A holiday trip with loved ones? They might not be ideal companions, science says
To enjoy a stress-free travel experience, you’re already planning the Christmas getaway to one of the many snowy and festive destinations across Europe, or to a warm-weather escape beyond the continent. Chances are, your companions’ travel styles are compatible to yours. An international research team from universities in Australia and China claim that finding the perfect travel partner has a lot more to do than just matching shared interests. The researchers studied over 1 000 social media posts and surveyed more than 500 travellers who had found partners online. The people meet through social networking services such as Douban based on mutual destination interests and create short-term travel groups. These trips don’t involve family or friends, which means there are no social obligations, so the emphasis is on individual attributes and how well people can work together.
What makes a great travel partner
“With the advent of social media, access to travel companions has transcended traditional kinship and social circles. More and more young travellers tend to establish temporary travel partner relationships with strangers who share common travel goals through online travel communities,” explained co-author Sam Huang, head of the School of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University in Australia, in a news release(opens in new window). The study results identified four key attributes that determined if an online stranger is someone who would become the ideal travel partner. The four qualities that positively affected memorable tourism experiences were emotional intelligence, experience, compatibility and responsibility. The findings were published in the ‘International Journal of Tourism Research’(opens in new window). Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand your own and fellow travellers’ feelings and handle them in a smart, kind way. Keeping cool under pressure, managing emotions and being aware of others’ moods leads to a positive climate when things don’t go according to plan, such as a wrong hotel reservation. Experience builds confidence because the more you do something, the more skilled, comfortable and self-assured you become. If you’re an experienced traveller, others are more likely to depend on you. When you work well with your travel companions, there are fewer problems, conflicts, delays or misunderstandings. Compatibility is key when travelling, from sightseeing priorities to rest times. Lastly, being a responsible traveller means doing what you’re supposed to do consistently and reliably. Responsibility makes everything run smoothly, for example pre-arranged travel plans.
(not) your nearest and dearest
“Interestingly, the research revealed that the best travel partner may depend on what each traveller values most,” commented Huang. “Those who place greater importance on emotional support and companionship are generally better matched with same-sex travel partners who possess high emotional intelligence and conscientiousness, traits that promote harmonious interactions and understanding.” “The research in no way suggest [sic] that you shouldn’t be traveling with your wife, or even your in-laws. But the advice is that if you are travelling with family, be sure to set some goals and expectations before packing your bags,” he concluded.