Wanderlove is the Latest Summer Dating Trend

Singles are turning to their travels to find romance this summer, a term that’s being dubbed “wanderlove.”

According to a new survey from Bumble, a majority of 53 percent of people on its app are looking for a holiday fling this summer instead of searching for longer-term options closer to home.

Part of this trend could be due to the number of singles who choose to travel alone to explore new destinations and are looking to meet new people along the way. Bumble found that almost 30 percent of its users meet people over the app when they travel alone, and 52 percent say that dating people abroad is a fun way to learn about new cultures, according to UK website Indy 100.

Another interesting finding is that people have more confidence when they date while on vacation or traveling abroad, according to Bumble. About 53 percent said they feel more attractive, and 21 percent said they are more attracted to people from different places.

Traveling can benefit singles in many ways: it is not only a chance to explore a new place and try different foods. A new environment calls for people to be more aware of their surroundings. An unfamiliar location can engage people away from their phones and allow more opportunities to strike up conversation with locals.

There’s a flip side to summer romance, though – not everyone feels adventurous enough to speak with someone who doesn’t speak the same language. According to Bumble’s survey, 35 percent of Gen Z and Millennial daters have felt embarrassed when someone has flirted with them in another language and they can’t understand what they are saying. About 21 percent admit they have tried and failed to ask someone on a date in the local language while traveling abroad.

Bumble is also taking the survey as an opportunity to promote its Travel Mode feature, so users can match with people at the destination they are traveling to and make plans in advance to meet up.

The company also noted the top five holiday destinations for Bumble respondents: the Greek Islands, the Balearic Islands in Spain, Paris, the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and Lisbon, Portugal.

Bumble conducted the survey in June 2023 with a sample of 5,610 of its users worldwide, according to Indy 100. Some research was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Bumble among UK users who are actively dating or have had a holiday romance in the past.