Start-Anew-Moons: The Post-Divorce Travel Trend

By now we all know the story of Eat Pray Love, about a woman’s enlightening journey around the globe after an earth-shattering divorce, and a current travel trend seems to take inspiration from the protagonist’s post-divorce getaway.

Sadly, for approximately 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States, a divorce may be a likely possibility, and the sting and pain of such an un-coupling can be devastating. As such, once divorces are finalized, newly divorced singletons take solo vacations in an effort to exit their marital comfort zones and return with a new and (hopefully) positive outlook on life.

Liberty Travel noticed an increase in newly divorced people booking vacations and named this trend the “star-anew-moon.” When travelers inquire about vacation options with the travel agency, agents typically ask travelers why they are booking the trip (e.g., for a special occasion). Agents noticed an increasing number of travelers are noting the finalization of a divorce as their reason for travel.

Liberty Travel even recognized some repeat clients who employed their services for their honeymoon years prior. The agency noted some travelers are keen to take solo, soul-searching trips while others prefer same-gender getaways to kick off a new chapter in life. Agencies are responding by offering travel packages for groups of friends, sort of like reverse bachelor and bachelorette parties. Despite the wavering divorce rate in the United States, it is unclear how much longer start-anew-moons will be trending.