JOURNEYWOMAN NEWS RELEASE

Empowered, Savvy and Determined: The “Era of the Ageless Adventuress” is Here — Women Over 50 Aren’t Waiting to Travel in 2026

Women 50+ actively seeking new destinations and shorter booking windows

Toronto, ON, Canada — May 12, 2026 – Despite world events and uncertainty, JourneyWoman’s May 2026 Women's Travel Pulse Survey shows that most (52%) women over 50 are travelling as planned in 2026-27.

Conducted mostly among North American female travellers in the first week of May 2026, the survey shows that women over 50 are actively seeking new destinations, with 71% of women 50+ travelling outside their country of residence in 2026-2027. When it comes to planning travel, 60% are booking trips less than nine months in advance, with 31% making travel decisions in less than six months. According to the survey, only 13% of women 50+ travellers say they are planning to reduce travel spending in 2026.

“This survey shows that the Ageless Adventuress is travelling with purpose and intention — she isn’t letting geopolitics halt her desire for learning and self-discovery,” says Carolyn Ray, CEO, JourneyWoman. “She’s the ideal traveller — empowered, adapting quickly to change and demonstrating spontaneity, booking travel in shorter windows than we’ve seen in our previous surveys.”

#1: U.S. Travel sentiment solidifies

The majority (86%) of women over 50 said they do not plan to travel to the U.S. this year, an increase from 83% in JourneyWoman’s previous pulse survey in May 2025. Furthermore, 80% said they will not travel to the U.S. while the current U.S. administration is in place, an increase from 70% a year ago. Of those who live in the U.S., 49% are planning to travel outside the US and 30% said they will travel within the U.S., with 21% undecided.

#2: Asia emerges in the top five regions for travel

The continuing shift away from travel to the U.S. has opened up new opportunities for other destinations, notably Asia, which emerges for the first time in the top five regions. Less than a quarter (23%) of those surveyed in the U.S. said they plan to stay close to home.

#3: Group travel decisions influenced by customer reviews, country of origin

Two in three women said they plan to go on a group trip this year (63%), including small ships or land tours, with 28% planning to book two or more trips in 2026. The majority of women (76%) say customer reviews influence the decision to book a tour with a company. Other factors include recommendations by other women (46%), country of origin (43%), and company purpose and values (42%).

Recent news you might have missed:

• ​Meet the 2026 JourneyWoman Award Winners: Celebrating Women 50+ Trailblazers in Solo Travel, Women-Owned Businesses and Hospitality (March 5, 2026)
• ​JourneyWoman CEO Carolyn Ray Shares Solo Female Travel Tips for Europe on Rick Steves Monday Night Travel Show (March 5, 2026)
• ​JourneyWoman Launches “The Ageless Adventuress” Travel Podcast to Inspire Women Over 50 to Travel, in Partnership With Globus (January 9, 2026)
• ​TourRadar and JourneyWoman Partner to Create World’s First Booking Platform for Organized Women’s Travel and Solo Travel (November 10, 2025)

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About JourneyWoman

Founded in Toronto, Canada in 1994, JourneyWoman™ is the world’s first solo female travel resource and one of the most trusted women’s travel brands in the world. JourneyWoman’s March 2025 ‘Invisible No More: The Ageless Adventuress' research shows that the Women 50+ Travel market in North America is estimated at more than 37 million women, representing USD$245 billion in spending, growing to USD$519 billion in 2035. In North America, 65% of travellers are female and 41% of those are over age 55. Solo travel represents 61% of the woman 50+ market, at US$152 billion in the US and Canada, growing to US $363 bn or 25.2 million women by 2035.

With an editorial team of 25 writers, we publish JourneyWoman Magazine monthly, Smitten by JourneyWoman and HOT FLASH deals in partnership with vetted women-friendly travel companies. JourneyWoman hosts the world’s largest ​Women’s Travel Directory as a free service to women, providing hundreds of curated and vetted women-friendly tours, retreats, small ships and safe places to stay while supporting small tourism businesses around the world. To bring more visibility to women 50+, JourneyWoman created the travel industry’s first ​Women’s Speakers’ Bureau​ and the JourneyWoman Awards for Women Over 50. To learn more, visit ​Facebook​, ​Instagram​, or ​LinkedIn​. JourneyWoman is a registered trademark of Journeywoman Enterprises Inc.

Media Contacts:

Carolyn Ray, CEO + Editor, editor@journeywoman.com
Francy Ciucci, Marketing Manager, francy@journeywoman.com

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