Anyone looking for love after a miserable Valentine’s Day is advised to book a holiday, in light of new research that shows four in 10 Brits think group getaways are a good way to meet a new partner.
While Shirley Valentine brought holiday romance in the spotlight for the nation’s women, Mintel reveals that men (47%) are considerably more likely than women (37%) to see group holidays as a good way to find love.
And although it is the nation’s young who are the most likely to see group holidays as a way to meet a partner (57% of 16-24s agree with this), a third (32%) of Brits aged 65+ also view group holidays as a key to romance, which proves you’re never too old to find love on holiday.
Mintel senior travel analyst John Worthington said: "An old-fashioned holiday romance remains a popular concept among Brits, none more so than for the young.
"In an age of social media, it could be that meeting someone in person, with a shared love of travel, provides the perfect antidote to online dating.
"For young, unattached solo travellers, the popularity of ITV2’s Love Island may also be inspiring young Brits to be more open to a holiday romance."
Those who love to travel join a growing number of solo travellers, who either holiday alone or join a group of people they don’t already know.
According to Mintel, a fifth (17%) of UK adults has taken a holiday on their own in the last five years.
This is a slight rise from 15% in 2017, with men (20%) more likely than women (13%) to go on holiday on their own.
The Mintel research also reveals travelling alone is not exclusive to singletons. In total, around 32% of solo travellers are living as a couple.
While almost half (46%) of solo travellers living in a couple holidayed alone because their partner/family could not/did not want to go, almost four in 10 (38%) felt they needed some time to themselves.
However, solo travellers may be labelled selfish by their nearest and dearest. Some 31% of Brits feel that going on holiday alone instead of with a partner or family seems selfish, with men (37%) more likely than women (25%) to agree.
Worthington added: "Brands need to address this sense of guilt and use marketing to create a sense of permission or entitlement, particularly amongst women who may like the idea of some ‘me-time’ but may feel under pressure from partners not to take it."
