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Coronavirus pandemic: All stories
LifestyleFamily & Relationships

Dating during coronavirus: why matchmakers are busier than ever as the Covid-19 pandemic drags on

  • Despite the pandemic, dating apps are buzzing and matchmaking services report keen interest in a renewed search for romance
  • Single people have been willing to pay anywhere from several hundred to thousands of US dollars for a coach, dating course or matchmaker

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Dating coaches have been busy during the past year. Photo: Dreamstime/TNS
Tribune News Service

Single men and women in Hong Kong have emerged from the forced isolation of the coronavirus pandemic keener than ever to find lifelong love. Dating apps are buzzing, and matchmakers report keen interest in a renewed search for romance.

Frankie Wong, a founder of the Speed Dating Fever dating company, says the Hong Kong dating business is 90 per cent back to normal. The company has two ways of promoting romance, via real-life events such as dinners and drinks parties and by using one-on-one matchmaking. Most of the company’s clients are from Hong Kong, there are slightly more men than women, and 70 per cent are white-collar workers.

“In the peak pandemic period, people wanted to suspend their accounts,” he says. “They were afraid to meet people; even just one person. Now, maybe they’re used to the pandemic and they’re eager to go out and meet new people.”
Before the pandemic arrived, Speed Dating Fever usually organised about 15 events a month in Hong Kong. During the times of pandemic restrictions, this was cut back to five or six event weekend afternoon events a month, with mandatory mask-wearing unless clients were eating or drinking.
An event organised by Speed Dating Fever. Photo: Speed Dating Fever
An event organised by Speed Dating Fever. Photo: Speed Dating Fever

Dating apps have seen a significant uptick in activity over the last year – US app Hinge reported a 19 per cent increase in dates globally between 2019 and 2020 – and, with more than 270 million worldwide users in 2020, the dating industry is now worth billions every year.

Some people have taken the pursuit of romance a step further, looking to dating coaches and matchmakers to help find the right partner. In a world where bars are closed and bumping into a stranger is an anxiety-inducing event, many singles have been willing to pay anywhere from several hundred to thousands of US dollars for a coach, dating course or matchmaker.
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