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Package Tours: Pros & Cons

Most fresh-faced travellers find themselves with a very difficult question: should I book a package tour or not? Even seasoned travellers have to ask themselves this from time to time. Is it better if someone else is responsible for your trip? It really comes down to personal taste and your preferred style of travel. Package tours definitely come with plenty of benefits, however, there are just as many negatives. So let’s analyze some of them, shall we?

Table of Contents

What is a Package Tour?

Many tour agencies across the world offer all-inclusive tours through various destinations across a country for a set number of days. Every step of your adventure is arranged beforehand, including every form of transport, every hotel/hostel and even a few of the best activities and outings.

These packages can range anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months and can cover the entire spectrum of travel! From leisurely trips in luxury hotels to camping in the wilderness with nomadic tribes, there’s so much to choose from!

Packages tours can be incredibly advantageous, particularly if you’re new to travelling. They’re also perfect for those who want little to worry about or just aren’t comfortable with arranging everything for themselves. Even for seasoned travellers, this can be a relief from time to time.

Don’t Have to Plan Anything

Without a doubt, the most stressful aspect of travelling is arranging everything. Booking tickets, finding hostels, picking out the right tours, it can be quite a daunting task. With package tours, every single step of your trip is arranged for you before you’ve even arrived. You don’t have to figure out how to buy tickets or stress out trying to pick the right accommodation. You don’t have to do anything!

Tour companies have a wide selection of packages which vary in the destinations they pass through and the length of time. You just need to find the right package for you, and they do the rest. Many companies might even alter their packages slightly to suit your needs.

Find out whether you should plan or not by reading Which is the Best Way To Travel: Plan or No Plan .

They’re Practical

Going on from the last point, the beauty of package tours is the ease of it. You’re simply given an itinerary detailing everywhere you’re going and everything you’ll do. All you have to do is turn up where they tell you to! For new or less-confident travellers, this is such a relief and makes travelling accessible to anyone! There’s a reason they’re also popular with the older generation.

While some want to organise every step, others go with the flow, but which is best.

Let’s find out whether you should plan when you travel.

Click here!

There to Support You

As everything is arranged by a tour agency, you have someone to fall back on if a problem occurs. It could be an issue with the hostel or a cancelled bus, you’ll have someone to help find a solution. If you were travelling independently, you could be left stranded. As part of a package tour, it’s the agency’s obligation to sort things out. After all, the lifeblood of tour agencies is their reviews, and they can’t afford a bad one.

Meeting Fellow Travellers

Package tours are also the perfect choice for the social bugs amongst you! The same group of people might travel together for the whole trip or you could just end up running into the same people that travel along the same routes. along the way. Either way, it’s a great way of meeting new people along the road, and an opportunity to share your experience with like-minded people! Unless you’re unlucky enough to be stuck with a group of assholes…which is a possibility.

Hitting all the Highlights

Some people don’t want to explore the obscure corners of a country, some people just want to see all the highlights. Obviously, tour agencies base their tours on what most people want to see and experience. Most are focused on hitting the iconic sites, particularly if time is short. For longer tours, there are plenty of extra treats thrown in along the way. If you have a bucket list of thing’s you want to see when in the country, this kind of tour is the most efficient way of doing it.

Good for a Tight Schedule

We can’t all live our life on the road, most people have too many responsibilities. Thus, most people have very strict time-limits. Luckily, package tours operate on a tightly followed schedule. You just need to find tours that fit your timeframe. There are plenty to choose from as tours can range from a day or two up to a few months! Not only that but you know exactly where you’ll be and when.

An extensive guide on how to travel the best you can by being a volunteer.

save money, extend your trip and enrich your experience.

Exploring the Unknown

If you wanted to travel through Australia, Japan or Western Europe, it would pretty easy to arrange everything for yourself. However, if you wanted to explore Central Mongolia or the Amazon rainforest, not so much. For some places, package tours are almost a necessity. Even seasoned travellers would struggle with trying to arrange these things for themselves, and often times you’d need the help of a local to achieve it. With these types of tours not only do you have someone that can help you arrange it but also there every step of the way to be your guide as you explore.

Disadvantages

Most seasoned travellers find plenty of disadvantages to this sort of travelling. Backpackers will especially stay away from these tours as they tend to be incredibly limiting, constraining and not worth blowing an entire years travel budget on.

Package tours are ridiculously overpriced! They cost so much more than arranging the trip yourself. Even if you booked the exact same things, the tour agencies need to make money somehow, so they add a little extra on top. You’re only paying for some practicality.

The differences in price can be extraordinary. Where you could be sending a couple of hundreds you end up spending a couple of thousand! Some of the hostels or activities the agencies pick probably won’t be the cheapest option out there, so you’ll spend more than you actually need to. 

Take this example. A month-long package tour across Japan can cost almost £6,000, where I spent around £1,200 over 3 months. This is one of the biggest reasons long-term backpackers avoid these tours.

Find out how I travelled through Japan for 3 months for £1200 by reading in The Ultimate Travel Plan: Japan on £15 a Day .

You Don’t Get to Choose

As an independent traveller, you can choose exactly where you want to go, how to get there and how long for. You lose this luxury with package tours. You might be able to edit some of the details of your trip, but overall it’s the tour agency that chooses the venues. There are just some things on the itinerary you won’t be able to change, or if you can, you might have to pay for it. This is one way the cost is affected, as they might pick a more expensive option.

Many travellers face a tough decision; should you travel as a group or travel solo?

It’s a big decision, so here are the pros and cons!

This is an enormous problem for many travellers. Once you’ve made your choice, you’re stuck with it. You may be able to adjust a few minor details of your trip while you’re on it, but generally, Your plans and schedule are already set, and they can’t be changed. You can’t suddenly go somewhere you hadn’t planned for! What happens if you meet a group of awesome people that are heading somewhere you’re not, tough, you can’t join them. 

Not to mention you’d have to go through with the tour until the end, or you would have wasted all your money. You might find a couple of days into your journey that you made a big mistake, but tough titties, you’ve got no choice now.

Doing Everything as a Group

If you’re hoping for a unique independent adventure, this isn’t the option for you. Unless you’re willing to pay many thousands, every step of your journey is going to be shared with a group of people that you don’t know. Every transport, every tour and even every room if you’re staying in hostels, you’ll be sharing the experience with someone. Maybe that’s what you prefer, but sometimes you wish you could have a bit of alone time.

If you don’t want to be stuck with a group, then check out A Guide to Solo Travel: Pros and Cons .

No Stepping Outside the Box

This isn’t true for every package, as there are plenty of adventure tours out there, though they are seriously outnumbered! Generally speaking, package tours are more focused on the basic and comfortable aspects of travel. Tours typically cater to all age groups and offer the safer vanilla option that everyone would be happy with. Grandad rather stay in a cosy hotel than having to spend the night in a tent on the edge of a mountain.

It really is a hard choice that all travellers have to make, and there’s no right or wrong answer. It generally boils down to the type of traveller that you are. Backpackers prefer independence, lack of restrictions and the cheaper option. Thus, package tours just aren’t for them. For less-confident or newer travellers, families, or those that want nothing to worry about their journey, package tours are worth considering!

Thank You for Reading! Check Out These Other Helpful Links!

Thank you so much for reading Package Tours: Pros & Cons ! Now check out these other helpful articles!

• Which is the Best Way To Travel: Plan or No Plan
• Being a Volunteer: The Key to Budget Travel
• How to Take Photos While You Travel Solo
• 18 Ways to Save Money While You Travel

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10 Advantages And Disadvantages of Package Tours and Holidays 

Published by roslin dwivedi on april 29, 2023 april 29, 2023.

Last Updated on November 8, 2023 by Roslin Dwivedi

Package tours and holidays are a popular way to travel for decades. With a package tour, you can visit multiple destinations, often at a discounted rate, with all the logistics taken care of for you.

The advantages of package tours and holidays offer convenience, stress-free and cost-saving trips. 

They usually include transportation, accommodation, and other services at one price, which can be significantly cheaper than booking each part separately. 

Another advantage of package tours is that they also provide access to some popular attractions which are not easy to book for a single person. The disadvantages of package tours are that you may not have as much flexibility or freedom as you would if you made your arrangements. 

Once upon a time, we went on a tour of Jungfraujoch . We had booked online for our family of 2 adults and a baby. Upon reaching the destination. Not the train journeys, the main destination where you get to go to the museum and also to the top of Europe, the mountain of Jungfraujoch . What annoyed us was the Indian tour guides treating the Indian tourists like goats. The moment the elevator opened to go up, the guide did not let the people come out of it and yelled at his tourists, “Go go go, run inside, fast-fast.” This scene made us feel bad for those who were unknowingly portraying to the world over there that Indians don’t have etiquette.

Anyways, that was a small example of a package tour. As a large tour group, you may not experience the destination as much as if you went alone. Also, some package tours can be inflexible and may not let you make changes or cancellations if your plans change or in case of an emergency. 

In this article, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of package tours and holidays so you can make a firm decision before your next trip.

10 Advantages and disadvantages of Package tours and holidays

Advantages of package tours and holidays,  1. cost –.

Package tours are money-saving. One of the advantages of package tours and holidays is the cost savings. By booking all your travel arrangements, such as transportation and accommodation, as a package deal, you may get a better rate than booking each component separately. Tour companies often have negotiated rates with hotels, airlines, and other providers, which they pass on to their customers. This means you can enjoy an affordable vacation that you would be able to arrange on your own. A cheap tour package offers hotel stays in a 4-star hotel, which can be expensive if you book it separately. They provide airport transfers and drops and also cover all the famous tourist destinations. But if you arrange your accommodation and travel separately, your trip may become expensive. 

2. Convenience –

You don’t have to worry about booking yourself flights, good accommodations or activities on a package tour. Everything is pre-arranged and incredibly convenient for you. 

So you don’t have to worry about travel arrangements and unexpected changes on your itinerary. You can sit relaxed, knowing that everything has been taken care of.

But if you book it separately, you will have to do plenty of Google searches, look for cheap flight deals, inexpensive hotels, probably not a 4-star, book a rental car for the trip, get an international driving license etc. 

3. Variety –

On package tours and holidays, you will have the chance to visit multiple locations in one trip. 

This is great for the people who like to explore more in a short amount of time. 

You can enjoy the convenience of having everything planned out for you, while experiencing a variety of different places

Since package tours cover multiple destinations in one day. They often start early in the morning and finish close to the evening. Which may be very tiring for families with elderly and small kids. They can’t just keep exploring continuously. Whereas when you plan alone for your family, you rent a car and you decide on your trip according to your parents and kid’s convenience. This is a happy experience for everyone in the family other than the fact that you covered many areas of the town in one day. 

4. Stress-free –

All the hard work of research, planning and booking is done for you on a package holiday, so you can relax and enjoy the journey. Planning a trip can be stressful, especially if you are unfamiliar with the destination. With a package tour, all the hard work is done for you. You don’t have to spend hours researching accommodation options or trying to find the best deals on flights. Everything is pre-arranged, so all you have to do is show up and enjoy your vacation.

When you are making the vacation plan yourself, you will have to do all the research yourself. Read multiple Google and Trip Advisor reviews for the best place to stay on your budget and tours and hidden gems if any. 

5. Connections –

Package tours often offer exclusive access to certain attractions, activities and events that you wouldn’t be able to get to on your own. Many package tours offer exclusive access to certain attractions, activities, and events that you wouldn’t be able to get to on your own. For example, you may be able to skip the lines at popular attractions or gain access to exclusive tours that aren’t available to the general public. This can add an extra level of excitement and exclusivity to your trip.

Disadvantages of Package Tours and Holidays

 1. limited freedom – .

You may not have much control over the itinerary, and you may be restricted to the set times for activities. One of the biggest disadvantages of package tours is the limited freedom. You may not have as much control over the itinerary as you would if you planned the trip yourself. The tour company sets schedules and activities that you need to follow, which can limit your ability to explore the destination on your terms. You may also have limited free time to do your activities, which can be frustrating for some travellers.

The package tour itinerary is not as comforting. They have set days for set activities, in case you are not well on a certain day, they won’t refund you the money nor they change the activity date because they have everything lined up as prior decided.

2. Quality of accommodation – 

Another disadvantage of package tours is the quality of accommodation. While some package tours offer high-quality accommodation options, others may provide lower-quality accommodations to keep costs down. This is disappointing if you were expecting a certain level of comfort or amenities. It is based on the package you chose. Do check all the stays, transfers and activities in detail properly before you confirm.

3. Limited flexibility – 

You may not have the chance to stay longer in one place or take detours if you want to. Package tours are often inflexible. This can be frustrating if you want to explore a particular area in detail or if you want to change your plans on the fly. Additionally, some package tours may have strict cancellation policies, which makes it difficult to change your itinerary.

From our past travels, I have noticed that group tours are bound to a specific time limit for a place. For instance, if you want to spend more time at a palace or a palace garden, you can’t do that freely. Because you have to join the group in one hour or less. Me and my husband were left behind because we couldn’t make it to the bus on time and they left us. After we called them they told us to get into another tourist bus and they caught us later at another attraction in Dubai. 

4. Limited options – 

With some package tours, you may not get the chance to choose activities or meals. Once, I was checking for a holiday package for Mauritius, but the provider did not include any activities in the package. The holiday package only had hotels, transfers and basic city tours. If I wanted to add something, I had to pay extra charges. So I dropped the idea of booking with a packaged holiday maker and planned our itinerary. 

 5. Unpredictable weather – 

Your holiday may be affected by unpredictable weather. And you may not change your plans if needed. 

Final words

Whether you go with package tours and holidays or make your travel plans, there will always be advantages and disadvantages of package tours and holidays that will make you think twice. In this article, I have tried to simplify your queries. I hope these comparisons will help you plan your vacation with ease.

Roslin Dwivedi

Hi! I am Roslin, a travel blogger. I am a gastronomist, an excursionist and love to learn about a different culture. Apart from travel updates, you will find some aha moments and life learnings in my blog. My writing recipe includes a little bit of humour only to see you smiling. You can find me on my website, Facebook and Instagram as Travelnlifewithroaz.

Vibrant Experiences · January 31, 2024 at 9:51 am

Hey Travel Enthusiasts! At Vibrant Experiences, we believe every journey is a story waiting to be told. We get that package tours have pros and cons, but the magic lies in finding the perfect balance. Our curated packages ensure hassle-free adventures, leaving you free to soak in every moment. Explore the world with us – where memories meet vibrant experiences!

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How to write a travel essay

November 22, 2023 by Josh Collins Leave a Comment

Travel essays and short notes allow you to dive deep into the memories and share your experience with readers. If written well, readers can explore new places without traveling or get inspired to explore new things. The location you have visited may contain many things to discuss: architecture, sightseeing, nature, culture, and much more. How can you tell about it in a short essay? Whether you are planning to write an essay, blog post, or another type of writing – all the tips below will help you craft an appealing paper.

Understand your goals

Before writing a travel essay: 1. Define the main idea you want to stick to in your writing. If you have a specific word limit, you may be unable to cover everything you wish to write about. 2. Check whether the professor asked you to cover specific experiences during your trip or stick to a more descriptive writing style. 3. If you are free of what to write about, make up a list of things you wish to focus on.

Understanding your goals will help you see the big picture and write the text within a limited time. If you were assigned to write an essay about your travel and can’t meet the deadline or have no ideas, you can get punctual help with essay writing from EssayShark .

Write catchy introduction How did your travel start? What were your plans? You can start with a quote about adventure or just begin your story by planning or arriving at the destination place. For example, here are some starters for travel essays: ● Who has said traveling is pricy? ● Don’t let the routine bore you; add a bit of spice with traveling to your everyday life. ● And the adventure begins!

Experiment with various approaches to engage the reader. You can put this step at the end when you finish the first draft, when the overall idea will be more transparent.

Add vivid descriptions First, think about whether you can attach images to your essay to make it more appealing to the reader and support your adventures with real photos. An additional illustration can create a unique atmosphere that will transfer the reader to the place you have visited.

Use a more relaxed writing style and understand that a travel essay is not a formal academic paper but more personal writing. Use the language you use every day, and avoid cliches and slang to sound more natural and appealing to the reader.

Focus on several ideas What if you have no solid experience in traveling? Or maybe you haven’t seen anything special to talk about. In fact, even a small town has its own spirit and local sightseeing that, you can tell in your essay. For example, you can discuss local cuisine the weather, and share specific descriptions of the places.

Tell the simple story The main aim of every travel essay is to help the reader wear your shoes and imagine what you have experienced during the trip. Describe your emotions and experience in detail to help the reader feel like they have already visited the place. Avoid listing attractions or telling the traveling process step by step. Share your thoughts, and use creative expressions to keep your natural flow.

Ensure your travel story has a standard format and contains an introduction, main body, and conclusion. Don’t interrupt your writing in the middle of an idea; wrap up everything you have said in a meaningful conclusion.

Wrapping Up In general, you can approach traveling essays from different points of view. Grab the reader’s attention with an exciting intro, add vivid details, and focus on several aspects of your journey to keep them reading. Share your experience in a storytelling manner, and your writing won’t be unnoticed.

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The Pros And Cons Of Package Tours: What Solo Travelers Should Know

As an independent traveler I have tended to  steer clear of organized tours  – think early departures, delayed by Susie’s last-minute packing (not to mention the tiny bottles she swiped from the plane and has been sipping since Sunday)…

No thanks. I’d rather go it alone or with a chosen travel partner or two. But surely there are both pros and cons of package tours?

I was recently invited on an organized tour. I said No because of a scheduling conflict but in truth, I was relieved. The thought of cramming myself into a bus with a bunch of people I didn’t know was scary.

But  it got me thinking : Why the reticence? Have I been shortchanging guided travel tours? After all, how can I judge something I don’t know? 

So I decided to investigate. I read what I could, and I talked to women who love tours and women who dislike them intensely.

Here’s what I found out about the pros and cons of package tours. And it surprised me.

DISCOVERY #1 : THERE ARE DEFINITELY ADVANTAGES OF TOUR PACKAGES.

Many traveling women seem to enjoy organized tours so I asked a few of them why – and they had good reasons.

• You don’t have to lift a finger. Someone else will do your homework for you – booking the hotels, restaurants, transport from the airport and between cities, everything but the tips.  You’ve just got to show up .
• Everything is planned  (even predictable). You’ll have a schedule and an itinerary, which means you’ll be able to plan around it, in case you want to try a famous restaurant, or see some friends, for example.
• Your questions will be answered. Most package holidays have  local guides  so you’ll be able to ask about this unusual headdress or that traditional building. Often, guides are experts in a particular aspect of your destination, and may know out-of-the-way gems you would never have found on your own.
• You’ll have  instant travel companions , in case you’re not in the mood or ready to be on your own (although reading through  this section  on solo travel might help)
• Someone else will take care of the ‘ language issue ‘ for you, if you’re not a linguist.
• Things can often be cheaper : travel agencies and outfitters buy in bulk and can pass on those savings to their customers.
• You’ll see more, and that’s a fact, especially  if your time is limited . With things organized for you, you won’t waste valuable travel time searching for a room, getting lost, or figuring out public transport.
• There’s  safety in numbers , and even if you do run into a little trouble, your guide will make sure you’re well taken care of. In some parts of the world, being a female traveler means you’ll hardly get to see anything because the culture won’t allow it; a tour will help you get around some of these constraints.
• No decisions . If you have a high-powered or stressful job, you might welcome having everything taken care of for you for a few days or weeks.
• In some countries, tour packages might be  the only way  to get to certain places, short of chartering a boat or other unlikely event.
• And if you’re a novice traveler, a group may make you  feel less anxious  about stepping out into a new country.

DISCOVERY #2 : THE DISADVANTAGES OF PACKAGED TOURS ARE EQUALLY OBVIOUS.

It’s not all rosy and plenty can go wrong when you’re in a group, rubbing elbows with people you’ve never seen before.

• You may have to  spend time with people  you don’t like. Or who don’t like you. What if you have nothing in common – they drink late into the night and you’re out jogging by 6am even on holiday? 
• Your punctualities may not match. What if they delay the bus with their shopping while you’re  excruciatingly on time , seated five minutes ahead of schedule?
• You can  feel a bit rushed  as you’re whisked from A to B to C with no time to sit and soak in a locale. This type of travel can become superficial.
• If the tour is too large  your visiting time will be reduced  by things like gathering everyone on time, getting on the bus, getting off the bus…
• Your  tour guide  might not be as good as she should be – you might have been better off just reading your guidebook.
• You’re  stuck with your itinerary . You might want to go to a museum at the time a major walk is scheduled but there may be little flexibility built into the schedule.
• You’re also stuck (and this is a big one for me) with the food. Although some groups will cater to your  food choices , alternatives might not be satisfactory. And after the fifth ‘typical’ dish you might be desperately wishing for a pizza!
• You might feel cheated if there are  activities you don’t enjoy , a bit like I feel when I eat a meal with friends who drink (I don’t) and the bill is split equally.
• You may be visiting  too many shops  and not enough real sights.
• Tours can be tiring ; sometimes agencies cram them with every possible destination to make sure you get your money’s worth.
• Your chances of meeting local people are small, as you’ll be gazing at them through a window or  rushing past  them to keep up with the guide.

DISCOVERY #3 : THE PROS AND CONS OF PACKAGE TOURS BOIL DOWN TO ONE THING.

It’s this: how well you choose your tour operator.

It’s the most boring piece of advice but… do your homework! If you have a recommendation from friends, that’s great, you’ll be choosing with your eyes open. But if you have no references, your research will be that much more important. Pick a tour and Search online for any reviews or comments about that tour.

Consider these factors before you book:

• Size : the smaller the group the more intimate and personal the experience – but the larger the group the bigger the party.
• Length of tour : how long can you handle being with a group? (For me, that’s about six hours but I have friends who go on tours for weeks)
• Accommodation : quality, and variety – are you in a boring chain hotel every night, or do you alternate between B&B, unusual treehouse hotels and camps, for example?
• Food  flexibility, especially important if you have allergies or food constraints.
• Cost : of course, you want the most for your investment. But are there any hidden costs? Airport taxes? Extra meals? How much are tips? Drinks? Optional excursions? And the  dreaded single supplement ? This is where you need to read the fine print.
• Type of tour : is it a more adventurous tour, or sedentary, or a mixture?
• Refund policy : do you get anything back if you cancel? Under what conditions?
• Travel time : if you spend all day driving and two hours at a destination, that’s not travel – it’s transport.
• Transportation : how do you get from A to B? If you suffer from motion sickness (as I do) you won’t want to spend hour upon hour on a bus.
• Guides : their training, and whether additional local guides – who may know the destination even more intimately – are included. 
• Activities : are you just seeing or using more of your senses? Going to a performance? Taking a cooking class? Visiting a perfume factory? 
• Physical activities : check this, because if you’re a slow walker you won’t appreciate a highly physical tour, and vice-versa.
• Compatibility : what is the average age? If it’s a 20-year-old party crowd and you’re 60, a week or two might be way too long. What are typical clients like? If they match your demographic, you’ll have a better chance at compatibility.
• Shopping : make sure your tour isn’t a disguised shopping expedition. You don’t need to stop at shops with a tour: that’s what ‘free time’ is for.
• Speaking of which, make sure there is  plenty of free time  built into your tour or you’ll be exhausted by the end of the day, not to mention irritable and in a mood to break the bus.
• What is included : there’s no point in saving money by going for the cheapest tour only to find out no meals are included. Compare like with like.
• The WOW factor , that little extra you can’t define but you’ll feel it when you find the right agency with the right tour.

DISCOVERY #4: THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF TOUR PACKAGES AND THEY DON’T ALL INVOLVE A BUS.

Five tour types are, in my opinion, the exception. I could easily take them and not experience most of the disadvantages of package tours.

These include food walking tours, private organised tours, day tours, solo or single tours and all-women tours.

1. My all-time favorite is the culinary walking tour, which should come as no surprise.

In a food tour a small group of people, usually under a dozen, walk from place to place meeting local chefs, discovering new foods and learning local history. The group dynamic can be fun as tastes and scents are shared and the guide, often a local expert, shares his or her love for the neighborhood and its culinary delights.

On a visit to New York I tried the Tenement Museum’s  Lower East Side Food Tour  and traveled from Italy to China to Russia and beyond in a few delicious bites. In Istanbul, I experienced the  Two Markets Two Continents  tour with Istanbul Culinary Walks and ate my way from Europe to Asia and back.

Both tours were fun and I never felt that ‘herding’ feeling so common when a group of people who don’t know one another travel together with a guide.

On the contrary, we were all brought together by our love of food and no one complained about the walking, about the weather, about the guide or about anything else. We knew why we were there and that is often part of the secret: if you have a passion, it’s fun to share it with others. But if you’re just there for the ride, your and others’ boredom will likely show through.

Other great examples of these are the  Copenhagen Food Tour , the  Porto Food Tour  and the  Florence Walking Food Tour .

2. I also like the private organised tour – pricier than a package tour but far more flexible.

My first experience was a ten-day road trip through Albania, organized by  Albaniantrip  and its hugely resourceful manager Elton Caushi. For ten days a young public health professional, Genci Dervishi, drove me around his country. He was well-versed in recent history, with a strong understanding of its developmental challenges, exactly what I was looking for (and of course I made it to all the traditional tourist sites as well). Albanian isn’t an easy language to understand and having Genci along to translate made all the difference in being able to meet local people.

The second private guided tour I tried was a one-week 2000km loop around South Morocco, carefully built by  Desert Majesty Tours  and its charming manager, Felicity Greenlaw-Weber. In this case, I had not one but two escorts, a driver and a guide, Mohammed and Mohammed, whom I eventually dubbed 1 and 2 after a couple of days of jovial confusion. We divided our time between a 4WD and regular camel rides and explored mountains and deserts.

The vehicle and flexibility made it possible for us to travel on rough tracks across desert areas and into the interior, where we met modern-day nomads who live in caves rather than tents. The language issue was taken care of by our guide and I felt perfectly safe spending the night in several desert camps. 

The third was  a week in Sri Lanka , when I toured the country prior to spending  three weeks at an ayurvedic clinic . I found the driver almost accidentally but this was one of those cases in which the agency got it all wrong – but the driver salvaged the situation. The agency was a fly-by-night outfit located in the Colombo train station with a very official-looking “I” – like the ones used by Information or Tourism Offices worldwide. The tour was utterly cookie-cutter but my driver so flexible he understood immediately what I was looking for and made all the necessary arrangements.

The fourth was in Kyrgyzstan, with  CBT , or Community Based Tourism. CBT is a collection of local service providers – who provide overnight stays, meals, courses or glimpses into the culture. A good portion of the money you pay goes to them directly, in other words, straight into the local economy. I have nothing but praise for them, especially given the difficult terrain and language difficulties. They offered me a menu of activities based on my preferences – culture, food, big huge vistas… and I chose various I was keen to try (like building a yurt, for example).

This type of private or customized travel isn’t reserved for the wealthy, by the way, particularly in countries a little further off the tourist path. It does offer a level of freedom and flexibility I wouldn’t have found in a traditional group tour. In most countries, I was able to hire my private tour for around US$100-150 per day.

3. The day tour is a great alternative to mammoth group tours.

I’m often in a city for  a day or two at most , with little time to orient myself. If I know long enough ahead of time, I can do plenty of research and get myself organized to see as much as possible. But sometimes, that’s simply not possible and that’s when I decide a tour for a day or even half a day would at least show me the highlights. Here are the tour operators I use, depending on which tour is the best for my needs:

• My first stop is Viator , which probably has the broadest selection of half-day and full-day tours
• I also use  Get Your Guide , which is great for city day passes and hop-on hop-off bus tickets
• If I’m with someone (it sometimes happens!) I’ll use Tours by Locals , because I like having a knowledgeable guide all to myself! 

You may have even less time, but you can still get to see the sights. If you happen to be connecting to another flight with a long layover,  these airports offer city tours  which are organized to get you back to the airport on time for your flight.

4. The solo tour or singles tour is also an alternative.

Now I’m moving out of my comfort zone because I’ve never tried one of these, but I’m told that while they are organized, they tend to be different from the larger package tours. 

Solo or singles tours tend to be smaller, often limited to a dozen or so people, which makes them far more flexible than massive groups. Also, since they’re made up of individual travelers, chances are you’ll find greater compatibility since everyone is in the same situation. I will definitely have to try one of these so I can talk about it in greater depth.

5. Finally, the all-women tours.

Again, this isn’t something I’ve ever tried but like the solo tour, these groups tend to be smaller and compatibility far greater, which eliminates some of the bigger problems you face on organized tours.

DISCOVERY #5: NEVER JUDGE A BOOK TOUR BY ITS COVER.

For years I railed against organized tours without knowing enough about them and just agreeing with what I heard. I’ve changed my mind – at least on certain types of tours, like walking or private or small group tours. I still  slow travel  or  solo travel , but I’m no longer dead-set against group travel – if it’s small.

In fact next time someone asks, I won’t ‘automatically’ be busy and if I’m free I’ll give it a try. 

— Originally published on 29 March 2014

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Package Holidays vs. Independent Travel: What You Need to Know

Thomas Cook was one of the early pioneers of a business model soon to be named in pop culture as “package holidays”. Ever since his first organised railway trip in 1841, Thomas Cook realised there is a sound business model.

From there onwards for two centuries people only booked their travel using travel agents they trusted and going on packaged tours.

However, in today’s ever connected and globalised world and with the .com bubble, it made the travel industry question whether this model is still viable. Explore with us below some of the pros and cons of each model and see which one fits best your needs.

Where to Book a Package Holiday?

What counts as a package holiday, are package holidays more expensive, how safe are package holidays, how to book independently, how safe is booking your own holiday, advantages and disadvantages of package holidays vs. independent travel.

Before we reach to any conclusions, we propose to look at both package holidays and independent travel and analyse them separately.

Package Holidays

As we mentioned earlier, Thomas Cook, was one of the early pioneers of this business model. This simple idea yet revolutionary of providing people an all inclusive (not to be confused with the type of board) experience which consisted of: travel to and from, accommodation and the tour of the attraction itself.

Sounds pretty simple but remember during those times everyone made their own travel arrangements, sometimes with dubious individuals. The concepts of a travel agency and consumer rights were still foreign.

The model then evolved throughout the 20th century with the appearance of a dedicated industry – the Travel Industry. The tour operator isn’t the only one selling tickets now.

The appearance of a dedicated sales office or how we know it as a travel agency that can be separate from the tour operator, meant tour operators could now focus on providing the experience and the travel agencies on selling the tours.

Whilst some travel agents had good contacts within the industry and were able to provide competitive rates or great holidays overall, it wasn’t till 1970 when the GDS system came online.

A Global Distribution System (GDS), is a computerized network that facilitates transactions between travel service providers and travel agents (both online travel agents like Expedia and human travel agents).

Nowadays, anyone can book a package holiday. The technological advancements which we covered above made it so that anyone can essentially book a trip anywhere on the planet without even leaving their couch.

If you’re wondering where to book a package holiday, all you have to do is a little bit of research on some of the travel agencies serving your area. You can start off by researching online, exploring the high street or even joining social media groups and asking for recommendations.

For us, we typically go with TUI as they have great customer experience and they also tend to be the tour operators. This means they control the experience end to end and can offer you something most agencies can’t.

Moreover, package holidays are for everyone, whether you are single or travelling with your family or as a couple there are plenty of places to choose from. Definitely worth considering this for your next trip.

Places such as Turkey and Bulgaria are great for families whilst places like Mexico are great for couples or singles.

Well, to put it simply, like in the days of Thomas Cook, it should be a combination of travel and accommodation. The package should be inclusive.

Modern holidaymakers have been used to all-inclusive holidays. Though you can have a package holiday without an all inclusive board, though they tend to be very popular these days.

These started being popular ever since the 1950s where Club Med started offering guests unlimited drinks and food with the idea that the guests never need to leave the estate.

Nowadays, all inclusive means much more than just the board type. It can include water sports, activities, shows and many other things.

So when booking, be sure to check the offer as in today’s ever crowded holiday market a big buffet might not be the only thing on offer. This is what we normally do when we go to places like the Dominican Republic or Mexico .

Whilst there are more people involved in booking your holiday such as the travel agent, tour operators, guides, transport etc. increased business efficiency combined with modern IT tools means that savings are passed on to the consumer making package holidays still a commercially viable option.

When we did our U.S. trip ( New York , Washington D.C. , Philadelphia and Boston), which was independently booked, we tallied up the costs and everything and compared to a similar package holiday.

The cost wasn’t that much different but we were able to plan our own trip in the order we wanted and according to the number of days we wanted to spend in each city.

Also, remember, on top of this you get in some countries a money guarantee scheme similar to the ATOL protection in the UK (mentioned below). Unlike self booked holidays this acts like a safeguard should anything happen on your trip or before.

So if you are wondering if it is it better to book a package holiday – then this consideration alone should make you consider if this might be the right option for you or not.

With the arrival of true international travel a way to protect your citizens was called for. Many governments around the world issued laws and regulations to protect travellers so whatever happens they can still return home.

In the U.K., Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) protection has been since 1973. This regulation is a financial protection scheme and it protects most air package holidays sold by travel businesses.

The scheme also applies to some flight bookings, usually those where you book flights (including UK domestic flights) but do not receive your tickets immediately. The scheme is designed to reassure consumers that their money is safe, and will provide assistance in the event of a travel business failure.

Another similar scheme is ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents), is a trade association for tour operators and travel agents in the United Kingdom. This associations aims to improve the quality of service provided by its members but also protect financially customer.

Unlike ATOL, which covers flight based holidays only, if a holidaymaker buys a land- or sea-based holiday such as coach, rail or cruise holiday from an ABTA member their money will be protected by the ABTA scheme of financial protection.

This effectively means that should your travel agent go bust whilst you are on holiday, under this scheme you can still enjoy your holiday and return on the same date home.

In other words, it’s very safe to book a package holiday.

Some governments around the world also operate similar style schemes. In the argument of package holidays vs independent travel this bit is often overlooked.

We had an experience where we truly appreciated the advantages of a package holiday. During our trip to Punta Cana , we had hurricane Irma (category 5 hurricane) come on our side of the island. TUI were very instrumental in arranging the evacuation and a like for like hotel in the capital of Santo Domingo .

Other guests were sent to the nearby school and slept on the floor throughout. Not only were we evacuated from the dangerous area, but we were also offered a 5-star hotel and excellent service. On top of this, we also got money back for the days we spent outside the resort.

This could be also something to consider on your next trip. It totally changed our perception of the benefits of a package holiday. Needless to say, we have been using TUI ever since.

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Independent Travel

Here is a photo of us, planning our next trip from the comfort of our garden 🙂

First of all, you might wonder what does independent travel mean? It means self booking your trip or holiday without needing a travel agent.

Booking independently has really taken off with the wide adoption of the internet and the .com bubble. With the creation of GDS systems which feed aggregators like Agoda , Booking.com , Skyscanner and many others; ordinary consumers all of the sudden became their own travel agents.

This, in turn, allowed for democratization of the travel booking experience. No longer did you need to leave the house or call your travel agent, all you had to do is type in the 16 digits on your card and off you go!

Whilst some individuals tend to be a bit reserved when it comes to booking it themselves, the benefits should outweigh their fears. In our article about How to Plan a Holiday we discuss some of the points that any traveller should have front of mind when booking a trip independently.

Whilst there are some benefits to booking a package holiday, self booking also comes with some perks. What we noticed is that the advantage of independently booking consists in the granularity and the choice for options at your disposal.

Want a flight Thursday at 5pm from your closest airport? Plenty of choices. How about a quirky looking boutique hotel at your destination? You’ve go it. And the list goes on.

An example here is our trip to Vienna , which we decided to combine with a trip to Bratislava . Given the proximity of these capitals and how well connected they are, we were able to plan our own trip, arrange our own travel at the times we wanted and visit two countries in one long weekend. How cool is that?

This plethora of choices gives travellers the flexibility of booking and tailoring their holiday to their liking. It’s a bit like making a pizza. For those that don’t like off the shelf products they are better off making it at home as they wish.

As we live in the UK, we mainly travel by plane. In our article on Top Tips on How to Find Cheap Flights , we even uncover some of the things you should consider when independently booking your flights.

Whilst booking a package holiday can have some benefits such as ATOL/ABTA protection, discussed above, if used wisely, credit cards can also provide a similar style protection.

Depending on your local country laws, credit card providers can offer certain benefits and protections. Some of these can also be engrained in law.

I remember reading in the news when WOW Air went bankrupt and there was this one line that made me reconsider how I book my flights. It was to do with the order of reimbursements in this particular order:

• Credit cards
• Protected package tours (travel agents)
• Insurance (if covered)

And that’s it. If you booked with a debit card, the administrator may refund you after those above have been processed and only if there is any money left. Ouch!

Next day, we got our credit cards and since then have used them for travel. That is because in the UK, credit cards fall under the Consumer Act of 1974 which covers you of any liability when using borrowed money and when buying services or products and the vendor can’t contractually fulfil their obligations.

However, if your country doesn’t have this in law, some credit card providers offer it anyway as part of their customer service. American Express is well known for going above and beyond in these situations.

When we book our trips abroad such, we always book them on a credit card to make sure we are somewhat covered in these eventualities.

Don’t forget to get a travel insurance to cover yourself and your family. This is especially important when organising your holiday independently.

For EU citizens, health insurance is somewhat covered in other member states as long as you have an European Health Insurance card.

A similar scheme applies in the UK for healthcare cover abroad. You can get a UK Global Health Insurance Card (UK GHIC) or a UK European Health Insurance Card (UK EHIC). We both have the EHIC cards and thankfully haven’t had to use them.

Now when it comes to the conclusion, you will see it’s not a straight forward line. It mostly depends on your circumstances and specific situation.

It depends on your personal preferences, the type of holiday you are booking, the amount of time you have at hand and how confident you feel organising your own trip.

See below a summary of key things:

So the conclusion is that it really depends on your situation. You might self book when you want that extra fine granularity in your trip, otherwise a standard packaged holiday might do just fine.

As experienced travellers, we prefer to book our own trips and make our own holiday plans that work around our schedule and the time we have. If you are like us, you may find our article on how to plan a trip useful.

Remember, booking on your own also means investing more time and doesn’t always pay dividends if you are fairly novice.

Since our trip to Punta Cana , we appreciate even more the benefits of a package holiday. We tend to book package holidays for our summer all-inclusive holidays, so we can fully relax knowing everything is done for us.

Ready to book? Below are some recommendations to get your trip started:

• Flights – we use flight aggregators such as Skyscanner and Google flights to find the best options. You can find more information about finding cheap flights here .
• Accommodation – would recommend booking your accommodation through an aggregator such as Booking.com or Agoda to get the best rates. We also use TripAdvisor to read reviews.
• Transport – consider  Rentalcars.com for car renting or if you rely on public transport, you can use Omio for trains, coaches, ferries, airport transfers and even flights.
• Activities – a great option is GetYourGuide , Klook or Viator for tours, excursions, experiences and tickets to many tourist attractions.
• Travel money – we have Starling Bank accounts (UK residents only) with 0% fees on FX and a good Mastercard exchange rate. Revolut is another good option.
• Internet abroad – with Airalo or Nomad you can access a wide range of eSIMs (digital SIM cards) available for different countries and regions.
• Luggage storage – if you need to store your bags whilst exploring the destination, you can use Radical Storage to find your closest luggage storage and enjoy your journey until the very end.

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How To Write a Good Travel Essay

Home / Blog / How To Write A Good Travel Essay - Guide With Examples

Introduction

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”

-Gustav Flaubert

Packing the duffel with the bare essentials and hopping into the car, getting behind the steering wheel and driving with no perfect destination in mind – we all dream to live such a life, don't we? Travelling to unseen places and exploring what it has to offer can be an enriching experience. However beautiful can travel be as an experience, writing a travelling essay can be quite a challenge. It may seem easy to come up with the ideas that you want to include in the essay but putting them into coherent sentences can be difficult. Your words should be impactful enough to be able to sweep the readers off their feet and take them on the cliff or make them feel the saline breeze on a beach.  

A perfect travel essay must reflect the journey and highlight the little-known facts about the region. It should be infused with the character and culture of the place. If you are feeling stymied while writing a travel essay, then we have some brilliant tips for you that can make the task considerably easy for you.

8 tips for an outstanding essay on travelling

Here are 8 tips that you can cash on to produce a winning travelling essay:

• Be specific with the destination

Before you choose a topic for your travel essay, keep the time spent in the location in mind. If your trip is just for a couple of days, then do not make the mistake of writing about an entire city. Think it out practically – is it possible to travel through a city in just a few days? Take for instance your essay is about London. It is quite an insurmountable task to be able to cover all the distance even in a week. So stick to a particular destination so that you can include the nuances and minutest details of the place to paint a picture in the reader’s mind with your words. 

• Less guide, more exploring

Also, the destination need not be about an exotic locale. It can be a story about an idyllic rustic location in the suburb of the teeming city. It can be about a cottage up on the hills with just the view of snowy valleys and iced peaks. Your words should give the sense of exploring and not touring. The essay should not be like a guide. It should be a view of the location through your lens.

• Know the location like the back of your hand

Before starting to write a travel essay, do your research. A travel essay isn’t a made-up story so there should not be any fake information. Readers will be looking for more than just the necessary information about the must-visit tourist attractions. So you need to go beyond the surface and include more about the history of the place. Just do not write about the restaurants – talk about the cuisine of the place and the story behind it, if any. To get into the innermost recesses of the location, you can speak to the residents of the area. To bring richness in your travel essay, you must reveal another side of the destination.

• Include the nitty-gritty

The key to an impressive travel essay is to be able to break down the location into kernels and write the core details about them. As mentioned earlier, so not just write about the tourist attractions and restaurants in the destination. Write about the lesser talked streets and unknown landmarks and the history behind them. If the place is known for its delicacies, write about how the cuisine has evolved and who had started it. From quaint bookstores to ice cream parlours to run-down shabby pubs – shed light to such nuances to bring your essay to life. You can even mention the negative things that you have faced in the place – like irregular transport modes or impolite locals. These little details will help you make your essay more impactful.

• Be creative with the writing style

Since a travel essay is more like an anecdote, there is no specific format to write it. Therefore, a travel essay gives you the scope of setting your foot into the unchartered areas of creativity. You have got the creative freedom to write what you want. You can study how the natives of the locale speak and learn some of the basic words and phrases they use. To put them into writing you can read the local newspaper to get the pulse of the city you are in. Using the colloquial lingo can help the reader get a closer peek into the lives of the people living in the place. It will reflect a slice of how they live their way of life. Your words should be simple and yet impactful to portray and not just merely narrate. Touch every bit of the rust in the roof to make the reader feel like they are on the same journey with you.

• Make it personal

The travel essay is your story. So add some personal experience in the story and at the same time do not make it self-indulgent. Include stories that can resonate with all your readers. Your experiences should be able to bring the reader back to the travel destination and connect him with the place. It should be the perfect blend of narration of the experiences you had while on the trip along with a vivid description of the place. To achieve the balance, write your essay in first person perspective to give a real touch to the story. Include the most interesting bits that will help the reader connect with you. You can even include the quotes of natives living in the area you had visited.

• Start with a captivating catch

Like every essay, the introduction is the key to make it an impressive read. The opening should be capturing enough to attract the reader’s attention. It should leave an impact and should make them want to go on reading the piece. Start with an unknown fact about the place and leave it hanging from the cliff. Use a tone of suspense to excite the readers to keep them guessing about the contents of the essay.

• Make it vivid with images

For certain places, words may fall short in being able to explain the exact description of a place. You cannot describe how the sky looked with the mountains seemingly touching the clouds or the horizon fading beyond the sea. Certain things cannot be explained in words – like the color of the sky or the water! This is where pictures come in! Providing real images of the place in between can help the readers stay connected. Vivid photos can also make the readers understand the story better by bringing them closer to it. So make sure you take breathtaking pictures of the place you are writing about. The images will help your essay stay in the readers’ mind longer.

With the above tips, we are sure you will be able to write an excellent travelling essay  that will impress your professor and fetch you a good grade.

And if you are still unsure about putting these to use, then below is a winning sample to show you how it is done!

Travelling essay sample

I have visited London several times, and yet it is amazing how I find something new to explore every time I visit the capital city. My visit last autumn too did not fail to surprise me. With the hustle and bustle and the rich royal history, London city has a lot to offer. Since I just had a few days to spare, I wanted to make the best out of this trip.

Although vast and sprawling, I decided to visit most of the city on foot this time. Now since in my previous visits I had seen most of the tourist-y attractions already, I wanted to take the path less travelled this time to discover the hidden gems of the city. The last time I had been to London, I had missed out on the chance to visit the chock full of literature and history that awaited me in the Shakespeare Globe Theatre. Being a student of literature, visiting the place where the Bard of Avon once enacted the plays he wrote was a spellbinding moment. And guess what? I also caught a staging of the Macbeth before I left the place. Before heading towards the Hyde Park tube station, I grabbed some of London’s famous Fish ‘n’ Chips from the oldest food market of the city, the Borough Market. From Hyde Park to Tower Hill in under fifteen minutes by Tube, I began exploring the Tower of London. It was there that I heard a guard speaking about where he hailed from. A quick conversation with Peter, I had gotten intrigued to know more about his village – Suffolk in Lavenham. I asked him how to get there and Peter, being the quintessential helping guide that Londoners are known to be, told me that I could either take a car from central London. Or I could wait for the next day and take the train from Liverpool to Sudbury and then take the bus route 753 and reach in around two hours. Having nothing to do, I spent that day in the British Museum and walking on Oxford Street.

The next morning, I started my journey to the quaint village of Suffolk. I had picked up a book about the village where I learned that the village had once housed Henry III in 1257. And a bonus for all the Harry Potter fans – the village also starred in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ as Godric’s Hollow where Hermoine and Harry are seen to be visiting Bathilda Bagshot. On reaching the village, the first thing that grabbed my attention was the picture-perfect silhouette of prosperous medieval England with all the half-timbered houses. The lime-washed and brightly coloured buildings added an idyllic element to the village with the De Vere House standing out from the rest. Adding to the rustic touch was the fifteenth-century St Peter Church with its soaring height of a 141ft tower. The autumn breeze welcomed me as I walked on the leaf-covered high streets. I saw some young guns cycling around in a park and called out to them for directions. My stay for the trip was an Air BnB home-stay where I had to put up with an elderly couple – the Havishams. I still remember how on reaching the gate of the house, I had caught a waft of crumpets and hot scones. After an exchange of banalities followed by me gorging on the scones, I had found out about the hidden gems from Mr Havisham who happened to be quite a cheerful talker. He told me what a must-visit Hadley’s was when in Suffolk. I had then set out with a local map to find the hidden gem. On reaching I had found that Hadley’s was a cutesy ice cream shop, almost run down, run by an old lady. Here Rebecca told me how the ice cream parlour was opened back in the 1850s and was still known for their hand-made sorbets.

Like the sorbet, my stay in Suffolk had been a sweet experience – a trip of revelation. The tour – with all the lonely walks – had in an inexplicable way helped me to get my perspectives right. It isn’t the exotic locales and the flight above the clouds that make travelling my drug. Rather, it is little but beautiful discoveries like Suffolk that feed my wanderlust. Thank you, London. Thank you for being a wonderful experience, once again.   

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Several Winning Tips on Travel Essay Writing

It is really hard to write a travel essay when you have no experience to share and your writing skills aren’t good. Otherwise stated, the main code for a successful and interesting travel story is the ability to share your emotions after a trip. You are more inspired almost immediately after a trip and you have a strong desire to share this experience in written form. In this scenario, you have more chances to describe a trip in the best possible way (you’ll bring the target group along with your trip).

The overarching goal of an essay writing help is to make a virtual tour for the reader. This person will read your story and will find inspiration to repeat your trip. Below, you can find several crucially important tips, allowing you to create a worthy travel essay, which will grab the reader’s attention.

1. How to Determine the Best Destination?

The biggest aberration of students is considering that an interesting essay should be about exotic countries. Alternatively stated, it is impossible to astonish the readers writing about your favorite country place or the nearest district. The theme shouldn’t be devoted to a distant country. When you can see the beauty around, you will get this creative assignment. For that reason, if you have never been to France or Australia, don’t devise new facts, aiming to create a cool essay. You should select a well-familiar destination instead and a high-quality result is guaranteed!

2. Find the Detailed Information about a Chosen Location.

It makes no matter where you want to go – before you take to the road, you should do a simple research about the places you are going to visit. Except for being packed with your personal emotions, a travel essay should be accurate and reflective. It shouldn’t be just general information about the main tourist attractions (internet is overwhelmed with these facts). You should think over the structure and study the resources because the information about habits, customs, cousin or history is more interesting than a standard listing of landmarks.

3. Mind Even Inconspicuous Details.

You should make the core audience be fully absorbed by your essay, but how to do this? The explanation is simple – pay attention to small (at a glance even inconspicuous) details. You can google this information before a trip or you can arrive at a new location and instead of taking conventional excursions, you should talk to the local citizens, eat in the local cafes (located far from touristic zones). Otherwise stated, you should see the locals’ pace of living and when you do this, you’ll find what aspects were not covered before.

4. Add Your Personal Experience.

This form of writing shouldn’t be self-indulgent but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t add your own experience. Your own opinion matters but it should be relevant to the theme of writing. Some students consider that their own viewpoint is not important but in this instance, they just turn their travel essay into a short informative post. In sober fact, your personal predicaments and thoughts can attract the audience, but don’t pitch it strongly because, in this scenario, it will be your diary.

5. Use the Rules of Descriptive Prose.

The overarching goal of a travel essay is to describe a place. For that reason, to achieve the desired effect, you should use the rules of descriptive prose. A reader should assume as if he visits this place at the moment. Nevertheless, a sense of who is describing the place should also be present. Find out the main techniques that are used by authors, writing descriptive prose and use them in your work.

Your travel essay should be informative but at the same time, it should comprise your own point of view regarding the place you visit. Just imagine a situation, you come to the art gallery, look at the main showpieces, and you immediately imagine this place (as if you are a part of this picture). The same should be with a travel essay – the core audience reads it and immediately grasps what you wanted to hit over the fence.

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How to write a travel essay?

• August 25, 2020

What could be more exciting than a trip? One finds himself in it, understands what is wrong with the place where he was born and grew up, and rethinks his whole life. An exciting journey is a sort of sip of freshness and inspiration for new beginnings. However, it’s not easy for everyone to describe and talk about their travels. We spoke to essay writers from EssayShark and discovered all the secrets of writing about travel.

What is a travel essay?

A travel essay is a story about the author’s journey to a certain place and a description of his or her emotions, feelings, and experiences resulting from that journey. The trip does not need to be to a remote or extreme location. A visit to a village with relatives whom you have not seen since childhood can be more precious and memorable than climbing to the highest peak in your country. This type of essay is usually written in the first person and includes a large number of personifications. Today travel blogs are becoming more and more popular and are not just about colorful photos. Texts play an equally important role.

Tips on writing a travel essay

It is important to be able to interest your reader and make them read the story to the end. If you start your story with “Last summer, I went to a neighboring state,” you are unlikely to intrigue anyone. Try to start your essay with a quote or a phrase that will make you want to dig deeper. “Jump faster, what are you waiting for? He’s already right behind us! “my friend shouted.” The reader immediately has many questions: Where should he jump? Who is chasing them? Will they be able to run away? Then comes the story, and the intrigue of jumping with a friend is revealed only at the end.

Breaking the chronology also works fine if you have the task of enticing the reader. For example, the story begins with a description of a situation where the author of the text finds himself in some incredible situation. Then the text follows the phrase: “Two hours before these events, I had no idea that this could happen to me.”

Never write an essay when you are still traveling

During the trip, it is better to write down the details and emotions that you get in new places, but not to write the whole essay. You’ll do that when you get back. You need the information to calm down, and the analytical part of the brain will come into play.

Do not rewrite Wikipedia

No one is interested in reading about the Eiffel Tower in Paris for the thousandth time or about the year the Colosseum was founded and who fought there. Leave it to Wikipedia. Stop and think about what you know that’s not on Wikipedia. For example, it doesn’t know what flavors fill the streets of Paris, where they sell delicious buns in Amsterdam, and where to find the biggest bicycle parking .

Tell Stories

The most powerful “hook” to attract readers or listeners is a good story. Something that brings the story to life and what is ultimately memorable. When you tell a story about an architectural monument, no one will remember what year and style it was built. They will remember the legend associated with it. Stories can be written about anything.

Add emotions and dynamics to your essay

When approaching the text critically, however, do not forget about the emotional component. Try to write not so much in words as in images. A genuinely fascinating text should capture the reader, teleport him to the very heart of your story. The reader should feel the air temperature, sounds, tastes, and fragrances that surround you. Do not be afraid of metaphors and epithets.

Do not emphasize the negative aspects of the journey, but do not hide the mishaps

Everyone knows that delicate things can spoil the mood. You get off on the wrong foot, and the day is ruined. You should not confuse your expectations with the actual state of things. However, when you stand on a sea urchin with that very foot, for example, where the encounter with him could not have happened, that’s another story. This experience makes your report special. That’s where practical advice is born.

What should you remove from the travel essay?

• pathos and pathetic (they kill the text and make it dull);
• other people’s ideas (use your own words and feelings);
• the beautiful (magnificent, luxurious, delightful — these epithets no longer have any meaning). It’s better to talk about tactile sensations, smells, and tastes;
• lengthy descriptions, unnecessary details — banalities and common places;
• cliches and stamps (“narrow, cobbled streets,” “indelible impressions,” “the fall was due to a loss of balance”);
• exclamation points and ellipses (their abundance reveals the author’s powerlessness).
• figures, dates;
• proper names;
• geographical titles;
• everything that indicates the “biggest,” “oldest,” (it often turns out to be false).

Fact-checking

You should especially double-check those facts where you are 100% sure.

If the truthfulness of the story cannot be confirmed, but it is fascinating, there are magic expressions such as “they say,” “there is a version that,” “according to a local legend…”.

Related Topics

• student travel
• travel blogging
• travel essays
• travel writing

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• August 24, 2020

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Three Essays On Package Tourism And Sustainability

This dissertation consists of three related essays on package tourism and sustainability. While the first two essays might be referred to as companion essays and use the same dataset, the third essay uses a different dataset. The first dataset consists of 307 package tourists interviewed in Dominican Republic; the second dataset is composed by 204 tour operators worldwide. The two datasets are complementary, in order to investigate sustainability in the package tourism both from supply side (including destinations and tourism businesses, such as hotels and tour operators) and demand side (package tourists.) Mass package tourism is one of the main causes behind the ecological problems of many coastal destinations. It was initially considered incompatible with the notion of sustainability, but it is now recognized as potentially being able to incorporate more sustainable policies and practices. The first essay introduces a set of sustainability practices in package tourism and tests their role in explaining the competitiveness of a “sun and sand” tourism destination. The essay presents the results of research undertaken in Dominican Republic, one of the world’s leading markets for mass sun and sand tourism. A survey questionnaire was designed including items related to the sustainability of the vacation, and submitted to package tourists. To reduce the large set of items to a smaller one, a principal component analysis (PCA) is performed. Then, the relationship of dependency between the dependent variables measuring destination competitiveness and the components resulting from PCA is analysed by performing a regression analysis. The empirical result shows that sustainability is positively associated to the competitiveness of the tourism destination. It supports the hypothesis that sustainable tourism development is not only good for preserving the local ecosystem, but also for improving destination competitiveness. It is well established that tourists’ overall satisfaction is partially determined by the assessment of different attributes. Although there is wealth of literature on the growing interest of tourists for an intact environment and authentic culture, a direct test on the relationship between sustainability of package tourism and tourists’ satisfaction has never been performed; therefore, the second essay is aimed at examining whether there is a relationship with: i) overall tourists’ satisfaction; ii) intention to rebook. A principal component analysis was performed to reduce the large set of variables regarding the sustainability assessment to a smaller one; then, the relationship of dependency between the two dependent variables and the components resulting from the PCA is analysed by estimating two ordered logit models. Empirical results show that a sustainable offer could improve customers’ satisfaction and increase their fidelization. The essay is also aimed at understanding if package tourists are aware of sustainability issues and demanding more sustainable travel experiences. Hence, a descriptive statistical analysis and an importance-performance analysis were performed. Competitive pressures, changes of consumer preferences, new distributions channels and technological innovations have produced a change in the characteristics of tourism packages. Tour operators have progressively recognized that tourists have become increasingly aware of sustainability issues. Some tour operators have started to undertake corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in order to avoid the menace of being seen as irresponsible firms. Studies on CSR in tourism to date have largely focused on hotels rather than tour operators. In the third essay, an empirical study was conducted with a sample composed by 204 tour operators worldwide, for a better understanding of the CSR initiatives in the tour operating business. This study proposes and tests a framework to assess CSR understanding and implementing by tour operators. A questionnaire has been designed listing the most relevant dimensions of what is currently referred as CSR practices in tour operating business. Through a principal component analysis and a subsequent binary logistic regression analysis it was tested if there is a relationship between CSR practices and profits’ growth. Empirical evidence supports the relevance of CSR practices as a determinant of profits’ growth. Moreover, sustainability seems to embody visions and values of most of tour operators interviewed. No insurmountable obstacles on adopting CSR initiatives have been detected.

Related Papers

Graham Busby

Journal of Cleaner Production

Gianluca Goffi

This study aims to assess tour operators’ sustainability orientation and engagement and to determine whether variations among different tour operators exist, that is, from different continents, with different targets and dimensions. A survey among tour operators worldwide was conducted. A total of 204 answers were obtained with a worldwide coverage. Results affirm relatively high sustainability orientation and engagement and that the more sustainability-oriented the tour operators are, the more sustainability-engaged they are. Moreover, results show that smaller tour operators, specializing in nature and cultural tourism, and owning accommodation facilities are also highly engaged in sustainability. Significant differences are observed among regions, with higher engagement for African and Asian tour operators compared with European ones. This study proposes the development of a new approach to sustainability in this sector: by introducing corporate sustainability strategies, tour operators can maintain their economic capital while preserving natural and social capital.

Tourism management

Banana Suuii

International Journal of Tourism Research

Gianluca Goffi , Tonino Pencarelli

This paper investigates if there are segments of large-scale coastal package tourists (LCPTs) interested in sustainability, if current sustainability initiatives meet their expectations, and if sustainability influences their satisfaction and intention to return. A survey questionnaire has been submitted to LCPTs in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, one of the world's leading large-scale coastal destinations. A descriptive statistical analysis, a gap analysis and a structural equation model have been developed. Findings reveal that LCPTs show a high interest in sustainability, which is a critical area that needs to be improved, and that sustainability affects LCPTs' satisfaction and intention to return.

Tonino Pencarelli

This paper is aimed at understanding if package tourists are interested in sustainable travel experiences, and at identifying areas of priority towards more sustainable hotels' operations and management. A survey questionnaire has been designed including items related to the sustainability of the vacation, and submitted to package tourists in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, receiving 307 responses. A descriptive statistical analysis and an importance-performance analysis has been performed. Findings show that package tourists demonstrate a high interest in sustainability, even more than in classic features of the holiday. Results also highlight that more efforts should be made to move towards more sustainable business practices in all areas of business, concentrating on the environmental preservation, promotion of local culture an interactions with locals, avoiding tourists " enclavization " within the hotel area.

Proceedings of the International Conference On Tourism (ICOT 2016) New Challenges and Boundaries in Tourism: Policies, Innovations and Strategies. Konstantinos Andriotis (Editor)

Gianluca Goffi , Magdalena Cladera

This paper is aimed at understanding if package tourists are interested in sustainable travel experiences, and at identifying areas of priority towards more sustainable hotels’ operations and management. A survey questionnaire has been designed including items related to the sustainability of the vacation, and submitted to package tourists in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, receiving 307 responses. A descriptive statistical analysis and an importance-performance analysis has been performed. Findings show that package tourists demonstrate a high interest in sustainability, even more than in classic features of the holiday. Results also highlight that more efforts should be made to move towards more sustainable business practices in all areas of business, concentrating on the environmental preservation, promotion of local culture an interactions with locals, avoiding tourists “enclavization” within the hotel area.

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Poll: package holidays or independent travel?

Book your individual trip , stress-free with local travel experts

• roughguides.com
• package-hoildays-versus-independent-travel

written by Rough Guides Editors

updated 4.03.2019

Let’s be realistic: booking a holiday can be stressful. There’s a torrent of information on the internet on destinations, flights, accommodation and everything in between. Before you start to plan, there are a thousand questions to ask.

Why book a package holiday?

Why book independently, how do you book your holidays.

How do I get the best deal on flights? Where should I stay? When should I go? And the most important question of all: where should I go?

This is where package holidays came in – and they remain extremely popular.

It’s easy, stress-free and often more secure. If you’re booking a package, you’re likely to have an expert on hand to answer questions before you book, during the process and afterwards. They’ll remind you that you’ll need travel insurance , and take care of any extras like car hire and airport transfers.

Packages can sometimes be cheaper too, as travel agents will occasionally offer vast discounts on last-minute departures.

Package holidays are also a blessing when you’re travelling with children : if the prospect of a holiday with the kids seems daunting at first, a package booking will take the weight off your mind and put the responsibility into someone else’s hands. Then you’re just in charge of remembering all the baby food and in-flight entertainment.

© Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

Freedom. If you don’t mind doing a bit of research – here is a good place to start – then booking independently can be a little more rewarding, and not just in the financial sense.

Not only will you be able to find the cheapest flights at the best time for you, but you’ll also be able to choose from a wider range of accommodation and can work to far more flexible dates.

If you’re a budget traveller, this is the option for you, as package holidays are often focused on a more luxury experience or they’re designed for families.

If you’re travelling alone or in a couple and still want a bit of comfort on the road, you could book an organised tour for when you arrive so you’re not entirely responsible for the itinerary.

Top image © Preto Perola/Shutterstock

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Independent Travel vs Organized Tours? The Pros and Cons

When it comes to travel, there’s no “right or wrong”. Travel is personal: it depends on our education, environment, and personality. Not to speak about how much our travel decisions are driven by our budget and how much time we have. Our travel style tells a lot about us.

A lot of people ask me about independent travel vs organized tours, and look for advice on what they should do. The truth is that there’s not a definitive answer. There are pros and cons in both independent travel and organized tours.

For as long as I can remember, I embraced independent travel. Unsurprisingly, I became a solo traveler and I’ve been traveling alone for more than 20 years. Friends and family have often wondered how I could leave for a solo trip in South Africa with no plans except the first two days in Johannesburg, or travel as a solo female and no plans in Pakistan .

I’m not the one choosing or rejecting a destination after wondering and pondering on the possible dangers. I believe that the way ‘ dangerous places’ are defined is mostly a matter of perception and with a very few exceptions, the only reason I don’t visit a country is that it’s not on the top of my wishlist at that moment.

I reckon that I’m too much of a free spirit, and organized tours make me feel like a wild animal in a cage. Still, there are pros and cons to both independent travel and group tours and the choice depends on what we are looking for from a trip as well as on the context.

The perks of independent travel…

It’s all in one word: freedom. When you travel on your own:

» you can do what you want

» you can decide your own pace

» anytime, you can change plans, staying longer in place you love, shortening your stay if you’ve had enough, and you can modify your itinerary upon your inspiration or valuable recommendations by other travelers. Freedom and spontaneity are invaluable to me, but we are not all the same and since traveling should be a pleasure, there would be no point in doing something that makes you feel uncomfortable.

… and the downsides

Every rose has its thorns, and independent travel is no exception. Freedom comes at a price, and the main drawbacks are that:

» you must do all the background research and planning by yourself (which is time-consuming although it can be fun and part of the pleasure)

» there’s no one to blame or to get a compensation from if anything goes wrong

» you will have to take care of any glitch that might arise.

There are indeed benefits in an organized tour

The majority of people don’t consider an organized tour as an option but as the only possible way to travel. They might not have the time to carefully plan a trip or feel scared to be alone, they might need company or feel uncomfortable because of the foreign language. The reason doesn’t matter.

As much as I like to travel solo, there are situations where an organized tour is the best option . This typically happens under specific circumstances or in a few selected countries. So, when does a group tour come in handy?

» some regions cannot be visited without a guide or a tour. Whether it’s a 4×4 drive in the Algerian desert , a boat ride in Canaima National Park to see the Angel Falls or a journey in Yemen, you’ll have to rely on a tour operator, a local one if you are having an independent journey.

» if you look for special experiences, like a scuba diving liveaboard or a safari in the wild, or a visit to the townships in South Africa or in Brazil, you’re unlikely to go on your own

» at times, an organized tour is cheaper, especially if you’re a solo traveler. This is particularly true when the renting of a 4×4 vehicle is involved since the price for a single person would be exorbitant.

»  group tours are a perfect choice if like active travel and if you’re keen to meet like-minded people sharing your same passions. Whether you fancy a cycling tour in Cuba, Vietnam or up and down the hills of Tuscany, or if your dream is to hike to Machu Picchu and have an adventure in Peru , an organized trip with a leading tour operator like GAdventures or Intrepid Travel is likely the best decision you can make.

Sometimes, a package tour is your best bet

There are destinations where a package tour is cheaper, sometimes significantly.

If you are a winter sports aficionado, you’ll find great deals for al inclusive ski and snowboarding holidays, spending far less than you would do organizing your holiday independently, especially if you live far away from the mountains. The same if you wish to spend a relaxing week on the Red Sea or the Maldives.

Tour operators can rely on charter flights and volumes, providing offers at very competitive prices, especially in low or middle season.

Finding the balance between independent travel vs organized tours

Never give up on a destination because an independent journey seems difficult. You don’t need an organized tour to go hiking in the Andes or in Nepal. You’ll find plenty of local tour operators to rely on.

In the Alps, I usually go hiking alone , and overseas I arranged to go trekking with a private guide. I did it in Nepal, Peru, and in Pakistan. It was – at last at the time – affordable, and the best solution for me, since I wanted to decide my itinerary and walk at my (very slow) pace.

In some countries, a mix between independent travel and short organized tours is the best solution to have a tailor-made experience. Instead of buying a tour with everything fixed, no matter how interested you are in all activities, you decide where to go and what to do last minute, and build your own journey.

Are you an independent traveler or do you prefer organized tours? What are the pros and cons?

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. While the price for you doesn’t change, in case you buy something I’ll get a small commission helping me to run the website. Thank you!

Travel addict and passionate about photography, Simon Falvo started Wild About Travel back in 2009. Leveraging her strong PR background, she developed an extensive knowledge of Digital Communications and Content Creation. Besides travel writing Simon holds workshops and trainings, she collaborated with tourism boards for digital marketing campaigns and participated as a speaker at several events.

3 thoughts on “Independent Travel vs Organized Tours? The Pros and Cons”

I am glad I chose organised tours in Australia and SE Asia when travelling with my husband a few years ago. We had already driven in California and New Zealand under our own steam and while that was great, and yes we could stop somewhere longer if we chose to, the driver gets the short straw. Once settled in the Melbourne house sit, we decided to pre book tours for the rest of the trip, around our flights. One reason was to manage our travel budget, we knew that all our travel and accommodation costs would be covered. The other was to meet more travellers. All the tour leaders without exception were excellent. We got to meet people from all over the world and of all ages on the tours. The downside? I would have liked more time in some places and less in others, and we stayed in some pretty grotty hostels. On balance I loved being part of a small group, sharing experiences and in 5 seperate tours we only met one person that we could not get along with. The driver (my husband) was glad of the rest and being able to sit back and not have to concentrate on driving. Although I know he’d drive The Big Sur again in a heartbeat. In five months I think we got the balance just about right.

You’re making a good point, Coral, and I understand that in some cases a road trip can be a little stressful for the driver. I mostly travel solo, and hire a car very rarely. I go around by public transport, which is a fantastic way to see local life and to meet other independent travelers. There are plus and minus in both independent travel and organized tours. You made a mix of the two and it’s an interesting approach.

I always prefer independent. The downsides are few, but the pros are far too many. And you can be spontaneous.

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Is it better to go on a package tour or travel on your own?

Introduction: The Great Travel Debate

When it comes to planning a vacation, one of the most significant decisions a traveler will face is whether to book a package tour or venture out on their own. Both options present their own unique set of advantages and disadvantages, and the answer ultimately depends on personal preferences, budget, and travel experience. In this article, we'll explore the pros and cons of package tours versus independent travel, helping you make an informed decision for your next adventure.

The Convenience of Package Tours

Package tours offer a level of convenience that is hard to beat when compared to independent travel. Everything is taken care of for you, from transportation and accommodation to meals and sightseeing. This means that you can relax and enjoy your vacation without worrying about the logistics of planning each day. Additionally, package tours often include a local tour guide, who can provide valuable insights into the culture, history, and attractions of your destination. This can greatly enhance your travel experience and ensure that you don't miss out on any must-see sights.

Cost Savings with Package Tours

One of the most attractive aspects of package tours is the potential for cost savings. Because tour operators book in bulk, they can often negotiate better rates for accommodations, transportation, and attractions. This means that you may be able to enjoy a more luxurious vacation than you would have been able to afford on your own. Additionally, with a package tour, you'll know the total cost of your trip upfront, allowing you to budget more effectively and avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Meeting Like-Minded Travelers on Package Tours

Traveling with a group on a package tour can be a great way to meet new people and make lasting friendships. You'll be spending a significant amount of time together, and the shared experiences can help forge strong connections. This can be especially appealing for solo travelers who may be looking for companionship on their journey. Additionally, group travel can provide an added sense of safety and security, which can be particularly important when visiting unfamiliar destinations.

Greater Flexibility with Independent Travel

One of the main advantages of independent travel is the flexibility it offers. When you're traveling on your own, you can set your own schedule and decide what you want to see and do. This means that you can tailor your vacation to your own interests and preferences, rather than following a pre-determined itinerary. Independent travel also allows you to be spontaneous and take advantage of unexpected opportunities that may arise during your trip. For example, you might decide to extend your stay in a particular city or take a detour to visit a nearby attraction that wasn't part of your original plan.

The Authenticity of Independent Travel

For many travelers, one of the main draws of independent travel is the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local culture and have a more authentic experience. By venturing off the beaten path and interacting with locals, you can gain a deeper understanding of your destination and its people. This can lead to unique and unforgettable experiences that simply can't be replicated on a package tour. Additionally, independent travel allows you to avoid the tourist traps and discover hidden gems that may not be included in a package tour itinerary.

Control Over Your Budget with Independent Travel

While package tours can offer cost savings, independent travel allows you to have complete control over your budget. You can choose where to eat, stay, and which attractions to visit based on your own preferences and financial constraints. This can be especially appealing for budget-conscious travelers who are looking to stretch their dollars as far as possible. Additionally, by cutting out the middleman, you may be able to negotiate better deals directly with local vendors and service providers.

The Challenge and Reward of Independent Travel

For some travelers, the challenge of planning and executing their own trip is part of the appeal. Independent travel can require a significant amount of research, organization, and problem-solving, but the sense of accomplishment that comes from successfully navigating a foreign destination on your own can be incredibly rewarding. Additionally, overcoming obstacles and unexpected challenges can help build confidence and resilience, making you a more adaptable and resourceful traveler.

Consider Your Travel Style and Preferences

Ultimately, the decision between a package tour and independent travel comes down to your personal preferences and travel style. If you value convenience, camaraderie, and cost savings, a package tour may be the best option for you. On the other hand, if you prioritize flexibility, authenticity, and the thrill of the unknown, independent travel might be more your speed. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, so take the time to consider what type of vacation will bring you the most enjoyment and satisfaction.

Conclusion: Finding the Right Balance

Whether you choose a package tour or independent travel, both options can lead to unforgettable experiences and cherished memories. It's important to weigh the pros and cons of each and consider your own preferences and priorities when making your decision. You may even find that a combination of the two approaches works best for you, such as booking a package tour for the main portion of your trip and then adding on a few days of independent exploration. Whatever you choose, remember that the most important factor in any vacation is your own enjoyment and fulfillment.

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Traveling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

This essay about travelling abroad explores all the advantages and disadvantages of this activity.

Introduction

• Advantages of traveling
• Disadvantages of traveling
• How to choose a trip

Traveling refers to movement from one geographical location to another, either for recreation or work. The majority of the people who love traveling do it when they are young because of the availability of adequate time and lack of pressing responsibilities such as work and family (Hasbrouck, 2011). Traveling is an important pastime activity that is fun, and that exposes people to other countries, cultures, and societies. Travelers learn a lot because traveling necessitates changes in lifestyle and ways of communication. Moreover, travelers learn new languages, interact with people from other races and ethnicities, and explore new geographical locations (Mitchell, 2006). Individuals who travel regularly possess adventurous spirits that yearn for new experiences to learn new things. Despite having numerous benefits, traveling has disadvantages too. It is costly, exposes individuals to the risk of contracting diseases, and causes excessive fatigue.

Advantages of Traveling

Traveling offers people an opportunity to visit interesting places, learn new things, and meet new people ( 5 Benefits of Travelling , 2013). It is one of the best ways to interact with people from other races, cultures, and ethnicities. Travelers explore the various beliefs and traditions that guide other people’s lives and learn how interconnected humanity is (Mitchell, 2006). For example, there are very many cultures in the world that have preserved their traditional beliefs, customs, and practices. Visiting countries such as Kenya, Mexico, China, and India is an occasion to experience such unique cultures. On the other hand, meeting new people who speak different languages and who live differently is exciting and educational. Travelers also visit interesting places that have great cultural and historical value ( 5 Benefits of Travelling , 2013). For example, the Eiffel Tower in France, Machu Picchu in Peru, and the Pyramids in Egypt possess great historical and cultural value. Learning about their histories can help travelers to comprehend the cultures, traditions, and customs of different tribes and societies, as well as their dynamics.

Another advantage of traveling is the chance to learn, relax, and widen one’s scope of knowledge (Mitchell, 2006). In certain cases, one of the requirements of traveling abroad is learning the language that is used in the country that one intends to visit. English is an international language. However, it is not spoken in all countries. Therefore, it would be necessary to learn new languages in order to enhance effective communication and interaction with people who speak indigenous languages (Thumb, n.d). There are numerous historical sites to visit around the world, and visiting them teaches furnishes knowledge about their historical significance to various countries and cultures (Marks, n.d). For instance, people who travel to Egypt learn a lot about the pyramids as well as when and why they were built. Exploring the cultures practiced by different communities increases appreciation for human diversity (Mercer, n.d).

Traveling allows people to improve their communication skills and create networks that can be beneficial in their lives (Mercer, n.d). Interacting with people who speak different languages and who have different cultures is challenging. However, it is important for the improvement of communication skills. Multicultural interaction is an important skill in contemporary society, especially due to globalization and technological advancements (Mitchell, 2006). Learning to interact with different cultures inculcates strong communication and social skills that are beneficial in personal and professional life (Marks, n.d). On the other hand, it helps to create networks that can be used in different areas of life. For example, travelers can create business, social, political, and religious networks that can help them to improve their lives, communities, and society at large. The international labor market is open for exploration to everyone around the world. Therefore, possessing strong networks and multicultural communication skills is beneficial and necessary.

Traveling exposes people to different living styles. As a result, it inculcates the value of compassion and changes people’s perspectives regarding life (Hasbrouck, 2011). For instance, travelers from developed countries who travel to developing countries get an opportunity to see the effects of poverty, ignorance, and diseases on communities. This makes them grateful for their lives. Also, it enhances the development of compassion and empathy toward the needy and the suffering. Traveling exposes people to new cultures, societies, people, and lifestyles (Mitchell, 2006). This exposure changes people’s perspectives, attitudes, and opinions. They develop new ways of looking at the world, and it also gives their lives meaning.

Disadvantages of Traveling

One of the major disadvantages of traveling is the costs involved. Traveling is expensive and involves the use of money that many people cannot afford (Thumb, n.d). For example, traveling to foreign countries by plane is costly, and people incur numerous expenses that can have severe financial consequences. Many people only travel locally because they cannot afford to travel internationally. Traveling includes other expenses such as food, entertainment, and accommodation (Thumb, n.d). Both local and international travel offer opportunities for exposure to new people, places, and cultures. However, the pricey nature of trips and vacations prevents many people from indulging and enjoying the many thrills they offer.

Another disadvantage of traveling is the risk of exposure to diseases and deadly illnesses. In the past few years, outbreaks of deadly diseases such as Ebola and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have been reported in several countries. These diseases put the lives of travelers at risk because they can cause death within a very short time once contracted. In many countries, governments impose travel bans on regions that have been flagged for disease outbreaks. A disease outbreak can lead to the quarantine of affected individuals until the disease is contained. Quarantine causes inconveniences and delays that can interfere with the exhilaration of taking a trip.

Traveling requires a lot of time and planning, which can cause great stress and fatigue (Hasbrouck, 2011). Preparing for a trip is time-consuming because of the need to book accommodation, arrange for transport, and make all the necessary inquiries. On the other hand, trips usually involve pre-arranged plans that eliminate flexibility and the freedom to engage in other unrelated activities. Following strict schedules creates rigidity that eliminates the fun that is involved in traveling.

How to Choose a Trip

Choosing a trip is primarily based on the purpose of travel. People usually travel for reasons that include recreation, tourism, migration, work, religious pilgrimages, business, trade, and volunteer work, among others. Others travel to relax, discover new things, explore, and get acquainted with new cultures (Hasbrouck, 2011). If an individual is traveling to relax or for recreation, they may choose to visit historical sites and beaches. On the other hand, people who travel to learn and explore new places may choose to visit countries where communities that have preserved their traditions are found.

For adventure, they may choose to travel to countries with mountains and forests that can provide fun and enjoyable experiences. Those who travel for migration reasons choose countries that provide the opportunities they are looking for. The steps to choose a trip include the establishment of a purpose for traveling, research regarding countries and regions that can fulfill that purpose, and determination of all the requirements for traveling to that location, such as vaccination and learning a new language or skill. There are various types of trips available that serve the aforementioned purposes. The two most important aspects of taking a trip are determining the purpose of traveling and selecting the most appropriate travel option.

People travel for many reasons, including relaxation, recreation, work, business, adventure, migration, and exploration. Taking trips is beneficial because it offers an opportunity to learn, interact with new cultures, learn new languages, improve communication skills, gain new insights and perspectives regarding life and the world, and meet new and interesting people. In contemporary society, traveling has been made easier by globalization and technological advancements. Despite its benefits, traveling has disadvantages too. It is expensive, time-consuming, causes fatigue, and exposes people to risks of diseases. It is important for travelers to determine the purpose of their trips in order to enable them to choose the most appropriate travel plan or program. It is also important to make all the necessary inquiries and arrangements before traveling to avoid getting stuck in new places. For example, it could be necessary for a traveler to learn the basics of communication or language when traveling to certain areas of the world where indigenous languages are used. This is necessary for the enhancement of communication and interaction.

5 Benefits of Travelling . (2013). Web.

Hasbrouck, E. (2011). The Practical Nomad: How to Travel Around the World . New York, NY: Avalon Travel Publishing.

Marks, H. (n.d). 8 Benefits of Travelling . Web.

Mercer, L. (n.d). Educational Benefits of Travel . Web.

Mitchell, S. (2006). Global Adventure: Travelling Around the World . New York, NY: AuthorHouse.

Thumb, C. (n.d). The Pros and Cons of Travel . Web.

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IvyPanda. (2023, October 29). Traveling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traveling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/

"Traveling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages Essay." IvyPanda , 29 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/traveling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Traveling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages Essay'. 29 October.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Traveling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages Essay." October 29, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traveling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/.

1. IvyPanda . "Traveling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages Essay." October 29, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traveling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Traveling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages Essay." October 29, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traveling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/.

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Intel Receives $8.5 Billion in Grants to Build Chip Plants

The award, announced by President Biden at a plant in Arizona, is the biggest the government has made under a new program that aims to rebuild the nation’s semiconductor manufacturing industry.

By Zolan Kanno-Youngs ,  Madeleine Ngo and Don Clark

Zolan Kanno-Youngs reported from Chandler, Ariz., Madeleine Ngo from Washington and Don Clark from San Francisco.

President Biden on Wednesday awarded $8.5 billion in grants to Intel, a major investment to bolster the nation’s semiconductor production, during a tour of battleground states meant to sell his economic agenda.

Speaking from the Intel campus in Chandler, Ariz., Mr. Biden said the award would support thousands of new manufacturing jobs, including ones that do not require a college degree.

“It’s going to transform the semiconductor industry,” Mr. Biden said. “Where the hell is it written saying that we’re not going to be the manufacturing capital of the world again?”

The award, which will go to the construction and expansion of Intel facilities around the United States, is the biggest the federal government has made with funding from the CHIPS Act , which lawmakers passed in 2022 to help re-establish the United States as a leader in semiconductor manufacturing.

The Biden administration, equipped with $39 billion in subsidies to distribute, is spearheading an ambitious effort to ramp up production of the tiny chips that power everything from smartphones to computers and cars. The effort is at the center of Mr. Biden’s goal to reduce America’s reliance on foreign countries: Although semiconductors were invented in the United States, only about 10 percent of the world’s chips are made domestically.

“Nearly all manufacturing of leading-edge chips across the entire industry moved overseas to Asia years ago,” Mr. Biden said. “That’s why today’s investment is such a big deal: We will enable advanced semiconductor manufacturing to make a comeback here in America.”

In addition to the grants, the federal government is planning to award Intel up to $11 billion in loans on what the company characterized as generous terms. Intel is also expected to claim federal tax credits that could cover 25 percent of the expense of its U.S. expansion projects, which are expected to cost more than $100 billion over five years.

The grants are intended to help fund the company’s construction plans in Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico and Oregon. The projects are expected to create more than 10,000 manufacturing jobs and roughly 20,000 construction jobs, according to Biden administration officials.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, whose department is overseeing the distribution of the grants, said the award would help ramp up the country’s production of the most advanced semiconductors, which are used in artificial intelligence, smartphones, supercomputers and the most sensitive military hardware. The United States currently produces none.

Ms. Raimondo said the Intel award would be the single largest grant to a chipmaker under the new program. The investment will help put the United States on track to produce roughly 20 percent of the world’s leading-edge chips by the end of the decade, she said.

“This investment will enable Intel to produce leading edge, the most sophisticated chips in the world that will power our economic and national security,” Ms. Raimondo said at the Intel campus on Wednesday.

In Arizona, the money will help fund Intel’s recent construction of two advanced plants and the modernization of another facility. The money will also help establish an entirely new site near Columbus, Ohio, starting with two factories, in its first move to a new U.S. region in more than 40 years.

In Rio Rancho, N.M., Intel will use the federal funds to transform two plants into advanced packaging facilities, where chips are assembled together to enhance performance and reduce costs. The company will also expand and modernize an innovation hub in Hillsboro, Ore., which is expected to further the company’s technological leadership and development of new innovations.

Mr. Biden and his Democratic allies view the semiconductor investments as a key way to try to turn around perceptions of the economy among voters in battleground states like Arizona.

“We have not been talking to folks about the issues that President Biden has been delivering on, and that’s what we are determined to do,” Yolanda Bejarano, the Arizona Democratic Party chairwoman, said on Tuesday, adding that Democrats would need to talk more about the effects of the semiconductor investments.

Although Intel will have to meet certain milestones before the money is distributed, senior Biden administration officials said they expected the funds to start flowing to the company by the end of this year.

Patrick Gelsinger, Intel’s chief executive, told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday evening that the government incentives represented a proud moment for his company and a major achievement for politicians of both parties. Though satisfied with the incentives earmarked for Intel, he said officials might need to invest more in the industry to reverse decades of shifting investment from the United States to countries in Asia.

“It doesn’t get fixed in one three- to five-year program,” Mr. Gelsinger said. “I do think we’ll need at least a CHIPS 2 to finish that job.”

Intel is the fourth company to receive a federal award under the new program, and brings the total announced grants to more than $10 billion. The first three grants — to GlobalFoundries, Microchip Technology and BAE Systems — were to makers of legacy chips, which are created with older production processes but are still used in many products like cars and dishwashers.

Biden administration officials are expected to announce more awards in the coming months to other major chipmakers, including the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Samsung and Micron Technology. Those companies have also made major investments in new or expanded semiconductor manufacturing plants in the United States in recent years.

The United States’ dependence on Asia for its chips has become even more pronounced with the rise of artificial intelligence. Nearly all chips used to power the latest generative A.I. services were manufactured in Taiwan by T.S.M.C., though designed by the Silicon Valley company Nvidia.

Intel has been trying to change that by developing new manufacturing technology, beginning to build chips designed by other companies and lobbying heavily for the legislation. The investment in Intel is intended to help enable U.S. companies to lead in the A.I. industry by ensuring there is a domestic supply of advanced chips.

About $50 million of federal funding will be set aside for Intel to spend on training and developing “a new generation of workers for the semiconductor industry,” Mr. Biden said. Many semiconductor companies and industry groups have voiced concerns about potential shortages of technicians, engineers and other workers to fill all of the positions that will be created once the facilities are constructed.

In total, private companies have announced more than $240 billion in semiconductor and electronic manufacturing investments since Mr. Biden took office, according to administration officials. Some chipmakers, however, have run into obstacles while trying to expand their domestic manufacturing capacity, resulting in delays.

Zolan Kanno-Youngs is a White House correspondent, covering President Biden and his administration. More about Zolan Kanno-Youngs

Madeleine Ngo covers U.S. economic policy and how it affects people across the country. More about Madeleine Ngo