A growing number of women are choosing to travel alone, whether for work, adventure or personal reasons, according to a study by Mozio, a technology company specializing in ground transportation and mobility solutions for travelers worldwide. The study found that 44% of women who travel alone fear being scammed when they arrive in a new destination.
Nicole Kerr, global chief executive of Mozio, said solo female travelers span a wide range, including young women seeking adventure, professionals traveling for work, and middle-aged and older women setting out on their own. She said what really sets them apart is not age but motivation, though almost all share a common desire for autonomy and greater control over their travel experience.
That desire for control also shows up in how women plan their transportation. According to Mozio's study on post-landing stress, women reported more concern than men both about their safety, 34% compared with 24%, and about possible scams or overcharging, 44% compared with 38%.
Autonomy and digital tools driving the trend
Kerr attributed the rise in solo female travel to a combination of greater autonomy in deciding when and how to travel, along with digitalization, which she said has removed many of the barriers that once made planning an independent trip more difficult.
The study found that 86% of international travelers research how they will get from the airport to their accommodation before a trip, and 49% book their airport transportation always or almost always.
Kerr said one of the biggest remaining challenges is enabling women to move with the same freedom and peace of mind as any other traveler in public spaces. She cited UN Women, which has said that harassment and other forms of violence in public spaces, including on transport and in the streets, can directly limit women's freedom of movement.
She said the challenge for the tourism and mobility industry is to help women reclaim that freedom of movement, which requires not only reliable services but also better safety standards, information and tools that allow them to make decisions with autonomy.
Uncertainty on arrival is the biggest worry
Kerr explained that when booking transportation in an unfamiliar destination, women's main concern is not simply choosing a vehicle but the uncertainty over what will happen upon arrival, including whether the service will be reliable, whether the price will match what was agreed, and what will happen if something goes wrong.
The Mozio study confirmed this pattern: 44% of women surveyed said they feared being scammed or overcharged, compared with 38% of men, while 34% said they were concerned about their personal safety, compared with 24% of men.
Distrust of informal transport, unregulated taxis or unofficial drivers plays a major role in travelers' decisions to book in advance, according to the study. It found that 82% of international travelers have had at least one bad experience with ground transportation abroad, 34% have been approached by unofficial drivers, and 24% said they were overcharged or scammed by a taxi.
The destinations that cause the most anxiety
The Mozio study also identified the destinations where surveyed travelers reported the most anxiety on arrival: Paris ranked first, followed by Cancun, Rome, New York and London.
Kerr said these results reflect travelers' general perception of anxiety and not necessarily an indication of how safe those cities actually are. She said the perception of safety depends not only on whether a destination is considered safe or unsafe but also on how much control and information the traveler has over her own movements.
According to the study, positive reviews from other travelers and transparent, fixed prices are the factors that build the most trust when booking transportation, each cited by 38% of respondents, followed by vetted and licensed drivers, cited by 36%.
Asked how the platform responds when a user reports feeling unsafe during a ride, Kerr said the priority is to protect the traveler immediately. The provider is suspended while the case is investigated, and any pending bookings are reassigned to another provider to prevent other travelers from being exposed.
Afterward, Mozio reviews the booking information, communication records, and driver and vehicle data to determine appropriate measures, which can include permanently removing the provider from the platform.
The role of technology and artificial intelligence
Kerr said Mozio already uses predictive models that analyze operational data to anticipate potential problems. However, she said that in the specific case of safety incidents involving women, complaints are "extremely infrequent" on the platform, so the company currently lacks enough data to build a predictive model focused on that type of case.
She said Mozio prefers to be transparent about that rather than try to build a model based on insufficient data, adding that the company continues to monitor these cases closely.
Kerr offered a series of recommendations for women planning to travel alone in an unfamiliar destination: plan transportation options in advance, compare prices, read the service's terms, and confirm the pickup point. She also recommended checking other users' reviews, keeping booking details on hand during the trip, and, for new destinations or nighttime arrivals, booking transportation before landing.
She said that having clear information, defined transportation options and a booking already arranged allows travelers to move with more autonomy, less uncertainty, and more room to enjoy those first moments in a new place.
