Women more likely to cheat on vacation than men, says new study

by Laurel Miller on

Blame it on the sun. According to new research from British “married dating site” IlicitEncounters, over a third of (already cheating) spouses can’t keep it in their pants while on vacation solo or with friends. In fact, six percent of the sneaky devils strayed while on holiday with their spouse. The real news, however, is that married women vacationing with friends are more likely to break their vows than men. “Sunshine is a real aphrodisiac.” says Sara Hartley, representative at IllicitEncounters.com. “We have always seen an increase in activity on the site during the summer months.”

Global warming apparently makes for booming business. IllicitEncounters was established in 2003, and expects have half a million memberships by the end of this month. Their study indicated that 63% of the 800 men and 800 women surveyed also said they would prefer to vacation with their mistress or…mister than their spouse, and that male cheaters were more likely to take their lovers on holiday than their wives. The Maldives tops the list for clandestine canoodling; the study found that the majority of its subjects chose the sultry islands over any other destination for an assignation.

Says Jenny*, 34, an IlicitEncounters member from Shropshire, “I had only been married for four years, and although things were less exciting at home, I never expected that I would cheat on holiday. A group of single friends and I went to Spain last August…on the last night, I met an ex-pat Londoner at a local bar, and we got drunk together. I just didn’t wish to deny myself the excitement; it all happened very quickly, but it was so exhilarating to feel that freedom again. I have no intention of telling my spouse; I joined the site straight afterwards and have had several extramarital affairs here at home.”

While one wishes the self-indulgent Jenny had at least hooked up with someone other than a fellow countryman, look on the bright side, guys: as long as your wife isn’t also emulating that mortifying karaoke scene from Sex and the City 2, maybe it’s not so bad.

*Name has been changed

[Photo credit: Flickr user chriswsn]

Indian company offers “divorce tourism” package to quarreling couples

by Katie Hammel on

For many happy couples, a trip is taken to commemorate joyful events, like a marriage or the impending birth of a child. Then there are other couples – the ones who certainly aren’t happy but who aren’t quite ready to rush off to Vegas for their divorce party. For them, there’s “divorce tourism”.

The Daily Mail reports that a company in India, called KV Tours and Travel, is offering packages to destinations like the Maldives aimed at helping couples on the brink of divorce to reconcile. India has typically had a very low divorce rate – only about one out of every 100 marriages end in divorce – but in India’s largest cities, it is becoming more common. The company offers a few different packages, ranging from local stays to more expensive exotic destinations. Vijesh Thakker, the company’s chief executive told the AP, “We’re trying to send them where they have not been before, where there are not many people – and no relatives”. For couples that don’t want to invest in saving their marriage, the company reaches out to family members and asks them to foot the bill on the couple’s behalf. Experienced marriage counselors accompany the couple on their trip and help them work through their issues and determine if they want to stay together or go their separate ways.

Can a seven-day vacation save a marriage? Not likely, which even the concept’s creator admits. “We’re not destiny changers,” Thakker said, but “we want them to treat the trip like a second honeymoon”.