2015 was the year for ‘travel dating’ according to the leading website and app tourbar.com, which has reported a rapid increase of over 970%% year-on-year (YOY) in UK membership figures. The number of UK solo travellers embracing the trend of seeking a travel companion or romance has risen at an extremely promising rate since November 2014 with the app’s owners expecting this trend to further increase into 2016.
15,000 UK travellers now use TourBar as a platform for meeting fellow solo travellers whilst away, up on the 1,400 users in the previous year. They access TourBar via the app as well as via the website to meet users abroad and also those travellers visiting the UK. By registering as a ‘guide’ in their home city, members are able to meet like-minded solo travellers without even having to travel themselves.
The rise in membership numbers has also been felt globally, with TourBar now boasting 430,000 worldwide members, a rise of 3,809%% compared to November 2014. The UK remains a popular destination for TourBar’s global members looking to visit a new country, with 500 solo travellers from across the world planning a trip to the UK during November 2015. Over the past 12 months, the UK has also risen three places and is now the tenth most popular region where TourBar members are active.
When it comes to the who’s who of TourBar’s UK members, males account for 65%% of TourBar’s membership and on a global scale, this figure is 60%%. According to the most recent data, 37%% of the website’s UK users are aged between 25 and 34-years-old marking this as the most popular age category for members, with the number of older members in the 35-44-year-old and 55-64-year-old category both also rising by 3%% and 2%% respectively year-on-year.
TourBar’s Public Relations Manager, Anastasia Zolotova, added: “It is clear from our rising membership figures that the popularity of travel dating in the UK in 2015 has gone from strength to strength, which is very promising for TourBar. We are expecting this trend to continue into 2016 as the number of people experimenting with solo travel rises.”
“Recent introductions to our website such as the new image gallery for hosts to show off the beauty of their home cities and our upgraded homepage have both proven very effective for our members, reflecting in the huge growth we have seen not only in the UK but on a global scale.”
“Also, with many tour operators now specialising in trips for solo travellers, our website and app is able to play a vital role in supporting those who are choosing to travel alone.”
