Media room:
Travel updates

Media room:
Travel updates

Is love in the air during the pandemic?

February 11, 2021
  • London is the world’s number one Valentine’s weekend destination for the third time in a row
  • Istanbul and Milan replace Barcelona and Vienna in second and third place

Prague/Brno, 11 February 2021 – Valentine’s travels might be tricky this year, but some things haven’t changed. London remains the world’s favourite city for Valentine’s weekend, a position it has held for the last 3 years according to data from Kiwi.com. With bookings significantly lower due to travel restrictions, London is joined at the top of the list by Milan and Istanbul.

“The UK is currently under lockdown, with various requirements for incoming passengers, so it is unlikely that many travellers to London are visiting for a Valentine’s getaway this year,” says Eliška Dočkalová, Kiwi.com Customer Experience Director. “On the other hand, Italy offers more options for couples. Restaurants and cafes are open there, albeit with some limitations. This might explain the high levels of interest in Italy as a Valentine’s destination,” she continues.

Travelling together is a great way for couples to deepen and strengthen their relationship. But shared trips can also be challenging, especially during more demanding circumstances, as many psychologists confirm.

“On trips and vacations, we tend to experience the new and the unknown,” says Jindra Hraško Brousková, personal and business coach, and partnership counsellor. “We step out of our comfort zones and try to cope with the changes which we encounter. All this can put us under pressure, making us behave differently to when we are relaxed. This breaking of barriers can help couples get to know each other better: both the good and the not so good. This knowledge can have a powerful effect on the future of the relationship.” 

Jindra adds a few helpful tips for couples:

“It may sound simple and obvious, but first of all I recommend using a method which I call the “Trust Deal”. This means the partners agree that they want to get along, and do not want to raise any negative feelings. If this happens anyway, they should stop, think, and then talk about what happened. Even if they get to the airport and one of them does not have a passport or a negative PCR test. These things usually don’t happen on purpose,” says the counsellor.  “Of course, such a deal should be practised in all our relationships, including working relationships, and not only on holiday or during the pandemic. In any case, travelling is definitely a perfect way to get to know both your partner, and yourself.” 

– Ends –

About Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com was founded in 2012 by Oliver Dlouhý and Jozef Képesi. The travel tech company was created for travelers by travelers. Its proprietary algorithm – Virtual Interlining – allows users to combine flights and ground transportation from more than 800 carriers, including many that do not normally cooperate. Kiwi.com powers more than 100 million searches every day and employs 2,000 people worldwide.

Media Contacts

Carol Barnes, Head of Global Communications, Kiwi.com

[email protected]

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