Home > Culture > Food & Travel

Demand for solo travel doubles ahead of Valentine's Day, Airbnb finds

Published: 11 Feb. 2025, 13:10 Updated: 11 Feb. 2025, 15:29

LEE JIAN
[email protected]

A Shepherd's Cottage stay in the Scottish Highlands [AIRBNB]

Demand for solo travel on Valentine's Day doubled around the world, according to Airbnb search traffic data released Tuesday.

Compared to last year, searches for solo travelers from Feb. 14 to Feb 17 on the platform went up 100 percent. The figure for groups of two travelers went up 50 percent, and groups of three or more travelers increased by 70 percent.

The search data applied specifically to Korean travelers also saw the highest spike among solo travelers, increasing by 64 percent on year, while searches for groups of two went up 32 percent.

Solo travelers during the Valentine's Day weekend preferred locations with ample sunlight and beaches, Airbnb found.

Based on data and archived reviews, the platform has suggested apartments with balconies in Riomaggiore, Italy; villas in front of the beach Puerto Vallarta and Ensenada in Mexico; and a modern house next to Seven Mile Beach in Shoalhaven Heads, Australia.

Couples and friends tended to opt for cozy stays or relaxing resorts, like cottages in the Scottish Highlands and Cotswold in Britain, an antique house in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and a private stay with a lawn and a mini pool in Austin, Texas.

Group travelers were more inclined to book a spacious stay with a pool, with the platform suggesting private houses and resorts in locations like Sedona in Arizona and Ilhabela in Brazil.

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]