Bounded Explorers: Online Constructions of Solo Women Travelers

Abstract

Women have navigated the world with much less freedom than men—with restrictions particularly great for their solo, or independent, travel. Although much research documents women’s experiences of these constraints, less is known about travel media’s framing of women as solo travelers—with online media an especially neglected research area. Drawing on a leisure constraints perspective, our study examines differences in online travel articles (n = 100) targeting solo women versus men. Resonating with this perspective, as well as the findings of studies examining women’s actual travel experiences, our findings reveal a framing of women as “bounded explorers,” constrained in their solo travel by the emotional, social, and behavioral burdens imposed upon them, hinging on their perceived vulnerability and men’s perceived dangerousness. We find two processes through which women are constructed in online travel articles as bounded explorers—creating negative expectations and encouraging vigilant risk avoidance. As one of the first studies to examine cultural representations of solo travelers in online media, our research provides further evidence of gendered constraints in leisure by revealing the framing in travel articles of women as more bounded than men—a framing that may, in turn, have implications for women’s experiences in the realm of leisure and perhaps beyond.

Aging Bodies in Paradise: A Feminist Analysis of Key West’s Fantasy Fest

“…The community cohesion in Key West, along with the normalization of bar-hopping, not only enhanced women’s participation in leisure activities on the island but also challenged the gendered double standards associated with alcohol consumption and the sexualization of women’s bodies in leisure spaces (De Visser and McDonnell 2012; Douglas and Barrett 2020). Moreover, the social connectedness, tolerance, and civility promoted during Fantasy Fest enabled individuals, including women and other minorities, to feel at ease and engage freely in the festivities.…”

“…They not only illuminate how gender is as an organizing principle and primary cultural frame used to categorize differences between individuals but also represent how contextual conditions (e.g., leisure or work environments) can play a central part in determining how people define their roles, categorize others, and act according to social expectations (Ridgeway 2009). For example, in bar spaces, women often encounter gendered double standards and exclusionary practices that stem from women’s greater sexualization and their categorization as “other” within these male-dominated leisure environments (De Visser and McDonnell 2012; Douglas and Barrett 2020).…”

Antecedents of tourists’ solo travel intentions

“…The literature on solo travel is mostly exploratory and focuses on female solo travelers (Chiang and Jongaratnam, 2006; Douglas and Barrett, 2020; Jordan and Gibson, 2005; Karagöz et al , 2020; McNamara and Prideaux, 2010; Osman et al , 2020; Pereira and Silva, 2018; Seow and Brown, 2018; Wilson and Little, 2008; Yang et al , 2018; Yang et al , 2019). These studies suggest that women travel solo predominantly to feel a sense of autonomy, for self-development or to meet new people (McNamara and Prideaux, 2010; Wilson and Harris, 2006).…”

“…Further, safety and harassment are relevant concerns for female solo travelers, and they cope through empowerment and self-transformation (Karagöz et al , 2020; Su and Wu, 2020; Wilson and Little, 2008; Yang et al , 2018). Although these studies are very insightful, the gaze of solo travel may differ for women compared to men (Douglas and Barrett, 2020), potentially influencing their intentions to continue solo traveling (Samarathunga and Cheng, 2020).…”

“…Overall, the existing research focuses mostly on the gaze of women on solo travel experiences (Douglas and Barrett, 2020). However, this may differ for men, potentially influencing their solo travel intentions (Samarathunga and Cheng, 2020).…”