American Express Travel recently conducted a survey on the personal hobbies and interests that travelers pursue while they travel and turned up some interesting statistics. Despite the softening economy, people are still planning trips to pursue their passions. In fact, 87% of survey respondents said that they were still planning to take the same number of vacations–or even more–over the next two years to pursue their passions, because they know how important it is for their emotional health. Good for them!

Traveling to pursue one’s life passions just might be the perfect way to travel solo. If you’ve been hesitant to jump onboard the solo travel trend because just seeing a new place alone doesn’t appeal, booking a trip with purpose–around a hobby or interest–could be for you.

Say you love to play golf. Why not book a trip to a resort with a championship golf course and take lessons from a pro? Or if you’re a baseball fan, you could visit the stadiums where your favorite teams play and catch some live games. If you love cooking, why not travel to New Orleans or Paris and take a cooking workshop? If you’re a sci-fi fan, there are lots of conventions going on all the time, in interesting cities around the world, where you could meet up with other fans and see some of your favorite sci-fi actors, writers, and show runners while seeing a new city. I have a friend who goes to regional line-dancing workshops during her vacations.

I traveled to England years ago to audit a class called “Shakespeare on the Page and Stage” through the University where I work. I did not know anyone in the class when I signed up. During weekday mornings, we had class, and on several evenings, we attended the Royal Shakespeare Company’s performances of plays like The Tempest and The Merchant of Venice in both London and Stratford-Upon-Avon. I made new friends and did some sight-seeing with them, but I also did quite a bit of exploring on my own. For me (as a former English major), it was the perfect way to be introduced to England.

If you’re focused on something you love and are having fun dong it, you won’t have time to think about the fact that you’re alone. In fact, you probably won’t be alone for long, because you’ll be surrounded every day by others who share your passion. If dining alone gives you the heebie-jeebies, why not invite one of your fellow hobbyists or classmates to join you for dinner to swap favorite tips and stories, or discuss that day’s class lesson? Pursuing a hobby during travel works especially well if it’s a hobby ideally suited for solos–for instance, photography. If you’re a hardcore shutterbug, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to take your time capturing all the shots you want without having to worry about a travel companion getting bored or worse yet, having to rush around to keep your travel companion happy and not be able to get the kinds of photos you really want to take?

Looking for more ideas for theme travel? Here’s a brief list to get you started brainstorming:

• If music is your passion, travel to see your favorite musician or band in concert, or take a music cruise.
• Tennis player? Go to Wimbledon or the U.S. Open, or to a resort offering a tennis clinic.
• Aspiring artist? Go on an Art Trek.
• Dog lovers might consider traveling to see the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
• For those who love being on the road on their motorcycles, there are tons of events where you can meet fellow enthusiasts.
• Take a condensed class through a college or university on a topic that interests you that takes place somewhere else. How about art history in Italy?
• If you’re a U.S. history buff, consider traveling around to Civil War battlefields or other historic sites.
• If you’re a foodie, why not go to one or more of the major food festivals that are held each year?

The best way to meet other enthusiasts and learn about conventions is to join an online group centered around that hobby. Try Yahoo! groups, which has mailing lists centered around just about every topic you can imagine. If you’re looking for a travel class through a college or university, start with your local schools first, and if they don’t have any offerings that appeal, try looking further afield. With a little due diligence and the willingness to pursue a passion, you could find yourself embarking on one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.