It seems like some travelers get more than just a souvenir on vacation; they also pick up a spouse or a bestie. That’s according to a poll conducted by OnePoll for tour operator Exodus Travels.
According to the data, one-fifth of the Americans who participated in the study met their spouse while on vacation! And three in 10 dated someone they met on a plane.
Maybe it has something to do with the relaxed state vacation induces? Or perhaps it’s because travel already requires a certain amount of openness and curiosity. Whatever the reason, it’s not just romantic relationships that develop on vacation. A quarter of the 2,000 respondents who have traveled internationally currently have a best friend that they met on a trip.
Some of the respondents were superfriends who made an average of five lifelong friends over years of traveling; that number was 77 percent. While the data was limited to Americans who already travel internationally, these figures still paint a picture of how sharing an experience can bring you closer.
Some friendships didn’t become real-life friendships afterwards but did result in social media 'friendship.' The data says that on an average trip, the respondents gained 12 new followers on social media. And even if the relationship didn’t carry over after everyone got home, 79 percent felt that making friends enriched the trip regardless.
As for meeting locals who aren’t on vacation, 77 percent felt that made the journey more meaningful.
And it won’t surprise anyone to hear that a third of people have had a vacation romance while traveling. We’ll always have Paris?