travel support.
Data Collection
We individually reviewed and applied descriptive codes to the interview transcripts using Atlas.ti. We then met as a group to review the codes and consolidate findings to create a unified codebook. We recoded the transcripts and determined the theme frequencies.
We consolidated our findings and organized our codes using FigJam. We grouped the codes into similar categories and themes to create an affinity diagram. The themes and findings informed the creation of persona spectrums, personas, user scenarios, user journeys, and a priority matrix, discussed in the next section.
Data Analysis
Codebook
Affinity Diagram
Findings
We organized the findings from our observations and interviews into three common themes:
Motivation
Safety Considerations
Research
01
Motivation
Increased self-confidence and comfortability with themselves
Fostered independence and self-reliance
Allowed them to meet new people and experience different cultures
Improved their social anxiety
Personal Growth
Don’t want to wait for people or compromise their trip experience
Didn’t want to deal with scheduling conflicts
Self-discovery
Increased freedom and autonomy
Inspiration
02
Safety Considerations
Being a Woman
Being a Black Woman/WOC
Not being socially accepted
Being subject to hate crimes
Racism
Being alone at night and using taxi / rideshare services in lieu of public transit
Anything can happen at any time of the day
Safety Concerns
Safe for women in general
Explicitly safe for black women
Using gut/intuition
Do activities only during the day and avoid less populated areas
Plan for emergencies
Location sharing or checking in with loved ones
Research customs to fit in
Considerations
03
Research
Google
Search
Maps
TikTok / Instagram Reels
Forums
Reddit
Facebook travel groups
HostelWorld
Primary Sources
“Crime rate”
“Safe”
“Best”
“Most”
“Women”
“Best things to do”
“Underrated”
“Safety”
“Black women”
Keywords
Non-Monetized Sources
Friends & Family
TikTok
Locals
Travel Agent
Personal Anecdotes
Trusted Resources
Monetized Content
Blogs
Instagram
Filtered Content - Unrealistic
Instagram
Outdated Sites
AI Usage
Not Trusted Resources
Visualizations
We identified five spectrums that we felt best represented the interview participants. We then used the spectrums to inform the personas we created.
Persona Spectrums
Personas
Ashley Thompson, Seasoned Traveler
Ashley is a 31-year-old senior marketing consultant passionate about traveling and experiencing new cultures. She considers herself a “seasoned” traveler, having been to numerous international countries independently. Ashely tends to go with the flow when planning her trips, learning and adapting as she explores. However, this lack of planning often frustrates her when navigating an unfamiliar place, especially when emergencies arise. On her last trip to Europe, someone pickpocketed her, and she hadn’t planned for the possibility of her money being stolen. Her stolen wallet made her cut her trip short and return to Chicago because she could not afford to stay any longer.
Ashley relies heavily on personal recommendations from her family and friends to help prepare for her trips. She is planning a trip to Morocco and doesn’t know anyone personally who has traveled there. Considering what happened to her in Europe, Ashley wants to make sure she plans for emergencies accordingly. While researching online for helpful information about her upcoming trip, she stumbles across WanderWomen, a solo female travel safety tool that helps novice and seasoned female travelers prepare for trips. Ashley was impressed by the features offered on WanderWomen, including a community of solo female travelers with varying levels of experience, detailed reviews and testimonials, access to emergency services, and more. She realized this tool could solve her problems and decided to sign up.
After signing up, Ashley could input her upcoming trip details, and the tool provided her with tips and safety protocols specific to Morocco. The tool provided her with emergency contact details in Morocco, information for the U.S. embassy, helpful tips for planning for emergencies during her trip, and strategies to mitigate risks. Ashley was surprised by all the experiences she had seen of other solo female travelers who had traveled to Morocco, and it gave her some ideas on how to prepare.
Even though Ashley has been on various solo trips, WanderWomen made her feel more confident about her upcoming trip and safer, knowing she can plan for emergencies efficiently. She plans to recommend this tool to all her friends and family, regardless of whether they are novice or seasoned travelers.
User Scenarios
Iris Smith, Novice
Iris is a 26-year-old social media manager. She has a Type A personality and cannot let anything go unplanned. Iris recently took her first solo trip to Joshua Tree. She has gone on stay-cations in her city, but this was the first time she traveled somewhere alone. The trip left her feeling invigorated and inspired to plan more solo trips, but she wants to make them international. However, as a black woman and perfectionist just beginning to travel independently, Iris faces concerns that require careful consideration.
Her main concerns are being in an unfamiliar place, not knowing the customs, standing out, or unintentionally offending the locals. Iris keeps in mind that, as a black woman, not all areas are as welcoming to her, and she wants to be in a destination that is inclusive and safe for black women. These concerns create anxiety in her newfound excitement for traveling the world alone. Iris is considering taking her first international solo trip soon but wants to feel confident when planning.
One day, Iris was talking on the phone with a friend who had recently started solo traveling, and she expressed her concerns to her. Iris’s friend told her about a tool called WanderWomen, dedicated to solo female travelers. It helps them prepare for solo trips regardless of whether they are new to traveling alone or have done it for years. Iris got off the phone with her friend and looked up WanderWomen. After looking at a brief overview of the tool, she created an account.
After signing up, Iris explores the platform and notices all its unique features for planning a solo trip as a woman. She is curious about which destinations are black women-friendly and sees there is an option to filter demographics to view personal experiences and reviews from other black women. Iris looks through the recommendations and lands on Colombia as her next solo trip. She wants to know about the cultural norms of Colombia and notices WanderWomen provides cultural insights about your destination of choice and highlights do's and don't’s.
Because of WanderWomen, Iris is feeling more confident about planning her next solo trip. She can focus on enjoying her solo trips while staying true to her values of respect, safety, and careful planning. She plans to recommend this tool to all her female friends who are considering solo traveling but have been scared to take the leap.
User Journey Maps
We met to discuss the design implications and determine each feature’s priority, impact, feasibility, and which persona it would apply to. We illustrated our findings with a priority matrix.
Priority Matrix
Discussion
In this project, we aimed to answer the question, “How can a technology-based solution help solo female travelers reduce their anxiety about personal safety and improve their trip planning?” To explore this, we observed six participants as they planned a solo trip with safety considerations in mind.
To supplement our observational study, we conducted interviews with six participants to gather a more comprehensive understanding of safety concerns they have and what they most value for resources. By analyzing data from the observational study and interview rounds, we identified key design implications.
Design Implications
Location Sharing
A location sharing features with their contacts would ensure solo female travelers feel safer knowing their loved ones are informed of their whereabouts.
Safety
Check-In with Friends & Family
A check-in system that accommodates time differences would enhance communication and peace of mind.
Emergency Alert Button
This feature should enable travelers to notify trusted individuals instantly in dangerous situations.
Local Emergency Contact List
Including a directory of local law enforcement and U.S. embassy contacts would equip travelers to handle emergencies confidently.
Female Review System
Most women agreed female reviews would be the single most important feature for them. A female-centric review system would allow travelers to evaluate accommodations, transportation, nightlife, and other factors based on safety perceptions from other women.
Resources
Female-Friendly Vetted Location List
Many participants sought recommendations where solo women felt safe, considering factors like accommodation, transportation, and local behavior. A curated list of female-friendly destinations would simplify research and decision-making.
Demographics Filters
Participants, especially those who identified as Black or multicultural, emphasized the need to address xenophobia and other identity-specific concerns. A demographics-based filter would allow users to view relevant reviews and resources tailored to their identity.
Customs & Cultural Insights for Locations
Most participants valued learning about a destination’s customs and culture beforehand. Many wanted to know how to fit in and what clothing or greetings are appropriate. The participants feel safer not standing out or potentially offending locations.
Therefore, the design solution should include the cultural norms and practices for top-visited countries, expanding coverage over time.
Language Assistance
A translation tool or phrase book covering key expressions could aid communication, especially to communicate with law enforcement in emergency situations. Initial language support should align with prioritized destinations.
Cross-Platform Support
The travelers favored general cross-platform compatibility because they value having support no matter the device they have or their loved ones have.
Ease of Access
Findings were not generalizable due to a relatively small and homogenous sample size.
Next Steps
Ideate high-impact features from the priority matrix and validate designs with potential users
Future Studies
Develop more specific insights for different destinations
Collaboration with various organizations and individuals, to enhance the application, build community, and facilitate sharing up-to-date information
Tourism Boards
Diverse Solo Female Traveler Creators
Limitations & Future Work
Given that more women are traveling solo every year, it is a ripe market to support these women in their travels. As the aim for this project was to learn and implement the different steps of the research process, we did not reach the design implementation phase. Due to the niche group of users, we sometimes struggled to find enough people to conduct the studies and interviews. In next steps, we hope to conduct research with a larger pool and with a more diverse group of women, including more interested in solo travel but who haven’t taken the step yet.
Conclusion
Lessons Learned
Larger Participant Pool
Due to the niche user group, it proved difficult at times to recruit sufficient participants for both rounds. In the future, I would want to recruit a larger number of participants to have a more diverse pool to better represent solo female travelers in the U.S.
Conduct Research without Design Solution Assumptions
Coming from a design and engineering background, I had some difficulty in the beginning with immediately jumping to conclusions about how a design implication would be implemented based on the findings we analyzed. I had to take a step back and think about the design implication rather than the specific way it should be implemented.
Crafting Interview Questions Can Be Difficult
The initial questions we drafted for the interview round were quite leading and were often closed questions. After a few rounds of editing, we were able to come up with a flow of questions that are more unbiased and open. However, I do think I improved in crafts questions compared to my Travel Planning Application project.
To view the full report for this project, please click the link below.