Panaji: Seventy per cent women prefer going on vacations with female friends as compared to their family, according to a global survey.
Leading travel company Thomas Cook has released the worldwide survey which entails responses from 1,215 women who travelled with the firm.
The survey showed that 70 per cent respondents welcome travel opportunities with their women friends over family holidays.
The favourite inclusions in their travel plans are culture, cuisine, spa-wellness, shopping, said Rajeev Kale,president and Chief Operating Officer, MICE, Domestic and Sports Tourism - Thomas Cook India.
Thirty-five per cent showed interest in outdoors, adventure, wildlife, while 17 per cent showed inclination towards solo travel with safety and security being the prime concerns.
Singapore topped the list of favourite destinations for women travellers, followed by Thailand, Switzerland, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Bali and the USA.
"Financial independence has given strong impetus to this (70 per cent) segment. The Frost and Sullivan Amadeus Report too highlights a significant growth potential in women business travellers," he said.
On Indian women travellers, Kale said, "Indian woman traveller has evolved from the traditional mother figure in family vacations to an influencer and is now emphatically both a decision maker and a traveller in her own right."
Group-escorted travel was a favourite among Indian women at 51 per cent. However, a large share of more than 62 per cent of women in metros preferred smaller ad hoc groups, sans tour manager, Kale said.
In India, Goa, Andamans, Rajasthan and Ladakh topped the list of favourite destinations.
