FOR many so-called singletons, the idea of packing a little suitcase and going off on holiday alone is daunting, to say the least.
But with the right attitude and a huge choice of breaks to keep even the shyest of holidaymakers happy, doing a spot of solo sun-seeking this summer has never been easier.
From sailing in Croatia and scuba diving in Egypt, to cycling in Catalonia and wine tasting in Burgundy, rather than feeling left out of the holiday fun this year, just remember that being single and independent means you're as free as bird to enjoy exactly the kind of break you've always wanted.
"Our business is doubling in size every year and we're expecting to have over 4,000 bookings in 2008," says Ben Tisdall, director of Speedbreaks, a specialist online travel company that arranges short breaks and holidays for singles in the UK and all over Europe.
Sometimes, although they start out single, holidaymakers can find themselves coupled-up by the time they go home.
"We had 36 people on an Austrian activity holiday last August and 12 of them got together - which is a 33 per cent success rate. In addition, we recently heard that a couple who met on one of our Christmas ski holidays have just got engaged."
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But while singles' holidays might result in hearts and flowers for some, the majority of those who embark on solo breaks simply go to spend time with like-minded people in a relaxed environment and rarely with any fixed plan to meet their lifelong soulmate.
Indeed, you shouldn't book a singles' holiday if your one and only reason for attending is to find a new partner, warns Tisdall.
"The best advice is really just to be yourself and be happy to chat to everyone on the trip, and you'll be surprised how quickly you get to know people and make new friends."
Tisdall says holidays run by Speedbreaks have an age guideline of 25 to 45, but the average age is usually mid-thirties. The company aims for approximately equal numbers of men and women in groups of around 20.
"There is always a host who is there to make sure everyone has a great time, and on the first night we tend to have place names at dinner to mix everyone up," says Tisdall.
"After the holiday people can stay in touch if they want to by using our website which enables them to send messages to each other.
"But there's no pressure at all - it's entirely up to them," he adds.
PREPARING TO FLY SOLO
"The first thing to do, while you're packing your suitcase, is to make sure you've left behind your emotional baggage," advises Kate Taylor, relationship expert at online dating website match.com.
"Don't think of this holiday as a way of getting over a specific ex, or you'll spend the fortnight mentally comparing everyone there to your partner. Just think of it as a holiday."
However, although there's no guarantee that you'll meet "the one", Taylor says going on a singles' holiday does increase your chances - because you'll be mixing with people who are open to being in a relationship.
"Commitment-phobes don't tend to sign up to singles' holidays," she says, "so if you meet someone you fancy, it's likely they will be single and possibly open to meeting someone.
"On top of that, lots of singles' breaks are activity-based so you stand a good chance of meeting a good mate with similar interests at the very least."
She adds: "Just go on this kind of holiday with an open mind and think of it as a chance to have lots of fun in the company of other singletons. That way, you'll only be pleasantly surprised if you come home with a relationship that lasts longer than your suntan."
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