MANILA, Philippines— Bumble, the women-first dating app, has unveiled its annual dating trends for 2024, drawing insights from over 25,000 singles worldwide. While 2023 explored love abroad, dating beyond types, and establishing boundaries, 2024 is anticipated as the “year of self,” emphasizing introspection, rejecting perfection, challenging societal norms, and valuing emotional vulnerability and shared priorities.
Bumble’s research indicates that 63% of Filipino women surveyed are entering the new year with a clear vision for their romantic lives, reflecting a shift towards personal prioritization.
Image Courtesy of Bumble.
1. Timeline Decline
Bumble’s dating trend predictions for 2024 include the decline of traditional relationship timelines, with 31% of Filipino women actively choosing their own paths. The shift is evident as 76% of women seek long-term relationships, while only 31% prioritize marriage. Additionally, 43% prefer partners with similar views on timelines, and 25% actively avoid friends and family who apply pressure, particularly during holiday celebrations. This marks a significant departure from conventional relationship expectations.
2. Generation-Blend Connections
Expanding on the concept of broadening one’s dating preferences, there’s a growing trend in cross-generational relationships. Bumble users are displaying an increasing willingness to connect with individuals both older and younger. Surveys reveal that for a significant 63% of respondents worldwide, age is no longer a decisive factor in dating, with 59% of women expressing a newfound openness to dating someone younger.
In the Philippines, a noteworthy shift is observed, as 4 in 5 men are now more receptive to dating older women. Furthermore, attitudes towards age-gap relationships are evolving, with over half of Filipino men (50%) and women (59%) on Bumble expressing reduced judgment compared to their global counterparts (34%) in the past year.
3. Value-Centric Dating
Contemporary singles value partners actively engaged in social causes, with 48% of Bumble users in the Philippines emphasizing the importance of such involvement. Referred to as “Val-Core,” this trend reflects a growing desire for shared priorities. Specifically, 84% prioritize partners engaged in Human Rights, followed by sustainability (73%) and political participation (72%).
Bumble’s research notes Filipino women’s lower openness (63%) to dating someone with differing political views compared to men (52%), and 36% of women find a lack of awareness about societal issues to be a turn-off in potential partners.
4. Instinctive Intimacy
In the current dating landscape, especially for women, the primary factor in attraction appears to be emotional intimacy. Filipino singles prioritize seeking security, safety, and understanding, with 44% of Bumble survey respondents stating that emotional intimacy has surpassed the importance of sex and is more attractive than physical connection.
In the realm of dating, a significant majority (78%) of Filipino women emphasize the importance of their partners having an understanding of both emotional and physical intimacy. As we move into 2024, it’s the era to delve into your emotions.
5. Mindful Match
The increased focus on self-care and mental health this year has prompted over half (58%) of global singles to become more open about their mental well-being, intentionally slowing down their pace. In the Philippines, singles are reshaping their approach to dating to safeguard their mental health. Nearly half (49%) locally are embracing “slow-dating,” prioritizing quality over quantity, especially among women (56%).
Interestingly, 46% of Filipinos actively seek partners who value self-care. This resurgence echoes a trend Bumble identified during the pandemic, challenging the “job-ification” of love. One in four (26%) Filipinos is actively deterred by those who treat dating as a checklist exercise.
6. Heartfelt Masculinity
This year has seen extensive global discussions on masculinity and gender roles across various industries like fashion, media, music, and film (cue “ken-ergy”). In the realm of relationships, almost one-third (30%) of Filipino men express actively adopting more vulnerability and openness with their dating partners than ever before. For 42% of men, this newfound emotional transparency has positively influenced their mental health, and lacking vulnerability has become a dating dealbreaker for them.
7. Optimization Pressure
The trend of ‘self-optimization,’ from biohacking to early morning routines and self-help podcasts, has surged, pushing 55% of global singles to constantly seek self-improvement. In the Philippines, this pressure is even higher, with 69% feeling compelled to better themselves, leaving 26% feeling unworthy of a partner. Looking to 2024, more than 2 in 3 Filipino women (69%) are rejecting constant self-improvement, actively pursuing happiness in the present. Notably, 38% of women now exclusively date individuals who accept them as they are, without attempting to change them.
Lucille McCart, Bumble’s APAC Communications Director, notes that in 2023, dating themes focused on travel romances, healthy boundaries, and breaking away from traditional types. Social movements, such as discussions on misogyny and women’s rights, are influencing dating dynamics on Bumble globally, particularly in the Philippines. Users are prioritizing shared values, from social causes to lifestyle choices. Additionally, a shift is seen in singles redefining age norms, letting go of perfectionism, and reconsidering relationship timelines. Looking ahead to 2024, Filipinos are anticipated to prioritize personal values, stand fearlessly for what they believe in, and gain clarity in romantic aspirations.
To enhance the dating experience in 2024, Bumble introduces features like Best Bees, offering a daily set of four compatible profiles for faster, more relevant connections. The Compliments feature allows users to express shared interests, promoting meaningful conversations.