For Indians, winter is not only about sweaters and hot cocoa- it's the favorite season for the wanderlust and travel enthusiasts, and India's No.1 dating app, QuackQuack's, consumer study shows a record high matches induced by the same love for traveling this winter. Indians are not only busy packing their bags for the weekend getaway; they are busy matching with their travel buddies on dating apps.
The app's recent survey of 10,000 active users from metros, suburbs, and rural areas of India revealed a fascinating new trend where travel and romance have intertwined. It was conducted between November 25 and December 5 through online questionnaires and consumer behavior observation. Participants ranged between 25 and 35 and belonged to various professional fields- IT, healthcare and medicine, education, sales and marketing, law and order, finance, and a portion of users in between jobs.
QuackQuack's Founder and CEO, Ravi Mittal, commented, "Traveling and visiting new places open up a more organic way for people to meet, especially at a low-pressure setting. This wanderlust-induced matching is not new, but the rate of it has definitely increased this year and more among the Millennials than any other age group."
Travel meets romance
Every winter, tourist places in India see a record-breaking number of travelers, and this onset of the winter holidays is no different. What's different is how Indians' love for traveling is changing the matching game significantly. 28% of respondents revealed that they are more inclined to match with a user who mentions a passion for traveling, specifically this time of the year. Surprisingly, 9% of these daters particularly matched with people from specific areas to discuss and get help creating an itinerary. Prakash from South Delhi said, "I matched with a very kind person from the Southern part of India whose Bio showcased that she has traveled extensively. One thing, she is beautiful, but there was another agenda- I wanted to visit the South and wanted her to recommend some offbeat locations. Plus, we chatted and connected so well over this that we ended up meeting each other once I went there."
Destination-Matching
From the snow-capped mountains of Shimla to the serene beaches of Goa, if there's one thing that has been buzzing more than the travelers, it is dating apps. QuackQuack reports an increase in match rate in the travel-favorite places, with Goa and Uttarakhand stealing the top spots. 31% of male users from Tier 1 and 2 cities disclosed matching with someone on their recent journey, and 3 in 5 people went ahead and met their match in person during the trip. Harsh, an IT professional from Amritsar, said, "I met a woman while visiting Manali. We ended up exploring the place together. It was great while it lasted, and the expiry date made it more romantic, I suppose."
Travel compatibility is the new green flag.
Travel style and preference have become a key compatibility element this season. Beach or mountains, budget or luxury, quick or laidback, QuackQuack's survey reveals users determining matches based on these differences and similarities since the onset of winter. 28% of women commented that they had paused conversation with matches due to clashing travel tastes. Anjali from Pune, a 27-year-old CA, said, "I love to splurge a little when I travel, so when I matched with a guy who was too fixated on budget-friendly, I knew things wouldn't get far with him. And since I am looking for a serious relationship, I don't think committing to someone with such a starkly different travel style is wise."
9% of daters between 32 and 35 looking for a serious match shared discussing their "must visit spots" to potential partners for long-term compatibility evaluation.
