The Best App For Finding a Date While Traveling
The Best App For Finding a Date While Traveling
Andrew_Rybalko/iStock
https://www.fodors.com/news/travel-tips/why-feeld-is-the-best-dating-app-for-travelers
Want to meet people while traveling? Try this dating app.
A week before I left for Dublin, I pulled out my phone and got on Feeld, a dating app that brands itself “for open-minded individuals.” I’d joined Feeld four months before and found myself with more dates than I had on any other dating app in years.
I expected I’d have to pay for access or buy a membership to see what Dublin had to offer, but was surprised when Feeld let me swipe in the Irish capital – for free. In two days, I met an attractive guy who wanted to go on a date. This experience, and others, cemented why Feeld is the best dating app for travelers.
What Is Feeld?
Founded as 3ender in 2014, the app relaunched as Feeld in 2016 by founder Dimo Trifonov, after he and his partner and current Feeld CEO, Ana Kirova, had a hard time finding an app that would allow them to date together and separately, was inclusive of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, and non-traditional relationship dynamics.
Today, Feeld is a dating app for those interested in exploring intimacy, dating, sexuality, and gender identity in ways that aren’t limited by society’s expectations or norms. Feeld has been called a “hook up” app, but in reality, it’s a dating app designed for all types of relationships, from monogamy to polyamory, and even friendships. Within the app, people date solo or with a partner(s) or friend(s).
Feeld has created an environment where it is normal, accepted, and expected for individuals to be completely honest about what they’re looking for and what their boundaries and expectations are when it comes to dating, relationships, and intimacy. Part of the way they do that is by being inclusive of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, offering 20 of each to choose from. Feeld lists everything from intersex to gender nonconforming, androgynous, transfeminine, trans human, pangender, man, man and woman couple, and agender, as well as grayA, omnisexual, queer, skoliosexual, straight, heteroflexible, bi-curious, asexual, autosexual, gay, and more.
In your profile, you can display up to 10 interests – like travel, dancing, plants, anime, etc. – as well as 10 desires that convey your relationship interests from friendship-first dynamics (like celibate or friendships) to one-on-one (relationships, ENM, poly, or singles) or group dynamics (MM or MF). You can also add emotional connections like “cuddling,” “kissing,” “massage,” or “foreplay,” or name your kinks and fantasies like “BDSM,” “vanilla,” “role play,” “being a switch,” etc.
Within the bios, people are usually clearer about their relationship status, what they’re interested in sexually, if they’re looking for someone to play video games with or go for a hike, and hard lines they won’t cross, like political affiliations or lifestyle choices like no drinking/drugs.
As far as my experience, I’ve been on dates with men from Feeld that never resulted in any sexual contact and connected with men who were more interested in intimate online connections, some who wanted a monogamous relationship, and a few who wanted to connect on a personal level long before having a sexual experience. Sure, I’ve had one-night stands through the app, but even those usually started with a date beforehand that involved engaging conversations over drinks.
I’ve used Hinge, Bumble, and Tinder while traveling, and while I appreciate the apps having more users than Feeld, unfortunately, they draw a large number of bots and catfishers that I don’t have time to wade through while traveling.
Perhaps the best thing about Feeld? It doesn’t use a predictive algorithm like you’d find with Hinge, Tinder, or Bumble, which often results in poor user experience, racial bias, or fees to have your profile shown to other users.
The dating app algorithm, especially on Hinge, has been reported as being biased against women of color, limiting their connections and matches. As a woman of color myself (I’m Mixed or half Mexican, half white), I tested this out. I got more and better matches when I labeled myself as “white” on Hinge, rather than identifying as “Latina.” I shouldn’t have to deal with racism or bias from my dating app, and I do not feel comfortable being disingenuous about my identity on my profile.
The nickel-and-dime design on Hinge and Tinder that requires you to pay for a certain amount of likes or to make your profile highly visible to potential matches doesn’t make dating while traveling easier either. When visiting a destination, I’d rather put my money toward tours, activities, and dining out, not paying for a “Rose” on Hinge or a “Spotlight” on Bumble just so my profile could “potentially” be seen by other users.
Perhaps my biggest issue is the dating culture on other apps. Users on Feeld, no matter where they’re in the world, are more upfront and explicit about what they’re looking for in a date or connection. It’s built into the culture of the app. I’ve found that users on other dating apps have a harder time expressing their dating desires, which doesn’t make dating while traveling easier.
Tinder has been trying to combat this with group dating and their explore section, which matches users based on shared interests like “foodies” or “short-term fun.” Although I like the explore section, I haven’t got a date from it while visiting a destination as I hoped.
This brings me to my last point – I get five times the number of matches and twice the number of dates on Feeld than I ever have on any other dating app, even when using the same pictures, bios, and paying for membership. I have to attribute this to the fact that Feeld doesn’t use an algorithm but presents all users within a certain location. If I’m looking to increase my chances of going on a date while traveling, then I’m opening Feeld. I want to see all potential users within a new destination, not the select few that a dating app thinks I should be matched with.
You could pay for a Majestic membership on Feeld to see which users like you, filter potential dates by desires, and get unlimited likes. However, I don’t have a membership and don’t think it’s necessary if you want to find a date while traveling.
Why Am I Standing Naked in the Freezing Cold of Rural Japan?
https://www.fodors.com/world/asia/japan/experiences/news/hotel-experience-hoshino-kai-kirishima-kagoshima
What have I done?
The snowflakes drifted uncaringly down around me as I contemplated the choices I’d made in my life that led me to be standing here in rural Japan…in the snow…in 30-degree temps…completely naked.
The soles of my feet were so numb that I could barely feel the freezing stone beneath them, and my nose and ears were starting to feel hot. I tried to think back to my Boy Scout training. Isn’t a burning sensation the first symptom of frostbite? Or was it numbness?
In front of me was a steaming pool and an impossible choice: stand here in the freezing cold air or get into the scalding hot water. It was like some kind of sadistic scene out of Shogun.
Ok. Wait. Let’s back up.
I was in Japan for my annual trip to visit my in-laws in Kagoshima Prefecture. Kagoshima is the southernmost prefecture of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands. Head straight south in a boat from Kagoshima, and you hit nothing for 2,200 miles until Indonesia. Head east, and it’s 6,200 miles before running aground in Mexico. In other words, it’s pretty much the edge of the world. Despite this, or maybe because of it, I enjoy my time there immensely. I’ve been encouraging all of my friends and family to get out of the cities and explore the rest of the country ever since I lived in a small town of 7,000 people in Oita Prefecture (also on Kyushu) when I was in my early twenties. Sure, you won’t find much “kawaii” cosplay or cream puffs shaped like Totoro in the rural cities and towns around Japan–but you will find an abundance of amazingly fresh food, clean air, beautiful vistas, warm hospitality, and a surprising amount to do.
One of my favorite things to do once I get out of the cities is to visit an onsen hot spring resort. Onsen are the product of Japan’s abundant volcanic activity and have been an integral part of Japanese culture for thousands of years. Unlike visiting hot springs in places like Iceland, onsen bathing is more than just floating in a pool of hot water. There’s a ritual to it that is as much a part of the experience as the actual bathing itself.
The Hoshino Resorts
KAI Kirishima.
Hoshino Resorts KAI Kirishima
First of all, onsen bathing is always done in the nude—most places won’t allow you to wear a swimsuit, even if you wanted to. The baths are (almost) always gender-separated, but it still often weirds people out a bit to bathe in the nude in front of other people. (When I was in Japan for the first time as a teenager, you definitely couldn’t have paid me enough to try it, but over the years, I’ve grown accustomed to it.)
Second of all, you have to wash yourself before you get in the bath. Taking a bath before taking a bath might seem odd, but when you’re sitting there soaking in the same bath water as 20 strangers, you’ll be glad to know that all of them cleaned themselves before stepping in. So, you wash yourself while sitting on a low stool at the wash stations spread around the perimeter of the room, and once you’ve scrubbed off the dirt and sweat of the day, you’re ready to start soaking. There’s something comforting about the fact that everyone visiting the bath follows the same ritual. It doesn’t matter if you’re the president of a multibillion-dollar company or a garbage collector–all are equal in the onsen.
I’d arranged for a couple of nights at a local hot spring resort owned by the Hoshino Resorts brand, the KAI Kirishima, as a relaxing staycation. KAI Kirishima sits on the slopes of Mt. Kirishima, an active volcano that straddles Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, and looks out over one of the three oldest national parks in Japan, Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park. The setting is unbelievably beautiful, with forested hills, lush fields full of deer, and another volcano, called Sakurajima, in the distance. It’s idyllic, and the designers of the hotel use it to their full advantage. All of the rooms face a single direction–out over the national park and towards Sakurajima—and the lobby is designed in such a way that you cannot see this stunning vista at all when moving from the hotel entrance, through the check-in desk, lobby, and elevators, until you’re finally rewarded with it when you get to your room. It’s a clever design trick that makes the rooms feel extra special.
The exceptionality of KAI Kirishima doesn’t stop with the design, though. They have perfected the art of omotenashi, or the full-spectrum hospitality that Japan is rightly famous for. The staff never hover or intrude, but somehow are always around right when you need something (how do they do that??), all smiles and gentle bowing and quick to offer anything you might need or to drop off that small box of seasonal sweets, a perfect accompaniment to the in-room tea set. As is extremely common in Japan, nothing is done in a lackluster or half-assed way, and everyone takes great pride in doing their jobs perfectly, whether that job is arranging sweets on a plate, mopping the floor, or explaining the rules of the onsen. This is true all over Japan, but especially in the countryside, where tourists are less common and, therefore, more special.
Speaking of the countryside: the rural parts of Japan are some of the most beautiful in the world—a quilt of tea fields, bamboo groves, and little towns that seem stuck in a (very scenic) time warp. There are hiking trails and walking paths everywhere, with scenic pit stops and gorgeous vistas awaiting you at every turn on clear days. Myriad flowers bloom in spring, cicadas serenade your every step in summer, fall foliage that rivals anything in New England awaits in fall, and snowy tranquility in winter–each season has something special to offer.
Kirishima Kinkowan National Park itself is a wonderland for amateur volcanologists, hardcore hikers, and anyone with a camera they want to justify lugging up a mountain. (I’ll stick to my cell phone, thank you very much.) Trails snake through ancient forests, up to crater lakes with names that sound like they were invented by Studio Ghibli, and past lonely shrines half-swallowed by moss. If you listen closely and imagine hard enough, you can picture feudal lords and ascetic monks from centuries past walking along these very trails.
Mt. Kirishima, Kagoshima, Japan.Shutterstock/Joan Ne
Yet for all its wildness, the countryside here is deeply welcoming. Random roadside produce stands operate on the honor system (“Cucumbers only 50 yen! Please don’t steal!”), tea farmers will wave you into their fields to sample this year’s brew, and neighborhood festivals seem to happen almost anytime. Kids chase fireflies in the summer, grandmas hand out homemade pickles to their neighbors, and every shopkeeper seems genuinely delighted just to have you stop in.
We’re not all nature people, though. Some of us just want to sample the local spirits: the kind from a bottle, not from the afterlife. If that’s more your speed, allow me to introduce you to shochu. If sake is Japan’s best-known tipple, shochu is its quietly proud cousin—especially down in Kagoshima, where it’s made from sweet potatoes, not rice or barley. Forget what you think you know about spirits: Kagoshima’s sweet potato shochu isn’t harsh or fiery. It’s complex, aromatic, and has just enough earthy umami to make you wonder if your taste buds need to pay rent.
A pilgrimage to the source is pretty much mandatory (and my in-laws would never forgive me if I didn’t shill for the local stuff), so the hotel kindly booked me a private tour at Kokubu Shuzo, a local shochu distillery about 45 minutes from the hotel.
If You’re Traveling to Europe Over the Holidays, Watch Out for These Airport Strikes
https://www.fodors.com/news/news/if-youre-traveling-to-europe-over-the-holidays-watch-out-for-these-airport-strikes
Airport worker strikes in the U.K., Italy, and Spain could disrupt European travel through Christmas. Here’s where delays are expected and what travelers should do.
Travelers bound for Europe this holiday season could be in for an unexpected stocking stuffer in the form of flight delays and cancellations related to work stoppages.
Labor actions are currently planned by unions affecting airports in the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain. For American travelers, there are two main takeaways: the impact of the strikes on flights to or from the United States is expected to be relatively limited, and threatened strike actions in Europe are frequently cancelled if the labor union wins concessions.
Italy
46 flights were cancelled and another 48 delayed at Rome and Naples airports Wednesday as airline ground handlers, airline staff, and air traffic controllers struck for several hours in the afternoon. The workers were striking to protest their ongoing labor dispute over the pace of contract negotiations and working conditions. The striking workers had returned to their jobs by early evening. Flights were cancelled at Rome by KLM, Air France, Vueling, SWISS, Iberia, and British Airways, while flights at Naples were cancelled by Air France, Iberia, easyJet, Wizz Air, and Transavia.
Italian airport workers have not announced further strike dates.
United Kingdom
Labor unions representing ground staff for easyJet also planned a walkout at London’s Luton Airport from December 19-22 and December 26-29. At London’s Heathrow Airport, flight attendants for Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) will walk out on December 22, 24, and 26. United, the union representing the airline’s London-based cabin crew, has rejected a pay increase proposal that trails inflation, which the union says amounts to a pay cut for workers already stretched thin. The majority of SAS cabin crew are based in Scandinavia under a different labor agreement and are not participating in the strike.
Spain
Ryanair’s ground handling partner, Azul Handling, has faced ongoing strikes resulting from their labor dispute with workers, who have been staging weekly walkouts, citing concerns over working conditions, pay bonuses, and job protections. The union will continue the walkouts through the end of the year on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 5-9 AM, 12-3 PM, and 9 PM to midnight—peak departure hours for Ryanair flights from Spanish airports.
The airports affected are Alicante, Barcelona-El Prat, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid-Barajas, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tenerife South, and Valencia.
What to Do in the Event of a Delay or Cancellation
It’s helpful for travelers to have their airline’s app downloaded on their phone before they head to the airport. Most airlines use their apps as a first point of notification for flight delays and cancellations.
Passengers who are delayed for several hours or overnight may be entitled to compensation from the airline and reimbursement of expenses under Europe’s consumer protection laws, as long as the reason for the delay or cancellation is considered within the airline’s control. In this case, it makes a difference exactly who was on strike. Airport workers not directly employed by the airline like air traffic controllers or ground staff employed by a third party are considered outside of airline control, but directly employed workers like pilots and cabin crew are considered within an airline’s control.
Travel insurance can help defray some of the expenses of a flight delay—even if the delay is for an uncontrollable reason, like weather. Many credit cards offer travel insurance automatically when purchasing an airline ticket with that card, so it can be helpful to check the fine print.
It has been a difficult year for travel in Europe. French air traffic controllers struck in October, while sporadic work actions by airport and airline workers have affected flights in Italy, Portugal, and Spain throughout the year.
Hospitality careers in the AI economy: Why people will still matter most
https://hotelsmag.com/news/hospitality-careers-in-the-ai-economy-why-people-will-still-matter-most/
Larry Kimball, co-founder and CEO of Vivify Hotels & Resorts
When will digital agents replace the human touchpoints that create poignant memories in hospitality? Spoiler alert: never.
Hotel leaders must mandate the use of AI to attract a new generation of workers and create careers aligned with their changing values. This is essential because global growth in hospitality job demand is real, and competition for a limited supply of workers will intensify. Over at least the next five years, AI will create more hospitality careers than it will eliminate.
Robots and artificial intelligence are about to take over the world, according to almost every self-anointed expert. Yet last time we looked, hotels still need to attract guests, buy food, prepare meals, wash dishes, make beds and create returnees. Is having an Optimus robot and lines of computer code everywhere really tourism’s future? If so, why pursue a career—let alone one in hospitality? The answer is simple: hospitality remains a high-growth, people-centered industry.
Get on the growth ride
Let’s use the U.S. to envision future hospitality jobs. The federal government estimates that by 2033, one in every eight jobs will be in the hospitality and leisure sector—a significant increase from today’s one in every 25 jobs. This represents roughly 15% compound annual growth over an eight-year period.
Most of these jobs will carry an annual salary in 2026 clustered around $40,000, which means employers must compete on more than wages. They must compete on purpose, flexibility and personal growth.
Most of these jobs will have an annual salary in 2026 in a narrow range around $40,000[1] which means employers must compete on more than wages-they must compete on purpose, flexibility and personal growth.
How hoteliers will realistically benefit from AI
It’s red pill or blue pill time—but we only have the reality option. Hoteliers will use AI to:
- Drive demand: Get heads in beds using digital agents to attract guests, automate bookings and digitize the guest experience to the extent each guest chooses.
- Improve working environments for humans
- Reframe the value proposition of hospitality careers to recruit and retain employees.Reframe the value proposition of work with AI
Reframing the value proposition of work with AI
Hospitality operations require humans, and sustained 15% annual industry growth means inevitable competition for workers. Can AI help? Yes—but only if it achieves targeted objectives aligned with the values of a new generation seeking meaningful careers.
NYU’s Stern School of Business recently published findings from a values assessment tool used to survey Gen Z respondents. Hospitality leaders must realign their messaging and culture to reflect what this generation truly values, and AI can be the catalyst.
1. Position hospitality as a tech-enhanced career
- AI-powered tools such as agents and predictive analytics can reduce repetitive tasks for front-of-house teams, allowing them to focus on high-value, guest-facing interactions that require creativity and empathy. This elevates roles from service delivery to experience ambassadorship.
- Promote the idea that workers will learn to use advanced technologies, making them more competitive in the broader job market.
- Validation of this approach can be found a study of talent management strategies in 3, 4, and 5-star hotels in the UK, Greece and Hong Kong.
Use data-driven insights to showcase career growth
- AI enables skills mapping and personalized learning paths, turning entry-level roles into stepping stones for leadership positions.
- Highlight partnerships. Cornell University, for example, is pioneering AI tools for hospitality and workforce policy.
Make recruitment more engaging
- AI-driven recruitment tools offer instant feedback, chatbots for Q&A, and predictive matching, improving candidate experience and reducing bias. Consider the success of IHG’s conversational AI tool to convey its value proposition.
- Use generative AI to craft compelling job descriptions that highlight tech integration, career growth and purpose-driven work. Hilton uses AI to screen candidates, shortlist applicants and streamline recruitment.
Reframe hospitality as purpose-driven work
- AI frees staff from mundane tasks, enabling them to focus on creating memorable guest experiences, which can appeal to candidates seeking meaningful work.
- Position roles as human-AI partnerships, where technology amplifies empathy and creativity rather than replacing them.
Conclusion
Tell your story. The competition to attract hospitality workers will only intensify as the industry grows at double-digit rates. AI is not a threat to hospitality careers; it is a tool to attract new associates and generate demand. In 2026, hoteliers can either maintain the status quo or strategically implement AI solutions to protect their investments and enhance hospitality. The challenge is clear: develop a strategy, allocate resources and focus relentlessly on implementation and continuous improvement.
DUHC&S | Strategic Hospitality Consulting & Advisory
We transform hospitality and tourism businesses through strategic solutions, operational efficiency, and comprehensive renovation. With over 40 years of experience working with brands like Hilton, Hyatt, Sheraton, and Sonesta, we enhance asset value and profitability through:
*Operational excellence and brand standards (GSI +90%)
*Market penetration and commercial strategies
*Key partnerships and disruptive innovation
*Hotel openings and repositioning
Proven results :
✅ 48% GOP |
✅ +120% asset valuation growth
✅ Successful projects across 6 Latin American countries
🔹 Let's connect :
📩 Email: diurugeles@gmail.com
🎥 YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DUHC-S
https://viajes-noticias-duhospitality.blogspot.com
https://viajes-duhospitality.blogspot.com
https://travel-duhospitality.blogspot.com
Disclaimer
DUHC&S shares this information for educational and informational purposes only. The news articles reproduced here are sourced from public and recognized media outlets. We are not the original authors of this content but rather distributors of it. All credits go to the original sources cited in each article. If you are the legitimate owner of any material and wish to have it modified or removed, please contact us immediately at diurugeles@gmail.com, and we will address your request promptly.
Comments
Post a Comment