Travel incentive ... a growing number of tour operators have ditched single person supplements. Photograph: Brigitte Sporrer/Zefa/Corbis

Just when you thought that the lot of the single woman of a certain age couldn't get much worse, a new survey reveals that an alarmingly high percentage of lone females over the age of forty quite literally never get a break.

According to Travelsupermarket.com, single women are turning into a growing band of "Holly-no-mates" and when they can't drum up a holiday companion from their circle of friends are reluctant to go it alone.

As many as 11% of women in the 2,374 people surveyed claimed they never take a holiday. As part of a modern syndrome, nearly half (41%) of these women are not in a relationship, most are aged between 45 and 54 and are separated, divorced or widowed.

When it comes to equal opportunities, great escapes don't seem to figure for single women, be it because of a shortage of funds or lack of an inclination to fend off Latin lotharios or the pitying looks of married couples over the hotel breakfast buffet.

And to add insult to no holiday, single men account for one of the travel industry's most booming sectors - clocking up five or more breaks a year!

Psychologist Donna Dawson said: "Going on holiday alone can be a very

difficult thing to do, especially for a woman who finds herself single again following a divorce, separation or bereavement."

While it's fair to say that it's easier for men - they can comfortably prop up bar stools and dine alone, suffering less of a stigma than the brave gal who hits the town alone - what's stopping women from splashing out on a well-earned break?

"Generally, single women have never felt as free to travel alone as single men, due to the personal safety risks involved for them," explains Kayte Williams, holidays manager at travelsupermarket.com.

"Even if a woman can get beyond the fear and stigma of holidaying alone, she can also face paying hefty single person supplements which creates another reason to stay at home."

So what is a girl to do? Well, she would do well to check out the growing number of tour operators who, having switched on to this potentially lucrative market, have ditched single person supplements. And there are plenty of websites bringing single female travellers together.

As far as inspirational films go, Shirley Valentine may be slightly dated but since when did running away from it all go out of fashion? Buy the DVD, treat yourself to new undies and get yourself off to Greece. It beats talking to the wall.