Travel influencer Orsolya Lorincz says she has figured out a way to make solo trips feel less lonely and a lot more local. The 34 year old from Romania claims that whenever she lands in a new country, she looks for what she calls a temporary boyfriend. Instead of booking tours or sticking to the usual tourist routine, she meets local men who spend time with her during her stay. She also says those dates often come with free meals, drinks, and a built in guide to the city.
Lorincz travels on her own, but she insists she rarely feels like she is exploring alone. She explained that her short term relationships usually match the length of her visit. “Usually it lasts about a week, depending on how long I’m staying in their country. I connect through apps and pretty quickly find a local who’s happy to be a temporary boyfriend,” she said. In her telling, the arrangement is straightforward and based on companionship during the trip.
She also shared what those days can look like once she meets someone. “He shows me the city, cooks breakfast, pays for drinks and food, and sometimes I stay at his place if we really get along,” she said. The way she describes it, the local partner sets the pace and handles many of the costs, while she gets a more personal look at the destination. She documents these experiences on social media, framing them as part romance and part travel hack.
Lorincz said her globe trotting lifestyle became possible after a major pivot away from a traditional career. She decided to pursue travel full time in 2016 after quitting her corporate job, selling her apartment, and setting off with her savings. She also said the idea was sparked when she saw another influencer doing something similar online. For her, this became less about luxury and more about stretching a budget while still having memorable experiences.
@itsorsolya travel tip number 1: get yourself a boyfriend in every country. follow me for more travel trips 😉 #travel #gapyear #unemployed #childfree #solo ♬ original sound – 🦉
Even so, she is careful to describe the setup in a specific way. “It’s just a temporary boyfriend for hanging out and doing activities. I’m not using them for free trips, more for free meals and as tour guides,” she explained. She added, “They pay for food and drinks and they’re my free tour guides, and sometimes they’ll drive me in their car on day trips.” Her comments make it clear she views the dynamic as an exchange where the local gets companionship and she gets access, savings, and convenience.
Lorincz argues that the real benefit is not only financial. She says spending time with someone who lives there can change the whole feel of a destination. “When you know someone local, they can show you things that tour agencies can’t, like hidden places or customs. That helps you experience the country in a more unique way,” she said. In other words, she believes a local connection can deliver a more authentic version of a place than a guided itinerary ever could.
She also addressed whether she wants something more stable in the long run. Lorincz said she does not have a fixed plan right now and is simply enjoying life as it comes. Still, she said she would consider settling down if she met a partner who wanted the same roaming lifestyle. “The advantage is that I have the freedom to come and go from a country whenever I want and I don’t always have to coordinate with a partner,” she said, while noting she has not met a man who matches her travel experience or commitment to constant movement.
For now, she says she is content continuing to meet people around the world. “Of course, ideally I would find a steady job and a partner. But until that happens, I’m happy meeting men from different cultures so I can explore their countries more deeply,” she concluded. That framing places her dating strategy inside a bigger personal goal, which is learning how people live in different places and seeing destinations through their eyes.
A recent TikTok video pushed her story even further into the spotlight. Lorincz said she summed up her approach with on screen text that read, “How can you travel so much?!” followed by her answer, “I have a boyfriend in every country.” She claims the response was immediate and overwhelming. “Since I posted that video, I think I got at least 50 offers in messages and comments to be people’s girlfriend all around the world. They say I can visit their country and be their girlfriend for a week,” she said.
Beyond the headline grabbing angle, her story taps into a few bigger trends that have been shaping travel for years. Solo travel has become a major part of the tourism world, especially as more people prioritize flexible schedules and personal experiences over group trips. Dating apps have also made it easier to meet locals quickly, which can blur the line between social connection and travel planning. At the same time, safety experts often advise solo travelers to be cautious when meeting strangers, to share their location with someone they trust, and to choose public places for first meetings.
It also helps to remember that cultural expectations around dating and paying can vary widely by country. In some places, paying for meals is seen as a standard gesture, while in others it can carry assumptions that not everyone shares. Travelers who try to replicate influencer style experiences sometimes discover that what works for one person may not translate smoothly to another situation. Whether people see Lorincz’s approach as clever, risky, or simply unconventional, it highlights how social media can turn personal choices into a global conversation that reshapes how others think about travel.
What do you think about using dating apps to find a local companion while traveling and having them cover the dates, share your thoughts in the comments.
