World’s First Dating App to Offer Travel-Centric Virtual Dates with Viator and Airbnb

dating, fairytrailapp, update

Big news! We’re the first dating app to offer people the ability to match and go on virtual adventures powered by Airbnb, Walk, and Viator  (part of TripAdvisor).

 

Here’s how it started.

The Coronavirus is lockdown is really getting to me and everyone on the Fairytrail team. Many of us are feeling like we’re going crazy– gaining more weight and developing more anxieties from the lack of social support and interaction.

This is unlike normal remote work conditions. As a remote workers, we could go to to the beach. Hang out with friends. Go out on dates. Go to the gym, fitness classes, and church. Travel.

 

We’re not alone.

With travel restrictions and shelter-in-place, nearly half of Americans report that the coronavirus crisis is affecting their mental health. And an alarming projection from the national public health group Well Being Trust estimates that 75,000 Americans could die from drug or alcohol misuse and suicide related to COVID-19. “You’re having feelings of isolation and loneliness like you’ve never had before,” says psychologist Dr. Kevin Gilliland. 

 

Virtual travel dates.

Viator launched live virtual tours a few weeks ago as a way to keep travel alive in some way. 

At first we were hesitant, but reviews from people who have done it reminded us that travel isn’t just about seeing the site and taking photos. It’s also about the stories, history, meeting people, and experiencing cultures. 

Here’s one review from a person who went on a virtual tour: 

“This was my first ever virtual tour and I had no idea what to expect. It was essentially a super-interactive conference call with a super host. Lula was very energetic and knowledgeable guide. Although you are just sitting in front of your computer for the whole thing, he kept the experience very engaging and informative. Great value for money and a really nice way to spend an hour.”

– Mairt, Magic of Film Themed Virtual Tour of London

Could this be a novel way for people in lockdown to connect, be entertained, and build a relationship in this challenging time?

These virtual adventures allow us to learn new things, meet people from different cultures, and experience something live and fun with people we like. They start at only $6 and are available worldwide.

So we decided to add it to our app. Video call dates are great, but can just talking all the time can get stale, especially for those who have been talking for weeks.

 

How our app works.

 

  1. Single people make a free profile on Fairytrail and match with each other (just like on Tinder or Bumble). 
  2. Once users match, Fairytrail recommends different virtual tours to them from Viator and Airbnb based on their profiles. Users aren’t able to talk at this stage. They simply choose the tours they like. 
  3. If there’s overlap in the tours picked, Fairytrail connects the users to talk and show them the cheapest matched tour. They can message, video call, and even book the matched tour.

 

Examples.

Pick adventures from this screen.

When you tap an adventure, you see the details.

 

We’re excited. Looking forward to you guys trying it out! Let me know your thoughts. Download the app here.

By the way, you can still match on destinations for future travel. We haven’t removed that function.

 

 

curious kittens

A World Gone Remote

events, partnerships, remote work, update

One month ago, we alerted our community about the dangers of COVID and strongly advised against traveling before lockdowns began. Since then the world has changed dramatically.

Although our community has always embraced remote life (93% of our members are fully remote or aspire to be), it seems the whole world is talking about it now.

 

remote-work-adoption

3.1% of US workforce are fully remote
(4.8m US digital nomads 2018 / 155.76m total US workforce 2018)

 

In 2018, only 3.1% of the US workforce considered themselves digital nomads (aka fully remote). The Coronavirus is accelerating the adoption for remote work.

We are glad more people are learning about remote work. This means massively more opportunities and support for us. 

 

Online Events

Here’s a list of things now available to us as our world becomes remote friendly. Perfect for those looking for jobs, learning, and networking. 

  1. Running Remote’s Remote AID 2020 is a free, virtual workshop event on April 20th at 8AM PST. It’s designed for companies and people struggling with emergency work-from-home policies during the coronavirus outbreak. My friend Anna just did a 9-hour rehearsal of her charity event! It’s going to be amazing. Reserve a spot.
  1. My friend Joe Blair’s Remote Startup Expo is on Thursday, April 23rd at 10AM PST. A virtual summit featuring 20 top remote startup CEOs/founders! 100% free, 100% remote. This is not a webinar. There will be ample time for networking via Remo. Reserve a spot.

We got tickets and will be there. GET FREE TICKETS!!

 

Fairytrail Update

Our virtual dating concept is now being talked about by mainstream media as one of our members explains on NBC

Entrance fee is coming next week (assuming Apple approves our app update), so invite your friends to join Fairytrail now while it’s free. 

Oh and 6nomads published an article about us!

Wishing you health and safety,

Taige