Can you find the perfect travel partner online?

If I was to “Frankenstein” my perfect travel partner, it would go something like this.

They would revel in the natural world as much as the storied cobblestone streets of old towns.

They would be cool, calm and collected under pressure (especially when navigating foreign railway stations) but also be up for spontaneous adventures when the mood strikes.

They would be a second set of eyes to stop me from walking into moving traffic, and be open to paying $50 for a cocktail if it came with plump local olives and a killer view over Positano.

In exchange, I could bring my superior map navigation skills, decent street smarts, and itinerary curation prowess to the table.

If this is already feeling like reading a dating app bio, you’re not off the mark.

Increasingly, people are going online to find companions specifically for travel — even if they already have a romantic partner.

It seems those we are closest to — our spouses, families or besties — may not embody the ideal personality traits we truly wish for in a holiday buddy.

It could be that our interests are too different to make it a fun experience, or those “icks” we can brush off at home are impossible to ignore while abroad.

Now, this is another problem we can solve thanks to the web.

Researchers from Edith Cowan University have been exploring the increasingly popular social phenomenon of seeking travel partners, digging into the key attributes people are prioritising in their hunt.

“With the advent of social media, access to travel companions has transcended traditional kinship and social circles,” Professor Sam Huang, head of ECU School of Business and Law’s Centre for Tourism Research, says.

“More and more young travellers tend to establish temporary travel partner relationships with strangers who share common travel goals through online travel communities.”

Professor Huang and his team were inspired by the rapid rise of “dazi” culture in China — an ideology of “precise companionship” whereby young people search for low-commitment connections centred on a particular need or purpose.

These dazi (translated as “buddy” or “partner”) relationships are not about depth or longevity.

Rather, they remove the pressure of establishing a friendship and instead focus solely on a shared activity, such as dining out, studying, fitness, or in this case, travel.

Professor Huang says the dazi phenomenon has surged because people are more physically fragmented than ever before, in part because of the prevalence of working from home.

“If you look at the current society in China, more people are living in crowded urban areas, but that doesn’t mean people’s social relationships have improved,” he says.

“There is a widespread sense of isolation among modern youth due to an absence of high-quality interactions. That’s why, when they travel, they may want to develop really quality relationships with their travel partners.”

ECU’s researchers analysed more than 1000 posts from Chinese social networking platform Douban and identified four key attributes that make up the perfect travel partner: emotional intelligence, travel experience, congruence, and conscientiousness.

Their research noted people would lean towards specific traits based on their personal values.

“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,” Professor Huang says.

Conversely, opposite-sex partners may appeal more to those who value diverse perspectives, knowledge, and resources, according to the findings.

This data challenges the tendency for travellers to default to their loved ones when planning their next adventure, only to feel disappointed when interpersonal turbulence occurs.

But the dazi trend is rapidly spreading beyond China, opening up new pathways for social travel.

“We are living in a global village,” Professor Huang says.

“If you study culture, there’s cultural convergence at the same time as cultural divergence. I think young people are sharing more similarities these days than their parents; they are less entrenched in a certain culture if they can access YouTube and social media channels like TikTok.”

Unsurprisingly, there are already apps to cater to this phenomenon.

While users are flocking to message boards and networks like Bumble BFF to look for a travel companion, there are a growing number of apps created just for this purpose.

Some allow you to browse existing trips and match based on interests, while others target backpackers, singles, or solo female travellers.

So the perfect travel partner I described earlier? My Frankenstein creation may not be that far out of reach.

As with any virtual platform, there are risks with meeting strangers, and it’s important to do your due diligence before sharing any personal details.

But if you do strike gold and find an ideal holiday dazi, Professor Huang notes there can be safety benefits on the other side.

“Of course, when you travel, you are in a relatively unfamiliar environment,” he explains.

“If you have a partner who’s very experienced in travelling, some of the practical problems you encounter will be resolved.”