Traveling alone, be it to trace your roots or to explore new lands, is a very enriching experience. I believe that every young person should be encouraged to partake of such an experience; however, age 16 is perhaps too young. Regardless of their maturity level, traveling alone does carry certain exposure to risk, and 16 is, in my mind, not the appropriate age to be able to handle every issue that could arise.

If the desire to travel alone is strong at age 16, channel it. Guide them through a process of planning that first trip alone. Have them research where they want to go, places they could stay, evaluate different price ranges during different times of the year. Involve them in a savings effort to fund the trip. You could incentivize them further by offering to match whatever they saved.

By the above stated method, they can begin to enjoy the process of the trip from the time that they are 16 even if they do not actually take it until they are 18 or 19, an age that is more adequate for such an undertaking. For many people, myself included, the planning of a trip is a sizable portion of the fun.