It’s been said, “The future of travel is female.”

This month’s edition of Leisure Group Travel takes that to heart as we unveil our Women in Travel issue. This edition features a variety of female-focused pieces that showcase women: the most influential demographic in travel. 

Women not only make up 56 percent of leisure travelers and make close to 85 percent of all travel decisions, but with $15 trillion in spending power according to the Harvard Business Review, female travelers comprise a sizable portion of the world’s travel spending.

With 67 million participants, the women’s travel market exceeds $20 trillion annually. Intrepid Travel says female travelers between the ages of 25 and 39 are the biggest market in the travel sector and there has even been a 230 percent increase in the number of women-only travel companies in the past several years.

Clearly, female travel is big business.

This women-centric issue spotlights that as our feature story highlights five industry-leading women who are changing the corporate landscape for the better. We also pay a visit to Maryland and explore how courageous female figures have shaped the Old Line State. LGT even traverses the Midwest in our Wonder Women story as we find historical attractions across the heartland that tell the tales of some of the most accomplished women in American history.

Not surprisingly, the girlfriend getaway market is also big business, making around $200 million per year. LGT embraces that fact by giving female travelers excellent destination ideas in our Latin America bucket list story. Girls looking to have some fun will find these tropical hot spots the perfect places to do that.

While many women want to relax on their getaways, many others want to explore the great outdoors. In fact, the average adventure traveler is a 47-year-old female and 75 percent of those who want to take adventure or nature trips are women. Naturally, LGT has a story for these adventurous souls, as we explore California’s many backpacking destinations where women can embark on mesmerizing retreats and forge unforgettable friendships.

The travel industry is waking up to the economic power of women. Learn more about how women make the travel world go round in this month’s Leisure Group Travel.

Happy reading,

Jason Paha

Managing Editor