TORONTO — Six new tours from Intrepid Travel aim to make travel more affordable and accessible for the growing number of single parents vacationing with their kids.

The dedicated solo parent trips allow children to bond and form friendships with other children in the group, while giving a single parent – or a parent travelling without their spouse – the unique opportunity to travel with adults in similar family dynamics, says the company.

While family travel experiences are typically priced based on double occupancy, Intrepid Travel says its new tours are offered at no additional cost. Plus, all children aged 17 years and younger receive a 10% discount off the price of their trip.

“You only need to look at family holiday packages widely advertised by the travel industry to see they cater to two parents and two children,” said Dyan McKie, Brand Manager for Family Adventures at Intrepid Travel, and a single mom herself. “In many ways this assumption is archaic and doesn’t reflect today’s families. The travel industry caters to so many niche groups but solo parents have been ignored for too long.”

In 2016 more than one million Canadian children – about two in every 10 – lived in a single-parent family, according to StatsCan.

As of September 2017 some 16% of Intrepid’s family bookings were single parents and their children. The company is also getting more enquiries and requests from single parents.

The new trips are specifically for single parent families and explore Costa Rica, Thailand, Northern India, Egypt, Vietnam and Morocco.

These destinations were intentionally chosen to make it easier for solo parents, as they could otherwise feel intimidated to travel to these destinations alone with their children, says McKie.

The six new tours include:

Costa Rica Family Holiday – For Solo Parents (15 days): Families get active in a range of adventurous activities such as white-water rafting, horseback riding, hiking through jungles to waterfalls, flying through the treetops on a zipline, and gliding through the waterways of Tortuguero National Park to seek out monkeys and turtles by foot and boat.

Northern India Family Holiday – For Solo Parents (10 days): Taste sizzling curries in Delhi, stroll through the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur and take in the famous landmark of the Taj Mahal.

Egypt Family Holiday – For Solo Parents (nine days): Cruise the Nile in a Felucca, have dinner with a Nubian family and ride a camel during this tour that blends all the must-see highlights with plenty of adventurous, off the beaten-track activities.

Morocco Family Holiday – For Solo Parents (eight days): Journey from Marrakech to the old pirate port of Essaouira, covering everything from camel-clad deserts to pristine beaches along the way.

Thailand Family Holiday – For Solo Parents (12 days): Visit the legendary Bridge on the River Kwai near Kanchanaburi, explore ancient ruins at Ayuthaya, shop in colorful markets in Bangkok and visit an Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai.

Vietnam Family Holiday – For Solo Parents (13 days): Families can enjoy a cyclo tour of Hanoi, sleep under the stars while cruising Halong Bay and get tailor-made outfits in Hoi An.

“Intrepid Travel’s new trips offer a completely dedicated product for solo parent families. Led by local leaders in each destination, these itineraries provide parents with some much-deserved rest and relaxation, while taking the pressure off them to plan and entertain at all times,” says Leigh Barnes, Director of North America for Intrepid Travel.

“As single parent households are increasing in Canada, it’s time for the travel industry to take notice and ensure all kinds of families are being accommodated and are being offered travel opportunities that are fun, adventurous and affordable.”