Travelling with one's partner can be a fun and rewarding experience.
But a recent nation-wide survey, by dating app Bumble and travel experience platform Klook, showed the sobering realities that travelling together can have on a relationship.
In fact, the study found that one in six (17 per cent) Singaporeans has ended his or her relationship because of a bad travel experience.
The survey was conducted between June 5 and 12 with 1,000 Singaporeans aged between 18 and 43 years old.
Having the first trip together is a major milestone for any couple.
Travelling with one's partner allows for more opportunities to learn about them, and this is when they would have a clearer understanding of their partner, warts and all.
But sometimes, the full picture isn't exactly to their liking.
Seventy-three per cent of the survey respondents acknowledged that travelling together may change their opinion about their partner, for better or worse.
Bad travel experiences have even caused relationships to end so it's no wonder Singaporeans tend to be rather cautious.
For six in 10 Singaporeans (60 per cent), the topic of travelling doesn't get brought up until the relationship has hit the six-month mark.
Twenty-one per cent were even more cautious and would only be comfortable with going on a trip with their partner after a year.
Travel is an important topic in Singaporeans' dating lives, with more than eight in 10 (82 per cent) survey respondents saying that they do talk about trips taken or planned when having conversations with a potential match.
Not only is this a quick icebreaker, but it allows a sneak peek into the other party's travel preferences.
No harm knowing if your potential match prefers city sights or country escapes.
When on vacation, you're (generally) in close proximity with the same person for a prolonged period of time.
It is highly unlikely that everything will go exactly as planned. On top of that, potential relationship dealbreakers might crop up.
A common difficulty couples face when travelling is a difference in budgeting and spending habits.
Almost half of those surveyed (45 per cent) noted that this could ruin the vacation and even their relationship.
Other dating dealbreakers include a lack of emotional stability in crises and unexpected situations (41 per cent), as well as contrasts in living habits (31 per cent).
While travelling together may shed light on differences between the couple, Klook and Bumble noted that there are ways to overcome them.
For one, communicate with your partner. Discuss early on about preferences and expectations on the trip. Doing so ensures boundaries are set and minimises the chances of unwanted surprises during the trip.
Secondly, be open to compromise. While there's nothing wrong with being firm about your needs, a balance has to be struck so that the needs of both parties are met.
Last but not least is to simply share the workload.
More than half (57 per cent) of Singaporeans say they prefer equal responsibility in planning their travel itineraries.
But based on Klook's data, it seems like men aren't pulling their weight, with 62 per cent of women making bookings compared with 38 per cent of men.
So, on your upcoming trip with your partner, why not offer more of a helping hand?
It could improve the overall travel experience, and maintain a healthy relationship as well.
ALSO READ: How to travel with bae when you have wildly different interests
