How does travel change you? Jetstar study suggests it makes you more attractive

The study found Kiwis were eager to pursue people interested in travel. Photo / 123rf

If you’re a single Kiwi looking for love, it pays to like travel — or at least look like you do — according to a recent Jetstar survey.

The study found one in two single Kiwis was more likely to “swipe right” on a dating profile if it looked like the person was into travel.

However, just make sure your profile photo isn’t you on a fishing trip, because 35 per cent said they’d “instantly reject” a profile with this picture. Instead, opt for a photo of you enjoying local cuisine, relaxing on the beach or drinking coffee at a cafe.

Kiwis were also particular about the “kind” of travel they find attractive. Flashy, expensive getaways? Not so much. Instead, people said they were most attracted to adventurous travellers (25 per cent), followed by culture-loving sightseers (21 per cent).

This isn’t only because people who travel have great first-date stories; studies suggest travelling and living overseas can also shape our character.

For example, research by Dr Julia Zimmermann and Dr Franz Neyer, of Friedrich-Schiller-University in the German city of Jena, analysed a large group of German university students and compared those who had studied abroad for a semester with those who had not.

They found those who studied and travelled abroad were more likely to be extraverted, open to new experiences, emotionally stable and agreeable. Of course, it could be that the sort of people who choose to study abroad are more likely to have these qualities in the first place; but, either way, travel can be a strong filter for these traits when swiping through a dating app.

Kiwis willing to travel for love

It appears that Kiwis don’t only find travellers more appealing, they’re also willing to travel themselves to find love.

More than 80 per cent were unhappy with Aotearoa’s small dating pool and more than half (53 per cent) said they’d consider travelling to a new city simply to find their forever plus-one.

Almost one-third (29 per cent) said they’d be willing to leave New Zealand entirely to a country with better dating prospects.

Those who do head abroad to find love were also almost unanimous in their hate of one particular behaviour; being rude to crew, staff or waiters, with 72 per cent saying it was the largest travel “ick”.

The survey, conducted for Jetstar by Pure Profile, surveyed 500 Kiwis aged 18 or older who were single or open to dating, between February and March this year.