Bumble’s Guide To Holiday Romances
BY MAHI KUMAR
We’ve got you covered with how to find a (safe) holiday romance.
30 MAY 2023
Travel romances are always so fun. The excitement, the headrush, the whirlwind...
If you have read my travel diaries, you know that I love to travel. Not only that, but I love to see places with people who know what to do, as it helps you experience a destination in a completely different way. The natural byproduct of this is that I am a sucker for a whirlwind holiday romance because there’s just a rush of excitement associated with meeting somebody in a different country and doing something unpredictably fun. I had a midnight date at the Golden Gate bridge with wine, cheese and crackers. Did I think that I’d be doing that two days prior? Absolutely not.
Well, with Covid-19 restrictions largely behind us, travel is a huge thing again. It looks like just about everybody (including myself) are off for a Euro Summer. So with that in mind, the girls at Chatty have teamed up with Bumble to give you the ultimate guide to holiday romances. We’re giving you the step-by-step on how Bumble can safely be utilised to help you find love and adventures on a whole new level (we love a local tour guide!).
Bumble’s premium feature “Travel Mode” bridges the gap between you and your overseas destination. It’s not just for holiday romances but works to help you also get a BFF in another country.
Travel Mode lets you change your location at any time (meaning that you can change your location either before your trip or during it). This means that at any time prior to your travels (if you’re organised like me and want a local Las Vegas man to show you parts of the city that you can only get to by car) or during your trip (also like myself, but if you’re very spontaneous and have decided with the girls that you all want to go on a triple date in Los Angeles that very night) you can switch your location up and get down with the locals.
Travel Mode can help you meet new people while travelling, find a travel buddy if you’re a solo traveller, or even just make connections with cool people while adventuring. To use Travel Mode, select the blue travel button in ‘settings’. You can then type the location you’re planning to visit. It’ll automatically be set to the city centre location of that destination, and will let potential matches know that you’re “travelling”.
According to Bumble’s APAC Communications Director, Lucille McCart, “Wanderlove is the dating trend to watch in 2023 - a survey of more than 14,000 people on Bumble globally revealed that singles are after an eat, date, love moment this year, with 1 in 3 (33%) saying they are now more open to travel and relationships with people who are not in their current city.
Post-pandemic WFH flexibility means that 1 in 8 (14%) of us have explored the idea of being a ‘digital nomad’, opening up how we think about who and where we date. In fact, 9% of people actually find it easier to date in another country. “
Part of the reason that I love holiday pals or romances are because you get a much richer and authentic experience. You now have a friend in a destination for life (if it gets that deep!). I’ve made friends across the world that I have visited if I’ve gone back to that city, or they’ve visited me all the way in New Zealand. I’ve had a local friend drive us from Los Angeles to San Diego and bake us cookies for the journey. I’ve had holiday romances take me to Napa Valley in California, show me their high school they went to in New York, and sneak me into a 200,000 person music festival in Las Vegas called Electric Daisy Carnival.
So with all of the above in mind, if you’re planning on travelling this year, this is a way to elevate the adventure and excitement in your travels. Now, while this all sounds like fun and games (which for the most part it should be!), there’s obviously also a sinister underbelly to travelling and meeting strangers.
As a seasoned pro who has been lucky with my holiday affairs, here are my top tips to staying safe while on the hunt for your holiday bae or bestie!
Turn on Travel Mode to meet locals even before arriving at your destination
Let locals know you’re just in town for a short stretch. Travel Mode will automatically be turned on for seven days, but you can extend it for as long as you like if you’re loving your visit, or turn it off if you head home early.
Bring back the travel bio
Updating your Bumble bio every time you travel to a new city or country can be a helpful way to attract the people and experiences that you’re seeking. You can do so by adding your travel plans to your Bumble profile bio (📍✈️ 🇯🇵) or add activities you’re interested in using your interest badges.
Basic safety etiquette
When I’m talking to someone, if it feels appropriate I try to see if there’s any social media mentioned in their bio, or other accounts that can help me verify that they are actually legit. You can also use the Voice Call or Video Chat feature in the Bumble app without exchanging personal contact information ahead of the date. This way, you can verify the identity of your match and get to know them better before meeting in person.
Asking a match to hop on a call can be as simple as messaging, “Want to do a quick video chat for five minutes?”, and doing so can be a great way to vibe check. Then, when it comes to arranging a meeting time, try to opt for daytime dates, as they can feel safer than a night time meeting. It also helps to proactively pick a public location and let someone know where you are (as set out in tip 4) - even if it’s just a quick drink.
Tell people where you’re going
People usually say to tell someone where you’re going… Well, my take on this is to tell as many people as possible. If I’m out with somebody, then all of my travel party will know who this person is. My approach is to get the person’s name and social media immediately, pass on screenshots and images to any friends that I am travelling with, and if I’m travelling to a residential area with them, also get that address in advance and pass it on. I’ll then tell friends very clearly when to expect me back.
In addition to all of this, I have my live location on at all times for the people I’m travelling with and a few friends back home. This way, people who aren’t travelling and are back home are also aware of where I am, which helps provide that extra level of safety and security.
Stay open-minded
According to Bumble’s 2023 Dating Trends, we should be optimistic about dating in 2023 with 70% of people saying they feel positive about the romance that lies ahead.
A good moment to give a holiday fling a chance! This leans into tip 3 above, and it may be the professional and organised gal in me, but I like to do my due diligence on the place (what are the customs and cultural norms) before I get there. Learning about dating etiquette in such cultures might even lead you to return home with a new outlook on dating (or at least a few new tips).
Trust your gut!
Last, but definitely not least, is to trust your instincts.
I genuinely think one of my biggest decision making processes is to think about the situation at hand and whether or not it feels right to me. As many holiday flings as I may have had, I easily have also not gone ahead with certain activities or encounters because it just didn’t feel right and something unsettled me. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what, but if it felt wrong I wasn’t going ahead.
So my biggest tip is to trust your instincts too, and if something seems suspicious or uneasy, do not go ahead with the date. This applies even when you’re already on the date. Don’t be afraid to leave or arrange to leave. Your safety should always come first, so it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Travel is on the cards again in this post-pandemic era, and many of us are looking more hopeful and open regarding love (read our piece on what a first date may look like in 2023!).
It's the perfect opportunity to expand your horizons when looking for love.
Hopefully, with the help of Chatty and Bumble, you have the tried, tested and safe guide to holiday romances as you head off on any adventure!
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