Some 17 million Americans are now traveling the world while working remotely. The ever-increasing popularity of becoming a digital nomad has led to the rise of "passport bros" - men who travel the world seeking to date foreign women overseas.
The hashtag #passportbros has amassed almost 420 million views on TikTok, where men, mostly from the West, promote their lifestyle of partying in far-flung places while working remotely on their laptops - and, of course, showing off local women they meet along the way.
A TikTok posted by self-described passport bro, Austin Abeyta, has divided users. In this video, he claims: "Passport bros are right, dating overseas is easier for a variety of reasons."
"A lot of young men in America are frustrated with the dating scene there. I am a firm believer in a free market that allows the best outcomes for everyone involved," Abeyta told Insider in an email.
In the May 22 video, which garnered some 1.7 million views, as of Wednesday, Abeyta lists three reasons why dating abroad is easier than it is in the US. Abeyta, who has 410,000 followers on TikTok, explained the first reason is that passport bros are seen as "exotic" by local women.
"I know it sounds crazy, but you have an accent," Abeyta, 31, said, adding that he knows "the American accent is kind of trash" but still "gives everything you say a little bit of weight, a little bit of spice."
Abeyta, a data analyst, per his LinkedIn profile, continued with his second reason, writing in the video: "2nd hand excitement".
"This is really important on dates. People love showing you their country, and showing you things that they love," Abeyta said, adding that by showing enthusiasm you "keep things light and fun."
Abeyta's final reason why it's easier to date abroad is thanks to the stereotype that Americans are rich.
"Kind of true, because our currency is, like, the global currency," Abeyta said. "If you make $60,000 a year, you can live like you made $120,000 a year pretty comfortably," he continued, referring to geographical arbitrage, where people from countries with strong economies and currencies move to countries with a lower cost of living.
"The things money can provide makes a huge difference in dating. Watch 'The Tinder Swindler' - it'll explain it all," Abeyta added, referring to Simon Liviev, who's nicknamed The Tinder Swindler for conning women he met on the dating app.
"I would have to make 4 times what I currently make in order to live in America the way I do while I travel," Abeyta told Insider, declining to reveal how much he makes.
Dozens of users showed their support for Abeyta's lifestyle, with one user, @vegazvic1, asking: "what cities would you recommend?"
Abeyta responded that Medellin, Manila, Mexico City, Bali, and Rio de Janeiro are his top five choices.
"Being a tall white dude with even a small amount of money relatively was the biggest cheat code in Peru dude," @meliadonpepe wrote.
"The finder swindler is life goals," another user, @alwaysfreetofly, commented, misspelling "Tinder".
But a lot of people were unhappy with Abeyta's video as well, with one user, @doc_rose86, criticizing him for being "just a money bag."
"How is this different from a mail-order bride?" another user, Harry S, wrote.
"I think it's weird to solely go to another country especially the poorer ones just to get at women bc ur Americans," @ymc_bryan commented.
Abeyta responded: "It's not just to get a woman. You are also traveling the world learning about cultures and saving money while you do it."