Collect Friends, Not Just Souvenirs, Says Cheapflights.com

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Mar 29, 2016) - At its best, travel is about making a connection with a community or a culture and, ideally, the people. Some travelers are gifted with the ability to make friends wherever they go. The rest of us are helped by venturing to destinations that are inherently friendly, preferably with lots of social interaction and a pace of life that encourages conversation. To fuel friendship on the road, the travel experts at Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, have come up with their picks for Top 11 destinations for making friends when you travel. The cities are very different in terms of language and culture, but they all share a welcoming spirit. 

On your next trip, if you'd rather connect with people than simply collect souvenirs, these five destinations are among our top picks for the best cities to make new friends while on the road:

• Melbourne, Australia - One of the world's most livable cities is Australia's quirky cool kid, Melbourne. The people of Melbourne often seem relaxed and happy no matter what they're doing. Melbourne's multi-cultural population also ups curiosity levels, helping people be more open and talkative about their backgrounds and experiences. Melbournians are mad about coffee so a coffee shop is probably a good place to start. Strike up a caffeine-fueled conversation and make a point to get plugged into the city's flurry of secret and quirky bars.
  
  
• Buenos Aires, Argentina - One of the happiest and friendliest cities in South America, Buenos Aires is very European and filled with culture. The locals are laid-back, and happily share their beautiful city with the influx of tourists who mix in the crowds. With its cosmopolitan vibe, Buenos Aires actually feels a little off-the-beaten-path compared to many other cities in South America. Whether you're sharing a meal or dancing in the clubs, this Argentinian city always has something going on that will captivate you, and nothing sparks conversation quite like new experiences. Try something a little out of your comfort zone and you're sure to make friends along the way.
  
  
• Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada - Canadians are notorious for being very friendly people, but it's especially true on the East Coast, where locals start conversations with visitors at the drop of a hat. As the de facto capital of Atlantic Canada, Halifax is a welcoming and walkable city where you can explore its long history at diverse museums like the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. No matter where you wander, you'll be a stone's throw from one of Hali's long list of restaurants showcasing Nova Scotia's seafood-rich cuisine. The city's youthful vibe and lively music scene belies its compact size, but is likely due to its huge population of students (there are five universities in Halifax), and the city is home to a thriving LGBTQA community that's an integral part of the city and culture. No matter where you are coming from, you can be sure that Halifax will welcome you with open arms.
  
  
• The Florida Keys, Florida - Located in southern Florida, there is nothing quite like the laid-back, easygoing charm of the sun-soaked Florida Keys. With a number of islands to choose from, there is something for every type of traveler. Snorkel off the coast of Key Largo, dine on fresh seafood and relax on Big Pine Key or sip on a daiquiri while exploring the relaxed nightlife on Duval Street in Key West. Whichever island you choose, you will find a colorful mix of locals and regulars ready and willing to swap stories with as you go.
  
  
• Galway, Ireland - If you ask world travelers about friendliness and good hospitality, Galway is sure to get a mention. Quay Street is a great place to start with bars, restaurants and cobbled medieval alleyways to explore. Even if this street feels a little like a central European city such as Madrid, Monaco or Lisbon, Galway locals put their own spin on things, especially the humorous Mc Donagh's imitating a McDonald's sign. If you want to make friends, head down to this neighborhood on a Friday night, and, by the end of it, you'll be a few pints deep with some new mates.
  
  

Rounding out our list of places where future friends await: Newcastle, England; Siam Reap, Cambodia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Auckland, New Zealand; Barcelona, Spain; and Boracay, Philippines. To get all the details on these super social cities, visit Cheapflights.com's Top 11 destinations for making friends when you travel at www.cheapflights.com/news/top-destinations-for-making-friends.

About Cheapflights.com, part of the Momondo Group
Founded in 1996, Cheapflights is a leading global flight comparison and deals publishing platform. It is now a market leader in the UK, U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand generating over $3 billion in global downstream revenue for its partners as it expands into numerous other territories. More than 120 million users visit its websites and apps each year, receiving more than two billion search results a month from across 900,000 routes. The 10 million strong opt-in subscribers to the Cheapflights newsletter receive the best deals from over 120 travel businesses -- for whom it has driven more than $65 million in revenue this year. Together, the Cheapflights platforms generate enough bookings for its partners to fill a Boeing 747 every five minutes. 

In 2011, Cheapflights became part of the privately owned online travel search and inspiration network, Momondo Group.

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