{"id":11141,"date":"2018-09-01T01:18:24","date_gmt":"2018-08-31T17:18:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/?page_id=11141"},"modified":"2018-10-15T09:00:35","modified_gmt":"2018-10-15T01:00:35","slug":"women-travel-trends","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/?page_id=11141","title":{"rendered":"Women Travel Trends"},"content":{"rendered":"

What do Women Want from their Travels?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Patagonia-Women-Travel-Tour\"
Two Wild Women take a break on their multi-sport adventure in Patagonia, Chile<\/a>. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thoughtful Observations from a Wild Woman!<\/span><\/h3>\n

Images \u00a9Wild Women Expeditions<\/h3>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n

Contributor, Jennifer Haddow, grew up in Canada\u2019s easternmost province of Newfoundland but she was living and working in an office job in Toronto when she came to a crossroad. \u201cIn 2005,\u201d she recalls, \u201cI got really sick and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I had an epiphany and attributed part of my illness to not having enough activity and nature in my life. I didn\u2019t want to die or be in a wheelchair.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cI already had an interest in alternative healing and powers of nature. I decided I wanted to challenge myself to not end up in a worst case scenario. Someone suggested I go with them on a hiking trip to Mount Everest base camp. At that point, I could not lift my arms above my head and was on heavy medications, but I set a goal that I was going to get myself to Mount Everest and hike to its base camp!<\/p>\n

\"Jennifer-Haddow\"
Jennifer Haddow (right) says \u201cWomen need opportunities to just be themselves, together.\u201d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSeveral months later I went to Nepal, spent a month trekking in the mountains and got to the base camp. This was a transformative experience. I came back from that mountain and vowed I would be as healthy as I can be. I was going to get stronger and higher and better.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything started to change. I bought a modest canoeing company in Ontario, Wild Women Expeditions (WWE) which I now run out of Cornerbrook, Newfoundland as a global tour operation. I felt fierce about providing, especially for women, the connection between outdoor adventure and deep wilderness immersion. To be able to put ourselves in such a nourishing environment as some of these wild places offer, I am convinced that we feel more alive. We challenge ourselves to do things.<\/p>\n

\"Italy-Bike-Adventure\"
A coffee break on a Tuscuny and Cinque Terre Countryside to Coast Hike and Bike Adventure<\/a>. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis was 12 years ago. I have changed my lifestyle radically. I focus on self-care and I am in great health. MS is a non-issue. I believe that outdoor adventure can change the whole idea of your life. Women together share their personal stories of healing, their stories of transformation. When in the wilderness healing space that can be created, a lot of women are encouraged to see themselves on Mount Everest.\u201d<\/p>\n

What Priorities are Driving Women\u2019s Adventure Travel?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Jennifer shares trends she has witnessed with her clients over the past decade. <\/p>\n

Shaking things up with transformational travel. <\/h3>\n

\u201cWhen women sign up for one of our trips \u2018transformation\u2019 isn\u2019t on the tips of their tongues,\u201d she says. \u201cBut choosing to spend a week kayaking, hiking and no-frills camping usually means they\u2019re on a quest of some kind, whether they know it or not. On a daily basis they test their own comfort zones by meeting one challenge after another. They learn to listen to and trust each other, thereby creating community. This community \u2013 that many lack in their lives \u2013 can become the gateway to learning new skills that can lead to empowerment and transformation.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Mongolia-Wild-Woman-Expeditions\"
Mongolia Horseback Adventures<\/a> in the Orkhon Valley on 14-day expeditions. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Inner healing journeys: wilderness therapy. <\/h3>\n

\u201cWith few exceptions, Wild Women Expeditions itineraries place women in wilderness settings with only occasional brushes with society and culture. There are abundant studies on the benefits of forest therapy. One of our programs takes women back in time to spaces inside themselves they\u2019ve never before inhabited. Under the guidance of First Nation (native) female leaders, they hear stories of women as fire carriers, medicine women and knowledge keepers and for a short while immerse themselves in traditional plant medicine, archery, equestrian skills, sacred earth walks and indigenous living skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Haida-Gwaii-Kayak-Tour\"
Departures in August explore remote British Columbia islands of Haida Gwaii on an 8-day kayaking adventure<\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yoga-themed vacations: out-of-the-box yoga. <\/h3>\n

\u201cYoga is a cultural force spilling out of yoga studios and into yoga-themed vacations where practitioners can carry on in exotic settings at luxury retreat centers. We take yoga one step further than a terrace or beachfront vista and integrate yoga with other activities for truly immersive experiences. On our yoga-themed wilderness trips, we take yoga out of the box and let women feel the elements as they discover their own power and wellbeing.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of her own healing, Jennifer became a certified yoga instructor. Because of her personal interest in health and wellness and yoga, many WWE programs integrate yoga and meditation into the natural outdoor setting. <\/p>\n

\"Belize-Traditional-Food-Making\"
Learn to make traditional foods as part of a 9-day Belize Rivers, Reefs and Rainforests Adventure<\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Comfort in the wilderness: going glamping.<\/h3>\n

\u201cWomen may have a desire to go glamping — but with conditions. We meet women half way. Some don\u2019t have the physical ability to do a multi-day backpacking and camping experience or don\u2019t want to. In Patagonia our version of glamping for women with back issues is to give them proper beds but still offer enough exposure to the elements so they feel part of the wilderness experience. Our journeys are not survival trips but rather about women warming up to their own inherent connection in and with nature. We want to help them make one journey a life-long adventure, taking little steps to feel confident in their journeys.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Glamping-in-Chile-Patagonia\"
Glamping in Chile\u2019s Patagonia region<\/a> in the shadow of the iconic Torres de Paine pinnacles.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Asking more questions: conservation matters. <\/h3>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing a growing enthusiasm for tourism to be a force for conservation and the protection of wildlife. There\u2019s more support for changing the perceptions of what animals mean to the world. We feel we are helping make a difference by supporting tiger reserves and parks in India and assisting in Indonesia\u2019s Borneo to protect the critically-endangered Bornean orangutan. <\/p>\n

\"Borneo-Orangutans\"
On a 14-day Untamed Indonesia tour<\/a>, spend time at the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation and learn about this critically endangered primate.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIn Thailand a decade ago, there was low awareness of the damage done to the elephant population in this country because of tourism, requiring that elephants become beasts of burden under the physical weight of one tourist after another riding on them. Villagers are re-appreciating elephants in new ways, in part because of the attention and support they receive from our guests.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a movement of women asking the right questions when it comes to their travel opportunities. For example: Are the protocols of developing and executing itineraries ethical in terms of impacts on wildlife and benefits to local communities? Plus, there\u2019s the added value of engaging female guides from these countries to lead our women-only trips. Our clients care that local women get more of the benefits of tourism.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Greek-Sailing-Adventure\"
A Greek Goddess Sailing Adventure<\/a> offers six nights aboard a 50-foot sailing yacht exploring historic sites on different islands. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At 73, I savor each experience now and take nothing for granted. I absolutely LOVED the birds and animals and scenery of this vast and very different landscape, but it was the women on the trip that will forever bring a smile to my face. – Kathy Mario on the Southern Chile, Patagonia tour.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Follow Up Facts<\/strong><\/span>Founded in 1991, Wild Women Expeditions<\/strong>, https:\/\/wildwomenexpeditions.com\/<\/a>, is the world\u2019s largest women-only travel company. Its initial focus was on canoeing on remote Ontario waters with a pioneering niche that introduced small groups of women into wilderness settings.
\nThe company now hosts guests in destinations all over the world, offering more trips and more women-only backcountry camping, hiking, paddling and horseback adventures than any other women\u2019s travel company. In 2019 it will have programs in 28 countries. In the near future WWE will also have opportunities to engage in conservation efforts through partnerships the company is exploring with wildlife conservation charities. <\/span>
\nAbout 75% of women on WWE trips are 45-60 years, including participants in Untamed Indonesia, Mongolia Horseback Adventure and Haida Gwaii Kayaking Adventure illustrated in this article. Favorite tours for 50+ aged women are the Egypt tour and India safari adventure as well as the Galapagos yacht adventure.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What do Women Want from their Travels? Thoughtful Observations from a Wild Woman! Images \u00a9Wild Women Expeditions Contributor, Jennifer Haddow, grew up in Canada\u2019s easternmost province of Newfoundland but she was living and working in an office job in Toronto when she came to a crossroad. \u201cIn 2005,\u201d she recalls, \u201cI got really sick and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11141"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11141"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11166,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11141\/revisions\/11166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}