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About One Traveller
Over 15 years of Solo Travel
One Traveller was founded by our Director, Ian Darkin in 2007. Having worked as a Tour Manager for nearly ten years, he saw that solo travellers often felt marginalised or awkward when mixing with the couples who usually made up most of his groups. Eventually, Ian began organising excursions for these individuals within the holiday’s free time and from there, the idea of what would later become One Traveller emerged.
One Traveller was founded to specialise in creating fully escorted holidays for mature solo travellers. Our main aim is for our guests to feel welcome and included amongst likeminded company, with nobody left on their own (unless they so wish). There are no couples on our holidays, although there is no stipulation of marital status either. Guests simply need to be travelling alone, whether by choice or circumstance.
Ian is half-Czech. Our very first holiday was to Prague (his mother’s birthplace) and tours were ably assisted by Ian’s brother, Charles, who lives in the city and is a qualified local guide. Today, Charles is still a One Traveller Tour Manager, and Prague is still our suggested destination for those embarking upon their very first solo holiday with us.
As for One Traveller, what started as Ian’s flash of inspiration has transformed into our multi-award-winning family-run holiday company. This is of course, all down to the loyalty and support of our guests – many of whom we know take great pride in their role on this journey with us.
We continue to be thankful to those who choose to travel with us time and again, and welcome new travellers to our family with open arms.
Ian’s Background
One Traveller was founded by our Director, Ian Darkin in 2007. Having worked as a Tour Manager for nearly ten years escorting couples (with the odd solo traveller thrown in!) on their holidays, he saw that solo travellers often felt penalised with having to pay single supplements which usually left them with a small single room often located in far flung corners of hotels! Ian also noticed that the dynamics of the holidays he was escorting were quite different when mixing couples with solo travellers. Solo travellers felt a little awkward in this environment.
Ian realised that while solo travellers were booking the holidays by themselves, they had not gone on the holiday to be by themselves! Couples on the other hand, wanted time by themselves (i.e. meal times and free time during the day) as well as some time within a group environment.
Whenever there was any free time built into a holiday, Ian always made provisions for those that did not want to be by themselves. As a Tour Manager, Ian organised lunches in local restaurants when lunch was not included, or walks to take in extra sights during free time in the day time. In the evenings, Ian would organise quizzes and time together. Solo travellers loved the feeling of inclusivity that Ian provided that they would often insist on only going on the holidays that Ian was going to lead!
One Traveller – the beginning
Ian, himself, loved spending the extra time with the solo travellers and this inspired Ian to start organising his own holidays that would be geared around the needs and wants of people travelling by themselves - One Traveller was born.
The idea for Ian was very simple, everyone travelling by themselves should enjoy a double room for sole occupancy (without any single supplements!), all excursions should be included within the one price of the holiday, all meals should also be included with a mixture of eating out locally to experience the local culture and cuisine. Key to all of this was an excellent Tour Manager who escorted the small parties of solo travellers from the UK at the start of the holiday, staying in the same hotels and enjoying the experience with the One Traveller guests right through to the end of the holiday - back in the UK. A solo traveller would never be alone on a One Traveller Holiday!
Our Maiden Holiday
One Traveller's maiden holiday was to Prague in the Czech Republic in June 2008. This is very fitting as Ian is half-Czech (Prague was his mother’s birthplace) and he is fluent in the language and is the City that he knows best. Ian put together a tantalising six-day itinerary that only a local could! There were exclusive boat trips along the Vltava River, folklore shows in local venues, Castle visits and Spa Town visits and much more. Before his first One Traveller holiday to Prague, Ian went to every supplier and set out his expectations of exactly what he and his fellow solo travellers would expect in terms of their service. 16 years later, Charles, Ian's brother, lives in the City of Prague and escorts most of the Prague holidays. Prague is our suggested destination for those embarking upon their very first solo holiday with us.
One Traveller today
Needless to say the holidays were a huge success and gave Ian the confidence to research new holidays with exactly the same care and attention that went into his Prague holiday. Seventeen years later (and many national travel awards later), One Traveller continues to do everything it set out to do - specialise in creating fully escorted holidays for mature solo travellers. Our main aim is for our guests to feel welcome and included amongst likeminded company, with nobody left on their own (unless they so wish). There are no couples on our holidays, although there is no stipulation of marital status either. Guests simply need to be travelling alone.
We take responsibility for every element of our holidays and we inspect every part of our holidays ourselves so our guests can enjoy a fully escorted holiday experience. One Traveller has grown into our multi-award-winning family-run holiday company (with Ian at the helm!). Our guests come back to us time and time again to enjoy the whole experience which starts when you request our brochure!
Come join our family!
Solo travel... you're top of the class!
"My first trip with One Traveller - but not my first venture into the solo traveller industry - and I can say with complete honesty the experience was faultless, due largely from the confidence I gained when dealing with your admin office prior to the start up of the trip and most definitely because of Jonathan, our Tour Manager, for providing us with the most quietly efficient yet fully engaged professional support throughout the trip (the Amalfi Coast - April 2023). Your company - and all staff whether in the office or working directly in the field are far superior in the service they provide to guests in the single traveller category. In the past I have travelled with 5 other UK companies whose service was - in my opinion - mediocre at best - and each one of them could learn so much from observing the unwavering standards your company sets itself. Congratulations - and thank you to all of you."
Pauline G
Meet our teams
Ian and Emma Darkin
Company founders
A Tour Manager for nine years, Ian created One Traveller with his wife Emma to cater solely for mature solo travellers. Ian escorted our very first holidays and knows how important a good Tour Manager is to the success of a holiday for our guests. A linguist with a keen eye for detail, Ian is half-Czech and has a passion for his mother's country.
The One Traveller Office Team
Our office team are here to help with your holiday from start to finish. Your booking is handled by people who understand, care and have great knowledge of solo travel and of the needs and expectations of solo travellers themselves.
Product Managers
With many years of travel experience behind them, our Product Managers are the escorted solo travel experts who create One Traveller’s many holidays. Each Product Manager carefully researches our new and existing holiday destinations, ensuring each and every one caters for the particular needs of our guests, while offering a unique and fascinating insight into the culture, geography, and history of the areas visited. The team inspect our destinations personally, and build strong relationships with local suppliers, making sure they provide the best experience possible for our guests.
Feedback is very important to One Traveller and so our Product Managers work closely with our Customer Services team to implement any new ideas and suggestions raised by our guests from their travels with us.
Marketing Team
The One Traveller Marketing team creates a great deal of written content throughout the year. From the gargantuan task of putting our holiday brochures together, to creating our email newsletters, our popular One Voice quarterly catch ups, to designing our newspaper and magazine adverts. They also work closely with our partners at Boom Radio to oversee our on-air adverts and promotions there.
Members of our Marketing team run the One Traveller Facebook Community page and the Solo Lounge by One Traveller, answering questions and moderating posts to ensure both pages remain the friendly and insightful areas they have become recognised for.
Flights & Visas Team
Our combined Flights and Visas team carefully research our holiday destinations and secure the best routes and flight options available for our guests. Once a holiday is on sale, they also work closely with our partner airlines to help booked guests with flight upgrade requests, regional connections, direct flights from regional airports, and extended stays.
When a visa is required to enter one of the countries we visit, the team will offer their expert guidance and advice about the particular entry requirements and will often be able to complete the visa process on a guest’s behalf (subject to it being possible for a third party to do so and upon payment of a small administrative charge).
Operations
Our Operations team serves as a crucial link between our global suppliers, local agents, Tour Managers, and office staff. When you contact us to enquire about or book a holiday, these are also the individuals you’ve likely spoken to. Beyond handling your queries, they play a pivotal role in coordinating your travel plans. Responsibilities include finalising your pre-holiday information pack, daily communication with our suppliers in resort, managing airport hotel bookings, and coordinating our chauffeur service partners prior to our ONE Experience holidays.
Before your holiday departs, a member of the Operations team will check in with you to confirm everything is in order and address any last-minute questions. They’re also on hand to help while you are away, manning our emergency phone to ensuring you receive support whenever you may need it.
Another crucial role of the Operations team is to provide support for our Tour Managers. They are instrumental in recruiting, training, and assigning Tour Managers, ensuring the right member of the team is chosen to escort a particular holiday.
Customer Service
Our Customer Services team works closely with our guests before and after their holidays, passing on ideas and suggestions that are raised to the wider One Traveller team and helping resolve any queries or concerns.
Guest feedback is the lifeblood of this team, who look closely at returned questionnaires, letters and emails, allowing them to see first-hand all the lovely things our guests have to say about their travels.
We are always open to new ideas and our holidays generally evolve over time, largely based upon what our guests have told us via the Customer Services team.
The team will also inform guests of any changes that occur before their holiday departs, such as when airlines reschedule our flights.
Aftersales
The Aftersales team are the administrative cornerstone of One Traveller. From answering telephone enquiries and helping new guests book their holidays, to posting our brochures and compiling the all-important holiday paperwork for our guests before their travels get underway; they are a very busy team!
The Aftersales team takes care of every detail to ensure our guests have what they need to plan for their holiday. Starting with the initial confirmation details through to meticulously assembling travel essentials such as travel wallets, pin badges, luggage labels, and e-tickets, all sent out in a timely manner, so it’s received at just the right moment!
Our Tour Managers
The friendly face of One Traveller for our guests during their holidays. Our Tour Managers are carefully chosen for their caring personalities and excellent planning and organisational skills. They work hard to bring our solo travellers together to enjoy shared social experiences that make our holidays so memorable.
A One Traveller Tour Manager escorts each holiday from start to finish, staying at the same hotel as our guests and eating in the same restaurants. Their sole focus is helping our guests get the most out of their travels, working with our local suppliers to deliver upon everything our guests are expecting and more!
You can meet our Tour Managers here.
One Traveller are very helpful
"One Traveller is a very helpful, friendly, and professional organization. The office assistance before a holiday is second to none, and so friendly with it. The trips are superbly organized together with first-class tour managers make for memorable holidays. Thank you."
David L
One Traveller Supports
Making a difference
As a company it is both our duty and pleasure to give back to the communities that touched the heart of One Traveller. We will continue to offer support to charities that make a real difference.
Hope Village, Vietnam
This small orphanage cares for and supports children from impoverished families whose parents are no longer able to provide for them. They offer a healthy start in life and an opportunity to thrive, with access to education all the way through from nursery to university.
In early 2024, our Tour Manager Ali Bissett paid a visit to the orphanage and provided food and supplies which we had bought for the centre. This was greatly appreciated by all the staff, and we know how great a help it will be for them in looking after their children.
Project Ladli, Jaipur, India
Project Ladli houses and helps around 60 girls in Jaipur, many from under-privileged and vulnerable backgrounds. They teach various skills such as IT and language classes in Hindi, English and offer healthcare and vaccination programs to the wider community. Their aim is to make society more inclusive and gender neutral. One Traveller has been offering practical support for several years, with our most recent donations in 2024 including much requested stationary, books, and other educational equipment. This was handed over to the centre’s staff by our Tour Manager Simon Whatling during our holiday to Delhi, Royal Rajasthan & Bombay. You can read more about the Project at ladlifoundation.org.
Simply the best
"Having never travelled on my own I was apprehensive when I went on my first One Traveller holiday in September 2015. I was more than impressed with their organisation. The hotels, flights and tours were all great and the tour manager could not be more helpful. Yes, there can be the odd hiccup but these are quickly sorted. I find the office staff to be very helpful, answering questions about regional travel and pre-departure get togethers as well as concerns about the holiday itself. Testament to my enjoying a One Traveller holiday is I have been on 24 and have 4 more booked at present. I have been to places I could only dream of going to e.g. North and South India, The Deep South in USA, The Canadian Rockies & travelled Gold Leaf Service on the Rocky Mountaineer, to name but a few. I have met some lovely people with whom I keep in regular contact and yes we sometimes meet up on One Traveller holidays. Any other holidays I have been on I always seem to end up comparing it to my One Traveller experience. Anyone who is on their own and considering a One Traveller holiday then go for it."
Barbara S
Working towards a sustainable future
The One Traveller family believes holidays are more than new destinations; they can spark real change. Where, when, and how you holiday can drive positive shifts.
We’re dedicated to responsible travel, respecting places and people. Recognising the need for collective efforts toward sustainability, One Traveller strives to make a difference. Our journey to minimise environmental impact begins with our FSC paper brochure and potato starch wrapping which is 100% recyclable. You can also browse our brochures and newsletters online here.
We are also working to reduce our impact upon the places we visit. A simple step towards this is by cutting down on the amount of plastic water bottles we use. One Traveller has partnered with the excelled Refill not Landfill scheme in South-East Asia to offer our guests a viable alternative to plastic.
We’re on a mission to reduce our paper usage at One Traveller. This involves a lot of changes behind the scenes, but also some that will be visible to our guests. Examples of this includes our switch from paper to online holiday questionnaires (for guests who have supplied us with their email address) and a greater use of our Guest Portal for other documents. Click here for more information.
If you are struggling to use our guest portal, please click the link below which will take you to the our main portal page.