why does tourists travel

7 Personal Benefits of Travel

Forget milling around in your finest evening wear, Singapore Sling in hand: You'll be lucky to get peanuts. Flying isn't quite the party it was in Sinatra's days, and lots of time, energy, and money are expended to leave home, so why travel? How long do the  personal benefits of travel last?

Getting away from home and stepping outside of your usual routine is beneficial for both mind and body. The long-lasting personal benefits of visiting a foreign country far outweigh the costs and time to get there.

The great travel writer Pico Lyer said: "Travel is not really about leaving our homes, but leaving our habits." Here are seven ways that travel, especially  international travel, will enhance your life.

Travel Sharpens the Mind

You've done your old routine for so many years that you could run through it on autopilot. Being dropped into a new environment engages a dormant part of your mind and gets those synapses firing again.

Suddenly, you'll be required to navigate unfamiliar places, read foreign languages , try new things, make quick decisions, and choose your new eating and sleeping schedule.

Unlike at home, all the new sights, sounds, and places will require mental processing and filing. Your brain will welcome the workout! Once you return home, you'll be sharper than ever for better organizing and sprucing up your daily routine.

A Shift in Perspective

"Nobody comes back from a journey the way they started it." — Unknown

Being exposed to new cultures and people will greatly shift your paradigm and create a healthier perspective once you return back home. Seeing different social classes creates compassion and really makes you feel more blessed and content. Large portions of the world's population have to deal with daily threats such as hunger, disease , and landmines .

A hard day at work suddenly doesn't seem so bad when you see people in developing countries toiling in sun-scorched fields from morning to dark, or begging for a drink of water.

A Chance to Try New Things

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

While you may branch out at home from time to time by trying new restaurants or splurging on expenditures, traveling kicks you out of the comfort zone and forces you, for better or worse, to try new things!

Even if you don't enjoy your first attempt at scuba diving , at least you'll be able to relate in a new way the next time you see it in a movie or hear someone talking about it.

Becoming a well-rounded individual enhances self-confidence and will help you find new material for conversation in social settings with a wider variety of people.

Who knows, you may accidentally discover your new favorite food or find out that you want to pursue a new career in karaoke!

Meet New People

"A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles." — Tim Cahill

You'll meet far more friendly people on the road than you will under ordinary circumstances at home.

Other travelers are always looking to share experiences, give tips on places to go, and meet people from all over. Striking up a conversation with other travelers is extraordinarily easy.

A polite "so where are you from?" breaks the ice quite easily and may lead to lasting friendships with people from all over the world.

See the Real Deal

"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries." — Aldous Huxley

Until you visit a place and form your own opinions, your understanding only comes from what you were taught in school, read in books, or saw on media, which may or may not be a complete truth.

Don't over-research your upcoming destination in guidebooks. Do your best to avoid building a bias toward a place or installing mental filters before you visit. Wait to form your own opinion, remaining objective until you can make up your own mind.

Exercise and Sunshine

Sure, you could just go sweat in the gym under fluorescent lighting, but chances are that you'll be much more active from day to day while on the road, regardless of whether your trip is an adventurous one or simply a relaxing beach trip .

You could be exploring new cities on foot, hiking , swimming, walking between places, and hopefully soaking up some needed sunshine while doing so. And it's guaranteed to smell better than the gym.

Come Home Renewed

After stepping away from home for a while, you'll return with renewed energy, a new set of mental filters, and ready to take on the next big project or challenge. Call it a life reboot.

Getting away for some time, even though it requires effort, will greatly enhance your attitude and productivity once you return home. Sure, you may have some mail piled up and matters to attend, but those are simple challenges easily knocked out.

Breaking up the monotony for a while is a great way to reduce stress and give your life an injection of excitement. Don't be surprised if shortly after your return, you're already counting down days until the next trip!

11 Ways to Beat Your Post-Travel Depression

The Pros and Cons of Solo Travel

10 Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Trip to Asia

The 10 Best Places to Buy Luggage of 2024

What Is Couchsurfing?

Bike Travel Is Surging Around the World. Will It Last?

Rocky Point, Mexico Travel Guide

Travel Editors and Writers Share Their Favorite Food Crawls for 7 US Cities—From New Orleans to Austin

9 Tips for Traveling With Kids During the Pandemic

Zicasso Travel Agents Offer Custom Vacations for Adventurous Travelers

Tips and Advice for Dealing With Homesickness

Tips for Traveling Solo With a Tour Group

What Documents Do I Need for Mexico Travel?

The Good and Bad of Pokemon Go for Travelers

10 Hotel Add-On Charges to Avoid

9 Best Travel Apps for a Great American Road Trip

• GENERAL TRAVEL

Why Traveling Abroad is Important

Having lived in Singapore, Qatar, Japan, and now Mexico, Munira is basically a walking GoAbroad e...

• Travel Inspiration
• General Travel
• button]:border-none [&>button]:bg-white [&>button]:hover:cursor-pointer [&>button]:hover:text-cyan-400"> button]:hover:text-cyan-400 [&>button]:bg-white hover:cursor-pointer" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">

Traveling abroad can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. We can’t stress the importance of travel enough—it can open your eyes to new cultures, perspectives, and ways of living, and can help you grow and develop in ways you never thought possible.

Where will your travels take you?

There are so many reasons why traveling is important, but above all, it is a valuable experience that can help you grow and develop as a person. Whether you're looking to learn a new language , make valuable connections, or simply have an adventure , traveling abroad is an experience you will never forget .

12 reasons why traveling abroad is important

1. personal growth and development.

Traveling to a foreign country can be a challenging and transformative experience . This is a big reason why travel is important.

Being thrust into a way of life completely different from what you know back home can push you out of your comfort zone, help you develop new skills, and give you a sense of independence and self-reliance. It can also help you gain a better understanding of yourself and your place in the world.

2. Cultural understanding

Traveling abroad allows you to experience different cultures firsthand. It can help you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world and the people in it. It can also help you become more open-minded, tolerant, and accepting of different ways of life, and you will return home practically a new person!

3. Career opportunities

Traveling abroad can also have many benefits for your career . It can help you develop new skills, make valuable connections, and gain a better understanding of international business and politics. Additionally, the experiences you gain abroad will make you stand out from other candidates and can be an asset in your future job search.

As the world becomes smaller and more globalized, top companies are always prioritizing candidates with valuable international experience . A meaningful trip abroad can be vital in making you stand out from the crowd when you start applying for your dream job.

4. Language learning

Another key benefit highlighting the importance of traveling abroad? The great opportunity to learn a new language .

Traveling abroad means making connections and meeting friends you’ll keep for life.

Immersing yourself in a foreign culture and speaking the local language can help you pick up new vocabulary and grammar, and also help you develop your listening and speaking skills. Being able to converse in more than one language will give you a leg up in many future opportunities, and you can also expand your social circle by making lifelong friends from diverse places.

5. Improved mental health

Traveling abroad can also have a positive impact on your mental health . It can help you reduce stress and anxiety and also can offer a sense of adventure and excitement. Additionally, being in a new place can help you disconnect from your everyday life and give you a chance to relax and recharge.

Many companies now include paid gap years and increased paid time off for employees as they have recognized why it's important to travel and how important traveling is for people to stay at the top of their game at work. Traveling is also a great way to prevent burnout—it cleanses your brain and allows you to come back a stronger and more focused person.

6. Lasting memories and experiences

This is one of the top reasons why traveling is important! Traveling abroad gives you the opportunity to create memories that will last a lifetime. From the new foods you will eat to the people you will meet and the places you will visit, every experience will be unique and special. Imagine the stories you’ll be able to share when you get back!

7. Enhanced creativity

If you’re an artistic person like a painter or musician, traveling abroad can help to enhance your creativity . But even if you’re not, just being in a new place and experiencing different cultures can inspire new ideas and ways of thinking, which can be beneficial in both your personal and professional life.

This highlights the real importance of travel for everyone: You will learn to see the beauty in places you never thought to look before, and develop ways to appreciate the little things in life!

8. Appreciation of diversity

You can read as many travel articles as you want or watch documentaries and videos from the comfort of your own home, but traveling to different parts of the world can give you the chance to appreciate the diversity of the human experience. So—why is it important to travel? You will be exposed to different customs, traditions, and ways of life, which can broaden your perspective and help you appreciate the world in a more holistic way.

9. Enhanced problem-solving skills

Figuring out how to get from point A to point B is just one skill you’ll learn while traveling abroad.

Improving your problem-solving skills is a big reason why it's important to travel. When you are in a new place, you will have to deal with unexpected situations , and this can help you develop the ability to think on your feet and make quick decisions. You’ll need to be resourceful and make the best out of situations no matter what, and there’s no better way to challenge yourself than by venturing abroad into the unknown!

10. Increased knowledge

Traveling abroad can also increase your general knowledge about the world, which is always a good thing! How many times have you felt secondhand embarrassment from those videos where people can’t seem to point out famous countries on a map? That will never be you when you travel . You will be exposed to different cultures and customs, which will give you a deeper understanding of the world's history, politics, and geography.

11. Networking

You’ll widen the potential to create connections with some of the most interesting people in the world when you travel! You will meet people from all walks of life, and this can be a great way to build professional and personal relationships.

You might meet someone today who will be instrumental in helping you out five or 10 years down the line. With social media, there’s no limit from distance when it comes to friendships and connections, so traveling is a great way to fill up your digital Rolodex with the coolest people ever.

12. Inspiration for future goals

Finding a source of inspiration for your future goals is a major reason why traveling is important. Seeing different places and cultures can help you discover new passions, and this can help you choose new endeavors and set aspirations for your future.

5 important types of travel to try out

1. study abroad.

• Why it’s important: Studying abroad will take your academic experience to the next level. Simply put, studying abroad is a period of time (perhaps a semester or year) during which you pursue your academic interests abroad. This can be done through a program at your own institution or through a separate study abroad organization that works in conjunction with your school or degree program. You may also have the opportunity to study abroad in high school even though most people do it in college!
• Recommended program: TEAN - Australia - Bond University, Gold Coast
• Explore all study abroad programs

2. Volunteer Abroad

Make a difference for people and the planet by volunteering while you travel.

Why it’s important: There's no doubting that as a society, we've moved into a time where the desire to do good for humanity and the planet is more relevant than ever. Volunteering abroad mostly benefits the host community rather than you—remember the point is to make a difference in the country you go to. The work you conduct while on placement will have an influence on your host country for a long time if it is done correctly, ethically, and sustainably, and can be a key reason why travel is important in the grand scheme of things!

• Recommended program: Women’s Empowerment Volunteering in Cambodia
• Explore all volunteer abroad programs

3. Gap Year

• Why it’s important: Searching for the ideal harmony between travel and enlightenment? Then a gap year might be just the thing you need . It will be time well spent, whether it's a year off between high school and college or after graduation, or even a break while you’re employed. Programs for gap years are full of chances for growth on a personal level, acquiring new skills, reevaluating personal and professional objectives, and experiencing once-in-a-lifetime adventures.
• Recommended program: Seamester Study Abroad and Gap Year Voyages
• Explore all gap year programs

4. Intern Abroad

• Why it’s important: As an international intern, you’ll gain real-world experience at a foreign firm or organization while participating in study abroad activities and earning college credit. Interning abroad has several advantages , chief among them the extraordinary personal and professional development that comes with the experience. Internships abroad also provide flexibility. There are hundreds of placements available in dozens of disciplines for international internships, whether you want to change careers, you’re still in college, or you’ve just graduated (or are about to graduate). So, why is it important to travel and intern abroad ? You'll experience life-altering adventures and meet a ton of new people!
• Recommended program: Internships and Volunteer Programs in Africa
• Explore all internship abroad programs

5. Work Abroad

• Why it’s important: Programs that allow you to work overseas are a terrific opportunity to earn more than money. The benefits are nearly endless : a challenging new environment, increased freedom, new friendships (and business connections), the addition of a new language to your toolkit , and the chance to advance your professional aspirations. Your employment overseas won't even seem like work; rather, it'll feel more like one wild—and paid!—adventure because you'll be having so much fun overcoming new obstacles and enjoying new experiences.
• Recommended program: Jobs and internships in Spain
• Explore all work abroad programs

Our Online Advisor can match you with 5 programs abroad—it’s free!

Why travel because you’ll be living your best life, that’s why.

Get out there and learn the importance of travel for yourself!

So in conclusion— why is travel important ? Traveling abroad is not only an exciting and enriching experience, but it also has many benefits for personal growth and development. From enhancing creativity and problem-solving skills to increasing knowledge and networking opportunities to giving you inspiration for future goals, the reasons why traveling is important are numerous.

Travel is an experience that all who have the opportunity to do so should embrace. Now that you know the importance of traveling, you’re ready for an experience you will never forget.

Plan Your Next Trip with our Travel Resources Hub!

Explore Programs on GoAbroad.com

Related Articles

By Raquel Thoesen | 4 days ago

By GoAbroad Writing Team | 4 days ago

By Elizabeth Gorga | 5 days ago

By Petrina Darrah | 5 days ago

Popular Searches

Study abroad programs in italy, study abroad programs in spain, marine biology study abroad programs, study environmental studies abroad, fall study abroad 2024, spring study abroad programs, recommended programs.

2566 reviews

International TEFL Academy

1682 reviews

International Volunteer HQ [IVHQ]

1905 reviews

MAXIMO NIVEL

563 reviews

Intern Abroad HQ

For Travelers

Travel resources, for partners.

© Copyright 1998 - 2024 GoAbroad.com ®

• Study Abroad
• Volunteer Abroad
• Intern Abroad
• Teach Abroad
• TEFL Courses
• Degrees Abroad
• High School Abroad
• Language Schools
• Adventure Travel
• Jobs Abroad
• Online Study Abroad
• Online Volunteer Programs
• Online Internships
• Online Language Courses
• Online Teaching Jobs
• Online Jobs
• Online TEFL Courses
• Online Degree Programs

Dave's Travel Pages

Greek Island Hopping | Greece Travel Ideas | Bicycle Touring

Why do people travel – 20 Reasons It’s Good For You

People travel for all sorts of reasons – to learn more about the world, to challenge themselves or to explore new places. Here's a look at 20 reasons why travel is good for you.

Why we love to travel

I've got a theory about why some people love to travel and others don't quite so much. It's based on the hypothesis that when humans swapped from being nomadic hunter-herders to sedentary farmers, some people had much more of the wandering DNA left in their systems than others.

While this theory is completely unprovable, it's undeniable that some of us have a wanderlust that goes far beyond simply taking a vacation.

I believe that's certainly the case with me. And it does help explain why I love going on long distance cycling trips such as my previous journeys cycling from England to South Africa , and Alaska to Argentina !

Ok, so maybe my example is an extreme one, but do you feel the same about wanting to make a trip? Do you have an urge to see new places and experience more of life?

Let's try and rationalize this urge you might be feeling to go on a nomadic trip in more detail.

Reasons to travel around the world

There's actually advantages and disadvantages to travel . I like to think there's a lot more advantages though!

There's quite a lot of benefits you get when you see the world, and travel helps broaden the mind!

Here's some reasons why people travel and also why it's good for them.

1. Traveling is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and experience new things.

The act of leaving everything you know and are familiar with and going someplace completely new is a bit like taking on a whole new challenge. It's exciting and fascinating to see how other people live, as well as the places they live in.

By challenging yourself, you're growing as a person and learning some valuable lessons. New experiences often include new challenges, and that's a good thing! Most people consider it rewarding to take on a new challenge and learn from it, and travel definitely fits this description.

Worried about feeling uncomfortable? Learn:  How to live for yourself and travel more

2. It makes you more open-minded

Traveling to other places is a great way to experience different cultures and embrace new perspectives. Of course, we can all experience new cultures and expand our horizons by watching TV or reading books. But immersing yourself in a different culture is much more effective.

You'll gain new insights into the world around you when you travel abroad, and become more accepting of other people's views and opinions. You might even start to see certain things about yourself that you didn't see before and feel that you want to change them.

Related: 20 Reasons To Travel Around The World

3. You'll learn about different cultures – and maybe you're own

During your adventures, you'll spend time in places where people's lives, history and customs may be very different from your own. You'll meet people from different cultures and backgrounds, and this will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of not only theirs but also your own society.

Take for instance living where I do in Greece. If you don't embrace the Greek coffee culture , you're really missing out!

Meeting new people from other cultures throws up all kinds of questions about your own culture, your heritage and how it fits into the world as a whole. Are you proud of who you are? Are there things about the way you live that aren't perfect? Or worse – do they contribute to injustices in the wider world?

Related: What Is Slow Tourism? Benefits Of Slow Travel

4. You'll be able to meet lots of new people

Whether you are traveling solo or with a group, you'll meet lots of new people in your travels. Some people you might get on with, others you might not. The important thing though, is you are seeing all sorts of people from different walks of life.

Many of these new friends will have different perspectives on life than you do and through your friendships, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the world and how people live in it. When you meet new people, you will learn more about their culture and way of life.

Related: Benefits of solo travel

5. Your social skills will improve

As a result of meeting all these new people and talking to them, your social skills will improve. You'll learn how to interact with people from all walks of life, and this will help you at work, home and in your daily life.

In many ways, when you travel the world you are seeing a microcosm of society – one that mirrors what's going on in your own community but on a much smaller scale. By interacting with these vastly different people, it forces you to think about who you are and how easy it might be for someone else to misinterpret you based on their background or way of life.

Related: Authentic Travel Experiences vs Modern Convenience

6. Travel is good for your mental health

Traveling can help reduce stress levels by giving us time away from our daily lives. If you've been feeling stuck in your demanding job or in your relationships and it's been stressing you, travel can be a healthy distraction.

We learn through our experiences, and the longer your trip is, the more you will learn about yourself, your relationships and how other people live. Travelling gives us an opportunity to clear our heads as well as seeing new places and learning about different cultures. It's good for us mentally!

7. It helps us gain perspective on our own lives

By seeing what others are going through and how they live, we gain a better perspective on our own lives. We learn about the things we need to be grateful for, and also what we should change.

As you travel from place to place, you'll get an idea of not only how people live in different countries but also how your life compares to theirs. You might find it's easier than you thought! Or maybe you'll realize there are things about your life – your job, where you live or who your friends are – that could be improved upon?

8. It's a great way to get in shape

If there's one thing that travel doesn't make you, that's a couch potato! You'll always be on the move, exploring a new city, country or continent. You can always take it to the next level, and do your traveling by bicycle!

9. It can help you become more creative

When you travel, as well as seeing new and fascinating places and being exposed to different cultures, you'll also find yourself thinking about all sorts of new possibilities. You might become more creative in your thinking or begin a successful business venture during the trip of a lifetime!

Traveling can be a great learning experience, and even if you don't pick up a new skill on the road, you may be inspired to learn something new when you return from your trip.

10. You'll gain independence and confidence

You won't be able to make sense of everything or know what to expect when you're in a foreign place, but by going out into the unknown, you'll actually become more confident about facing future challenges. You'll learn more about yourself and how capable you are.

When your flight finally touches down at the end of your trip, you'll feel like a stronger person than when you left on your journey. And if you do face any difficulties during your travels, it won't be the end of the world – they'll make for great stories to tell back home!

11. You'll learn how to pack light

Knowing that you have to carry everything around with you in a backpack makes you realise you only want to take the essentials with you! After a few trips you'll get a tight enough grasp on what's really necessary and what is superfluous to know that you won't be lugging around unnecessary stuff with you.

This approach can then be brought back when you return to the ‘real world'. Do we really need all that stuff we seem to accumulate through our lives? If you can't pack light, maybe it's time to reconsider what you need!

12. You can learn a new skill like scuba diving

In addition to seeing beautiful places, you may have the opportunity to pick up a new skill on your travels. Scuba diving is something that many people want to try but don't know where or how to get started. A (short) scuba diving trip can teach you the basics and give you an experience that lasts a lifetime. Take it further, and become a diving instructor – perhaps you'll discover a new career on a sabbatical break from your regular job.

You can also learn how to cook new foods, speak another language, play an instrument – the possibilities are endless!

13. You'll get a better understanding of the world and everything in it

Travelling can make us more aware of everything around us – from the food we eat to the clothes we wear. When you really observe what you're doing, it helps you figure out what your priorities are and begin living a more mindful life.

You might also notice things as you travel that seem obviously out of place, for example the amount of plastic that we all seem to use and discard. In other countries, the effects of waste plastic might be visually seen on the side of the roads or in massive heaps. The question is, what happens to all the plastic you use in your own country?

14. Travel can help you learn about yourself and what you're capable of

When you travel around the world, you'll discover new things about yourself that you didn't even know were possible. You might realise how capable you are of making sacrifices to achieve your dreams, or what it's like to be part of a community where you can truly feel at home on another continent.

Overcoming challenges you face when you travel can be a way to learn about yourself and know what you're capable of when times get tough. This can later translate into your life at home when the going gets rough.

15. You'll be able to see new sights and experience different landscapes

Each new place you visit will open your eyes to a whole new world and give you fresh perspectives on life. You might visit an island and realize how peaceful and serene it can be or marvel at how big an ancient temple or palace is up close. Who would fail to be awed by the Great Barrier Reef for example?

You'll see the world from a different vantage point, get a view from above through hikes to mountain peaks, admire different cities from skyscrapers, marvel at the beauty of nature and generally be exposed to a variety of different landscapes that you wouldn't have seen otherwise.

16. Travel can help you make memories that will last a lifetime!

For example, zip lining through a jungle, trying new cuisines for the first time, or hiking along the Inca Trail are memories that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Take plenty of photos though – you don't want to forget the good times!

Related: Big Europe Bucket List

17. It gives you a sense of adventure

It's not only the physical challenges and amazing sights that you'll have to explore, but also the unknown. You might find yourself in sticky situations – arguing with customs officials for example or being stuck in a taxi without directions (which could be both good and bad experiences), but either way it will make your travels more exciting!

Each day seems like a new adventure, there are plenty of new things to get used to and get your head around, but that is what keeps it exciting. Travelling is about taking your time, not rushing from one place to another, after all memories are made when you stop and smell the roses.

19. Travel can improve your CV

If you quit your job to travel , does it hurt your future career prospects?

Not many people imagine that taking quality time away in a foreign country can actually help your professional life, but it can. If you're applying for jobs after a gap year or sabbatical then having an interesting story to tell will make you stand out from the crowd.

Potential employers will consider you to be more worldly and experienced, giving you the upper hand when it comes to the competitive job market.

20. It will help you learn how to live in the moment

Finally, travel can help you appreciate what's happening around you right now, instead of worrying about the past or the future.

You'll learn to enjoy the moment more, and be appreciative of the good things you have going for yourself.

FAQ About Reasons for Travel

Finally, let's finish off with a few frequently asked questions about why people like to travel.

What is the purpose of travel?

The purpose of human travel is to explore the world and its diverse cultures with curiosity, openness, and a sense of understanding. People who love to travel, love to learn. Travel opens your mind to new ideas and different ways of looking at the world.

What is travel motivation?

There is no one answer to this question, as people have different motivations for travelling. Some people enjoy the challenge of travelling to a new place and experiencing new things, while others enjoy getting to know different cultures and learning about their customs. Some people enjoy the excitement of adventure travel, while others travel simply to relax and get away from everyday life. Still others travel in order to improve their professional or personal skills.

How do you inspire people to travel?

Some ways to inspire people to travel include showing them beautiful photos of different places, telling them interesting stories about your own travels, or sharing tips on how to make the most of their travel experiences. Ultimately, the best way to inspire someone to travel is to show them that travel can be rewarding in many different ways – from expanding your knowledge and experiencing new cultures, to gaining new skills and finding adventure.

Why do people travel to escape?

Escapism is the act of escaping from one's problems by traveling. It's the idea that taking a break from your life will cure any problems you may be having. It's the belief that travel is some kind of mystical elixir that makes life easier or more enjoyable.

Is it healthy to travel?

Yes, travel is healthy for both the mind and body. It can help you learn new things, experience new cultures, and get away from everyday life. Travel can also be rewarding in many different ways, from expanding your knowledge and experiencing new cultures, to gaining new skills and finding adventure.

Why do people travel?

People love travel for all sorts of reasons – Visiting popular destinations or out of the way places, to visit family, taste foreign food, enjoy better weather, get over a bad breakup, see new sights or to take a break from their everyday lives. We all have different travel dreams and motivations!

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Tourism – an economic and social phenomenon, share this content.

• Share this article on facebook
• Share this article on twitter
• Share this article on linkedin

Why Tourism?

Over the decades, tourism has experienced continued growth and deepening ‎diversification to become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. ‎Modern tourism is closely linked to development and encompasses a growing number ‎of new destinations. These dynamics have turned tourism into a key driver for socio-‎economic progress.‎

Today, the business volume of tourism equals or even surpasses that of oil exports, ‎food products or automobiles. Tourism has become one of the major players in ‎international commerce, and represents at the same time one of the main income ‎sources for many developing countries. This growth goes hand in hand with an ‎increasing diversification and competition among destinations.‎

International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) grew 4% in January-March 2019 compared to the same period last year, below the 6% average growth of the past two years.

This global spread of tourism in industrialised and developed states has produced ‎economic and employment benefits in many related sectors - from construction to ‎agriculture or telecommunications.‎

The contribution of tourism to economic well-being depends on the quality and the ‎revenues of the tourism offer. UN Tourism assists destinations in their sustainable ‎positioning in ever more complex national and international markets. As the UN agency ‎dedicated to tourism, UN Tourism points out that particularly developing countries stand to ‎benefit from sustainable tourism and acts to help make this a reality.‎

By Bastian Herre, Veronika Samborska and Max Roser

Tourism has massively increased in recent decades. Aviation has opened up travel from domestic to international. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of international visits had more than doubled since 2000.

Tourism can be important for both the travelers and the people in the countries they visit.

For visitors, traveling can increase their understanding of and appreciation for people in other countries and their cultures.

And in many countries, many people rely on tourism for their income. In some, it is one of the largest industries.

But tourism also has externalities: it contributes to global carbon emissions and can encroach on local environments and cultures.

On this page, you can find data and visualizations on the history and current state of tourism across the world.

Interactive Charts on Tourism

Cite this work.

Our articles and data visualizations rely on work from many different people and organizations. When citing this topic page, please also cite the underlying data sources. This topic page can be cited as:

BibTeX citation

Reuse this work freely

All visualizations, data, and code produced by Our World in Data are completely open access under the Creative Commons BY license . You have the permission to use, distribute, and reproduce these in any medium, provided the source and authors are credited.

The data produced by third parties and made available by Our World in Data is subject to the license terms from the original third-party authors. We will always indicate the original source of the data in our documentation, so you should always check the license of any such third-party data before use and redistribution.

All of our charts can be embedded in any site.

Our World in Data is free and accessible for everyone.

Help us do this work by making a donation.

10 Reasons Why People Travel

People travel for many different reasons ranging from a desire to discover the world, experience cultures and food, get some nice weather, or just to chill out. Experience every type of break for every reason we say. Travel is more than that though, it’s a mindset. Also, travel doesn’t just include international trips abroad but also discovering what is right there on your doorstep.

There are some main reasons why people choose to travel in general but also personal ones too. Here are some reasons why people choose to travel:

• Visit family & friends
• Educate yourself & experience different cultures
• Change in perspective
• Escape the routine
• Challenge yourself
• Self-discovery
• Learn an activity
• Have an adventure
• Relax, recharge & rejuvenate
• Experience a different climate

Travel means something different to everyone. But it can also be a very personal journey. People have different preferences for how they travel. Whether that’s quitting your job and backpacking across the world or taking shorter breaks throughout the year, travel can be tailored to your circumstances and life. That is the great thing about travel, you can make it what you want it to be!

1. Visit Family & Friends

In the world we live in today, the number of airlines, travel agents and so on have made it so easy to research and book a trip. The movement of people around the world has meant that people have settled in different countries that they were born in or grew up in for a variety of reasons, such as work opportunities.

People want to maintain their relationships that they have fostered and this is a great reason to travel to catch up and reconnect with family and friends in a different setting. Also, since they would now be classed as ‘locals’, you can take advantage and get a local perspective!

We both have close family and friends all over the world, such as, Canada, America, Tanzania, India, Singapore so we have been lucky to combine visiting friends and family during our vacation and we’re lucky to have even been invited to destination weddings, which is just a great, unique experience in itself!

2. Educate Yourself & Experience Different Cultures

It’s easy to get wrapped up in your normal routine, 9-5 job, and catching up on chores and life admin. People want to have a bit of excitement in their lives and break away from this routine once in a while and learn about different countries and cultures. And what’s the best way to do this? Well, visit of course!

The first things you should notice when you visit a different country are the differences from how the country operates and people’s way of life. This is one of our favorite things because it’s a chance to see what the people in the country do well, and sometimes you can adopt some of the behaviors in your own life.

We would love to travel more but for the countries, we have visited so far, we’ve enjoyed talking to the locals, learning about their history, way of life and fun facts! For example, did you know Durians (a type of (smelly!) fruit is banned on Singapore public transport because the smell is so bad?! You can actually get fined for this!

Cultural differences across the world are what makes the world an interesting place. Whether it’s the major festivals celebrated in a particular country or authentic food to try, this is a must-do when visiting any country. It gives the greatest insight into a country and creates the most memorable moments!

Whenever we book a trip, we will also try to find out if there are any major events occurring at the time we’re planning on being there. Taking in local life is the best way to experience a country.

We LOVE food. We’d say the food is probably number 1 on our list when it comes to visiting another country. We always want to try the local food and make it a huge part of every day when we’re on holiday. We always say the best way to experience a country is to EAT IT!

In fact, our recent trip to Thailand, we booked a Thai Cooking Class and made 4 authentic dishes from scratch. A great instructor combined with delicious recipes, what’s not to love?!

Needless to say, the dishes turned out brilliantly, and the cooking school also kindly gave us a certificate for participating as well as a beautifully designed recipe book of the dishes we had made so we could recreate them at home. This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Check out what else we got up to in Thailand here .

3. Change in Perspective

Traveling can change your perspective in life. Opening your eyes to essentially a different world can mean you truly appreciate your own life more but it also can be a reminder to be on a path to fulfill your own goals and dreams.

We think a change in perspective can definitely make you rethink some things that maybe you had a strong opinion previously on and can increase your understanding generally. But that’s the great thing, right? Travelling can give you that worldly knowledge and you can have interesting conversations with everyone, whether that’s family, friends or a local!

4. Escape the Routine

Everyone can relate to this. Most people have a routine like a 9-5 job, dropping/picking up kids from school, going to the gym, visiting family and friends. At some point, most people will get bored with the monotony of this, and they will want a break in this routine. Of course having a routine is important too to have some stability in your life, but once in a while people just want to get away from it. Who can blame them?!

Going to work or running your own business – these are of course important and allow you to build a life and ultimately gives you the ability to afford your trips , whether that’s locally or internationally.

Although some people absolutely love their job and are super passionate about it, we think it’s safe to say there are a lot of people out there that work because they have to, so they can fund whatever their own, personal passions are in life, such as traveling.

Escaping the routine once in a while is a definite must! It allows you to take a step back and reassess your life goals or at a minimum give you a different scenery!

5. Challenge Yourself

Whether you’re traveling solo, as a couple, or a group, it’s great to challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone. Challenging yourself and succeeding gives you great accomplishment and sense of achievement. This shouldn’t be underestimated. Giving you this boost can give you a huge confidence boost and allow you to take on your goals and dreams with a positive attitude!

Whether this is challenging yourself by traveling solo or going to a country that doesn’t speak your language, it’s surprising what you can achieve when you have to.

We have to admit, this is something we definitely want to do more off (once the pandemic is over of course!).

Challenging yourself can also open your eyes to more opportunities. We are a great example here! We both work full-time but have a passion to travel as much as we can. We know a lot of couples in the same boat and that is why we emphasize travel not only internationally but discover what’s on your doorstep and ultimately travel within your means. This led to us starting this blog to not only preserve our memories from our trips but share with you all useful tips and interesting travel topics we discover along the way that could really benefit all of you.

6. Self-Discovery

This is a BIG point and ties in well with the point above. The biggest impact self-discovery can have is on those who backpack travel around the world. You must have heard so many stories of people who have completely changed their lives through travel.

They have saved loads of money, quit their jobs, and began an adventure of a lifetime. But what drives them to make this huge decision? Often it’s something major that has happened in their life, such as losing a loved one, a failed relationship, or just the drive, determination and passion to travel.

Travel should not be underestimated here. We think it’s great for your mental health. But it doesn’t just apply to backpackers, it can apply to all. It also means taking the time out to go on short breaks and even staycations or day trips. It all counts!

Going on a journey of self-discovery can really help heal those wounds but also discover who you are as a person, what you like, don’t like, what are your goals, what person you want to become.

7. Learn an Activity

Part of traveling also means discovering activities that maybe you can’t pursue in your own country or maybe there’s just a limitation on how much you can learn and experience, for example, diving. If you have a passion for certain activities, this can mean you move to that country to fullyimmerse yourself in learning and training in that activity.

We know of people who have pursued something like this, trained in it professionally, and ultimately made the permanent move to that country and become instructors themselves. Your passion for learning activities can take you anywhere in the world!

8. Have an Adventure

Lots of people travel purely to have an adventure. We would definitely say there are three types of people – those that love adventure and want to pack out their diary with sight-seeing and doing activities, those that just want to relax, recharge and rejuvenate (see below point) and those that like doing a mix of both.

Routine can be mundane, so getting out in the world, locally or internationally, doing something that shakes things up a bit and creates a bit of excitement is just what some people need. It creates the best memories and makes the most of the country you’re in.

We know we definitely feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction after returning from a trip when looking at all of our photos knowing we really made the most of your trip.

9. Relax, Recharge & Rejuvenate

As described in the above point, there are some people who have busy enough lives in their day to day life that when going away for a vacation, this means completely changing the pace of life i.e. total relaxation.

We think it’s important to have this aspect on holiday. Packing in everything as much as you can with the time you have is not always the best decision. Will you enjoy everything or is it just to tick things off your list? ENJOYMENT – This is what you need to keep at the front of your mind at all times! What will make you happy on this trip?

Travel for everyone means something different and as long as YOU get out from it what YOU want, then it’s a successful trip right?

Personally, our perfect trip means a mix of both adventure and relaxation, although the relaxation part is something we both have to fight for as we both have a tendency to want to do more and more!

10. Experience a Different Climate

Depending on where you live, you’ll be used to a particular climate. We’re from the UK, which is known for having unpredictable weather – one minute the suns out, the next it’s pouring down with rain. And don’t even get us started on the temperature – you’ll be fine in shorts and t-shirt one day and the next day you’ll be needing a winter coat just to go outside!

Needless to say, a big part of choosing where we go on holiday normally revolves around the weather – mainly how hot is it going to be? People from the UK are definitely known for jetting off to warmer climates around the world when choosing where to vacation.

That being said, we have friends in warmer climates of the world and they welcome the cooler UK weather. We guess it’s a case of wanting the opposite of what we have.

Post-Lockdown Travel – The ‘New Normal’

At the time of writing this article, we are in the midst of an international lockdown. Something that no country can avoid. Travel after the pandemic is going to bring some major changes. The main one being travel safety. We’ve written an article on tips on travel after the pandemic which you can check out here .

As the spread of infection slows, the economy slowly starts to rebuild and the travel industry begins to pick up pace, there will understandably be some uncertainty to begin traveling again locally as well as internationally.

Travel is such a huge passion for some but also a necessity for mental well-being. And although travel anxiety at the start will certainly be an issue, we need to remain optimistic as the world gets back to a ‘new normal’. We think it’s a great time to start booking your trips. If you want to know why, check out our article here .

We’ve also made some predictions on how we think travel is going to look like in the future. To see what we think, check out our article here .

What is Our Top Reason to Travel?

DISCOVERY! We love to learn about different countries. The world has so much to offer! We want to enrich our lives by seeing and doing things that create the best memories.

The most amazing thing about traveling to a different country is to see how it operates, the different cultures, and food. There’s so much you can take back with you, physically and mentally!

Of course, we relate to every one of the reasons we’ve listed above and also forms part of why we travel too.

Travel is a Personal Journey

So, there you have it, the reasons why people travel. Travel is such a unique thing and means different things to different people. For some people, it’s something they priortize in their life to do more of and for some people, it’s not on the top of their list but still tries to make the most of their free time.

Whatever the reasons why people travel, we think it’s definitely beneficial to do it for your well-being. Like we said before, it doesn’t just mean traveling to an exotic destination across the world, but discovering what’s around locally – you may be surprised!

We’ve been living in our house for almost 3 years and we make time to visit our local attractions through day trips and weekend trips and there’s still plenty of places to need to discover!

Let us know below in the comments why you love to travel. We’d love to hear from you!

If you enjoyed this article and want to know more – check out some more of our content that we have linked to below:

• The Future Of Travel – How Much Is It Going To Change?
• 8 Tips On How To Prepare For Travel Post-Pandemic – Prep Is Key
• How To Organize Travel Documents With These 5 Easy Tips
• How To Plan For Your Once In A Lifetime Trip
• Why Thailand is Worth Visiting. Everything You Need to Know
• Cultural Diversity in the UK – Why The UK is so Multicultural

The Binge Traveller

One thought on “ 10 Reasons Why People Travel ”

Like!! Thank you for publishing this awesome article.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recent Content

What's The Difference Between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

The UK is made up of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Each country have their own traditions, culture and national foods. So, what are the differences between them?...

7 Tips To Stay Organized While Traveling

How do you stay organized while traveling? You know the story. As soon as you get to the hotel, you unpack everything. During your stay, you then misplace and lose things, and then when it's due to...

The End of the Tour: Why Do We Travel?

Travel is commodity, a privilege, and a state of mind; a comfort to some and a trial to others. 

The 597-mile train ride from Shanghai to Tianjin, up the east coast of China, was one of the longest journeys of my life. What began as a cold the afternoon before had rapidly morphed into strep throat, complete with fever and agonizing pain. Swallowing was so difficult I cried every time I had to force down my own saliva. The blurred cities and towns that had so enchanted me on the way south now seemed like pillars lining my descent into the inferno, without the benefit of Virgil as my guide.

But even worse than the relentless burning in my head and neck was the prospect of what came next: a dorm room far from family and friends, prescription medicine whose label I’d struggle to read, a hospital with dirty floors where the doctor examining my throat would wave the inspection mirror through an open flame to sanitize it. Serious illness is unpleasant in the best of circumstances, when you can retreat to your bed and watch Netflix and drink hot soup while someone brings you the occasional box of tissues; falling ill while traveling might be the psychological equivalent of mild torture.

Audio brought to you by  curio.io

And yet those moments of pain and suffering sometimes make the best stories (at least when everything turns out all right and we return home in the end). “Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit ,” goes the Aeneid , the story of the Trojans’ journey to Italy to found Rome: Perhaps someday we will look back upon these things with joy . Aeneas’ forced migration was full of hardships, but the triumph of overcoming those challenges resonates even today, as do the challenges Odysseus faces in The Odyssey .

Why do we do it, then? Why do we set off on voyages knowing full well that there will be discomforts and risks, that the experience will change us? The myriad travel stories we’ve explored in “Uncharted,” from an ice marathon across Antarctica to a dying form of transportation to men who disappeared on their treks, have taken us around the world and through the past. It’s been a fun tour that’s now approaching its end—but before we get settled back into the predictability of our lives, I want to explore one last question (well, two related questions): why do we travel, and what does that mean for the future of our world?

The somewhat straightforward—or at least more quantifiable—answer comes from evolutionary geneticists: DRD4-7R. The first half of the sequence refers to a gene that is partially responsible for controlling the chemical dopamine, while the second half–the 7R allele—is a variant carried by about 20 percent of the population . Associated with novelty-seeking behavior and extroversion, the allele occurs at dramatically different rates depending on where you’re from. Migratory populations , for example, have far higher numbers of people with the variation than those living in sedentary populations, suggesting that the variant is encouraging its carriers to take risks, to set off into the unknown in search of novelty. Of course, this single gene is hardly the only reason someone like Captain Cook sailed across all the world’s oceans. “More likely,” writes National Geographic , “different groups of genes contribute to multiple traits, some allowing us to explore and others, 7R quite possibly among them, pressing us to do so.”

For a touchy-feely, philosophical answer, we might turn to Mark Twain , who said that travel is a way to shake off bigotry—or to impress people with fantastic tales of exotic lands when returning home. For Pico Iyer , travel is about consuming and being consumed, the two-way road of seeing strangers and being a stranger to others. For Robyn Davidson , who walked across the Australian Outback, travel was a choice to use our fears as stepping stones, rather than allowing them to become stumbling blocks. The moral, it seems, is that different people travel for different reasons. To forget themselves or remember themselves, to better understand the world or to have all logic turned on its head, to discover new terrain, both internally and externally. The outcomes of travel are complicated and often contradictory—especially in a world increasingly filled with refugees, people who travel by necessity rather than choice.

In 2015, the United Nations Refugee Agency released statistics estimating that the number of individuals forcibly displaced worldwide had risen  above 60 million— about as many as the entire population of Italy. What does this mean to those of us who travel for the joy of the experience? As scholar Katrina Powell writes, the act of physically moving from one place to another results in a hybrid identity that incorporates new and old. “Displacement is a jolt to one’s sense of self,” she argues, and this jolt is felt by those experiencing it firsthand and compounded by outsiders accepting or rejecting them. In recreational travel, the travelers maintain some control of the narrative; in forced migration, their narratives are often silenced or diminished.

Weekly Newsletter

Get your fix of JSTOR Daily’s best stories in your inbox each Thursday.

Privacy Policy   Contact Us You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the provided link on any marketing message.

Travel is an unusual beast, hard to define and make sense of despite thousands of years of written records on the subject. It is a commodity, a privilege, and a state of mind; a comfort to some and a trial to others; a method of alteration as effective as any chrysalis. Perhaps in 50 years travel will become more popular, and society will become more inquisitive, less insular, more compassionate. Or perhaps, as one Canadian newspaper suggested 50 years ago, we’ll simply be more crowded.

“What will happen by 2000 A.D. is something to think about,” the columnist says. “We will have more of everything, except space. Certainly we will have more free time. What will we do? Where will we go? What will be our pleasures? That is for the future to settle; but in the meantime, it would seem that all of us had better begin to get used to the proximity of other people. Or fly to the moon.”

Thanks for following me on these journeys, reader. I wish you transformative travels, to the moon and beyond.

Correction : An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the quotation from the Aeneid was its last line.

JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. JSTOR Daily readers can access the original research behind our articles for free on JSTOR.

Get Our Newsletter

More stories.

Remembering Sun Yat Sen Abroad

Taking Slavery West in the 1850s

Webster’s Dictionary 1828: Annotated

Life in the Islands of the Dead

Recent posts.

• Sheet Music: the Original Problematic Pop?
• Ostrich Bubbles
• Smells, Sounds, and the WNBA
• A Bodhisattva for Japanese Women
• Asking Scholarly Questions with JSTOR Daily

Support JSTOR Daily

Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Social Life

Tourists, travelers and trip advisors, the social psychology of travel and tourism..

Posted July 26, 2023 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods

• Travel is almost always a social activity, whether we like or not.
• Tourists and travelers are rather different from each other.
• We often give travel advice because it helps us, as well as to help others.

There are invariably other people around when we travel, including family, friends, bystanders, and the residents of the places we visit. Decisions we make about where, when, and how to travel are typically made with others in mind, even if we are not deliberately travelling with them. Have you ever selected a destination precisely to avoid (or seek) the crowd?

Travel, in other words, is social in nature.

Even at the planning stage, decisions about where to go and with whom are seldom solely about our individual choice. Social psychologists stress that our intentions are compromised by other people. We are easily swayed by prevailing routines and social norms.

Imagine you are trying to decide whether to visit Ibiza, Alaska, or Chihuahua. Your plans will probably be affected by social mediators, such as the potential for social encounters ( Who else will be there?) , our perceived social group identity ( Will I fit in with the kinds of people who will be there?), or an urge to conform or be different ( Are other people going or will I be the only one?) . Where and how we travel depends on how much we identify with or feel comfortable in certain social situations. A perceived lack of social competence in a social situation (cruise, hen party, pilgrimage, chess convention), may interfere with our plans. A decision, for example, about whether to go to a jazz festival or a silent retreat may well be affected by feelings of belongingness to a group. This said, the good news is that such group allegiances are far from fixed. For example, after your third world cruise, you might start to feel you belong a little more.

What is the difference between a traveller and a tourist?

Many of us people-watch at train stations and airports, leading us to categorise our fellow passengers. We may ask ourselves, which of these people are travellers and which are tourists? It is often said that tourist is a label we reserve for others, and traveller is what we like to call ourselves. In his novel about clashing cultures of North America and North Africa, The Sheltering Sky, Paul Bowles distinguished tourists, who enjoy visiting diverse locations for short periods, from travellers, who like to roam and are as comfortable in long-term transit as they are at home. Tourists often do their travelling under the protection of travel companies who do most of the organising and booking for them. Meanwhile, travellers roam relatively unprotected and are likely to have direct contact with culturally diverse people as they wander away from the beaten track.

A continuum of traveller types, from explorers to conservatives

Do you interact with host communities (a.k.a. "locals") when you travel, or would you rather keep your distance? A continuum has been proposed, to distinguish between so-called dependents, conservatives, explorers, and belonging-seekers , based on how much we like to interact with local communities whilst on our travels.

• Dependents typically travel in established groups (friends, relatives, parties) as part of a package tour, on short-term visits, and generally avoid extended or informal interactions with hosts.
• Conservatives have more host contact, though mainly to gain information or guidance. Communications with hosts typically involve speaking with local tourist representatives, hotel staff, tour guides, or taxi drivers.
• Explorers are more open to social contact with hosts and are eager to find out about them through casual conversation, often in the local language. Explorers determinedly stray into non-tourist sites and seek out locations that are off the tourist trail.
• Belonging-seekers, the most intrepid of all, self-identify as travellers, not tourists. They engage with locals, sharing experiences, participating in quotidian life. If invited, they visit hosts’ homes, share authentic cultural experiences, and report positive attitudes to a place and its residents. They often seek employment and learn the language.

This continuum is handy and informative, and can also be fluid. A visitor may begin as a conservative, yet the passage of time and cultivation of interest may see them flourish into belonging-seekers.

Why Trip-Advise?

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg once said that nothing influences travellers more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. These trusted friends typically belong to online influencer communities. We don’t generally know them personally. Online word of mouth has overtaken old-school alternatives (asking neighbours and friends) as the go-to source for travel guidance. Over three-quarters of travellers consult online customer reviews when booking hotels. User-generated reviews are the dominant travel marketing promotional tool.

Why do some of us feel the need to offer travel tips to strangers? One motivation may be a resulting glowing feeling of belongingness to an imagined community of travellers. Writing travel advice can make us helpful or accepted by travel peers we will never encounter. Sharing travel tips can also be motivated by altruism (a social urge to be helpful) or by a desire for increased self-esteem .

Other rewards for online trip advising include enjoyment, a desire to exert power over large companies, and, of course, letting off steam or wanting to become an influencer. Trip advisors can be labelled as altruists (predisposed to help), careerists (keen to become influencers), hipsters (seeking connectedness), boomerangs (comment and like seekers), and connectors (keen to share).

Yet not all travellers write reviews. A large, silent majority of lurkers read reviews but don’t post, perhaps over concerns of security. Whatever the reason, it is worth remembering when planning your next adventure that most online trip advice is produced by a vocal minority.

We usually travel together, whether we like it or not.

Social psychology helps us understand various aspects of travel behaviour, such as purchasing patterns, travel typologies and trip advising. Above all, this branch of psychology reminds us that every phase of the travel adventure, from planning through experiencing and reviewing, takes place amongst bystanders, advisers, followers, and companions, all of whom combine to ensure that solitary travel is virtually impossible.

Bowles, P. (1949) The Sheltering Sky, London: Penguin

Fan (2017) Tourist Typology in Social Contact: An Addition to Existing Theories. Tourism Management  60:357-36

Ma, W. W. K., & Chan, A. (2014). Knowledge sharing and social media: Altruism, perceived online attachment motivation, and perceived online relationship commitment. Computers in Human Behavior, 39 , 51–58.

Munar, A. M., & Jacobsen, J. K. S. (2014). Motivations for sharing tourism experiences through social media. Tourism Management, 43 , 46–54

Stevenson, A. (2023), The Psychology of Travel London: Routledge

Yoon, Y., Kim, A. Kim, J., Choi, J. (2019) The effects of eWOM characteristics on consumer ratings: evidence from TripAdvisor.com, International Journal of Advertising , 38:5, 684-703,

Yoo, K. H., & Gretzel, U. (2008). What motivates consumers to write online travel reviews? Information Technology & Tourism, 10 (4), 283–295.

Andrew Stevenson, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer in psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University, England and the author of The Psychology of Travel .

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Teletherapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Therapy Center NEW
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

Understanding what emotional intelligence looks like and the steps needed to improve it could light a path to a more emotionally adept world.

• Coronavirus Disease 2019
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

National Geographic content straight to your inbox—sign up for our popular newsletters here

Travelers may find it difficult to empathize with locals, according to experts. Here, tourists in 2016 buy fruit juice at a market stall in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Travel is said to increase cultural understanding. Does it?

While researchers say travel does affect the brain’s neural pathways, true empathy remains an elusive destination.

Empathy is commonly defined as “putting yourself in another person’s shoes” or “feeling the emotional states of others.” It’s a critical social tool that creates social bridges by promoting shared experiences and producing compassionate behavior. But can empathy be learned? And can travel help facilitate this learning? The answer is complicated. “Research has shown that empathy is not simply inborn, but can actually be taught,” writes psychotherapist F. Diane Barth in Psychology Today . While past research has indicated that empathy is an unteachable trait, newer research—including a 2017 Harvard study —suggests that the “neurobiologically based competency” of empathy is mutable and can be taught under the right circumstances. Whether seeing the world actually opens travelers’ minds—that it makes travelers more empathetic—is up for debate. In a 2018 Harris Poll of 1,300 business travelers, 87 percent said that business trips helped them to be more empathetic to others, reports Quartz . And in a 2010 study , Columbia Business School professor Adam Galinsky found that travel “increases awareness of underlying connections and associations” with other cultures. While self-defined empathy and awareness are unreliable measurements, it stands to reason that cross-cultural exposure through travel would at least create conditions for checking conscious and unconscious biases. “If we are to move in the direction of a more empathic society and a more compassionate world, it is clear that working to enhance our native capacities to empathize is critical to strengthening individual, community, national, and international bonds,” writes Helen Riess, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of the 2017 report.

But the coronavirus pandemic and, more recently, the global Black Lives Matter protests have forced an uncomfortable reckoning—that all the travel in the world might not be enough to engender the deep cross-cultural awareness people need now.

“There’s this false adage that travel opens minds, but that’s not [a built-in] fact about what travel does,” says Travis Levius, a Black travel journalist and hospitality consultant based in London and Atlanta. “Travel does not automatically make you a better person,” nor does it clue you into “what’s going on in terms of race relations.”

Black Travel Alliance founder Martina Jones-Johnson agrees, noting that tourism boards have made it “overwhelmingly clear that travel doesn’t necessarily build empathy.”

The lack of diversity within the travel industry itself suggests that there’s much work to be done to make the industry as inclusive as the world of travel consumers. According to a 2019 annual report by the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in the leisure and hospitality industry were overwhelmingly white. Consumers, meanwhile, say they want to spend their money on travel companies whose employees reflect the world they work in, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council .

Additionally, companies that embrace inclusivity may have a better chance of avoiding tone-deaf messages , such as using “free at last”—the line is from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Dream” speech—to caption a billboard depicting white children jumping into the Florida Keys. The advertisement, which has since been taken down, launched in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis that sparked worldwide protests against police brutality.

(Related: Learn why it’s important to have diverse perspectives in travel.)

Karfa Diallo leads a tour of sites related to the trans-Atlantic slave trade in Bordeaux, France, in June 2020. Participating in activities that amplify marginalized voices and experiences can go a long way toward developing empathy, say experts.

A road paved with good intentions

Interestingly, modern tourism has fairly empathic origins. In the 1850s, Thomas Cook used new railway systems to develop short-haul leisure travel as respites for hard-working British laborers, according to Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, a senior lecturer on tourism management at the University of South Australia.

A hundred years later the United Nations declared reasonable working hours, paid holidays, and “rest and leisure” as human rights . By the 1960s, spurred by related movements to increase holiday time, the leisure sector had coalesced into a full-fledged professional industry.

Since then, the World Tourism Organization and international aid groups have championed tourism as both “a vital force for world peace [that] can provide the moral and intellectual basis for international understanding and interdependence,” as well as an economic development strategy for poorer nations.

But not everyone agrees that the travel industry has lived up to these lofty goals. In recent decades, it has been accused of doing just the opposite. As Stephen Wearing wrote nearly 20 years ago : “tourism perpetuates inequality” because multinational corporations from capitalist countries hold all the economic and resource power over developing nations.

(Related: This is how national parks are fighting racism.)

These days, inequality is baked into the very process of traveling, says veteran Time magazine foreign correspondent and Roads & Kingdoms co-founder Nathan Thornburgh. “Your frequent flier status, the stupid little cordon separating the boarding lines, the way you take an Uber or cab from the airport after you land, not a bus or colectivo or matatu —those all reinforce divisions, not empathy,” he writes in an email. “And that’s just getting to a place.”

Empathy’s downsides

Experts say developing empathy isn’t easy and comes with a host of problems. Joseph M. Cheer, a professor at Wakayama University’s Center for Tourism Research in Japan, notes that empathy inherently “others” another person.

In his 2019 study of westerners on a bike tour in Cambodia, Cheer found that despite the prosocial aspects of the experience—visiting local non-governmental organizations, interacting with local Cambodians—post-tour interviews revealed that the tourists didn’t understand the cultural context of the outing. The visitors leaned into problematic tropes like “happy,” “lovely,” and “generous” when describing locals or simply saw Cambodians as service providers.

This “othering” bias, Cheer says, becomes more noticeable the greater the distance between tourists and locals, and especially so in strictly transactional encounters, such as in hotels.

A worker at a resort in Bali. Researchers say visitors should make a commitment to understand local cultures by moving past transactional interactions.

Our individual travel experiences oppose our best intentions, says travel writer Bani Amor, who has written extensively on race, place, and power.

“The stated [positive] intentions are completely contradictive to what happens in the tourism industry and how oppressive it is to BIPOC [Black, indigenous, and people of color] around the world, how tourism laborers are being treated, and how they’re being dispossessed, not having a right to their own land and to enjoy our own places,” says Amor, who has worked in the tourism industry in their ancestral home of Ecuador.

“You can only really know your own experience,” adds Anu Taranath, a racial equity professor at the University of Washington Seattle and a second-generation immigrant.

“I think we can develop empathetic feelings and sort of crack open our sense of self to include other people’s experiences in it. We can only deepen our own understanding of who we are in an unequal world and how that makes us feel and how that motivates us to shift our life in some way or another.”

I think in its purest form, empathy is basically impossible. I can weep for you, but I can’t weep as you. Nathan Thornburgh , founder, Roads & Kingdoms

Or as Thornburgh puts it: “I think in its purest form, empathy is basically impossible. I can weep for you, but I can’t weep as you.”

Traveling deeper

While experts conclude that travel may not inspire enough empathy to turn tourists into social justice activists, the alternative—not traveling at all—may actually be worse.

“[B]ecause travel produces encounters between strangers, it is likely to prompt empathetic-type imaginings, which simply wouldn’t be there without the proximity created by travel,” says Hazel Tucker in a 2016 study published in the Annals of Tourism. It’s also one reason why it’s important to expose children to travel at an early age.

Yet truly transformational experiences require more than just showing up with a suitcase. It requires energy, effort, and commitment on the part of tourists, as well as specific conditions, says Higgins-Desbiolles. “Visitors need to be prepped for the interaction so that they are ready to engage with the people on an equal level,” she notes.

Taranath’s book Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World may provide some starting points. “It’s an invitation to think more carefully about our good intentions and where they really need to be challenged,” Taranath explains. “How do you think about identity and difference in an unequal world? What does it actually look like?”

Additionally, Tucker suggests embracing what she calls “unsettled empathy”: learning about the cultures you’re planning to visit and sitting with uncomfortable legacies of colonialism, slavery, genocide, and displacement from which no destinations are exempt.

Barbara Manigault, a Gullah sweet grass basket weaver, practices her craft in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. American tourists with limited travel opportunities can find many places in the U.S. to learn more about other cultures.

That background can be the basis for meaningful conversations, which Cheer found are “the key element that prompted empathy.” Thornburgh adds that travelers should seek out places where there is “an equal and humanistic exchange, or something approaching it, between the visitors and the visited.”

(Related: The E.U. has banned American travelers. So where can they go? )

Toward that end, experts generally ruled out cruises. Instead, immersive experiences like Black Heritage Tours that amplify historically marginalized voices provide better opportunities for meaningful connections.

Fortunately for would-be travelers, those opportunities can be found even in these pandemic times, when many countries are restricting international travel, especially for Americans.

“We are so lucky in this country that the whole world has come here to build their lives, in big cities and small, and that we have Black and [Native American] communities throughout,” says Thornburgh. “Go to their restaurants, lend your talents to their schools, help them raise money for their playgrounds.

“You want travel? You want to experience different cultures? Start at home. Start now.”

Related Topics

• CULTURAL TOURISM
• PEOPLE AND CULTURE

You May Also Like

How to make travel more accessible to the blind

The Masterclasses 2023: 10 travel writing tips from our experts

Free bonus issue.

Americans have hated tipping almost as long as they’ve practiced it

Who were the original 49ers? The true story of the California Gold Rush

To find their future, South Africa’s first people look to the past

These are the best travel photos of 2021

How to spend a day exploring Berlin's art and design scene

• Environment
• Perpetual Planet
• History & Culture

History & Culture

• History Magazine
• Mind, Body, Wonder
• Paid Content
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

Why Travel is Important: Key Insights

Table of Contents

Travel is a mirror that reveals who we are, showing our weaknesses, strengths, desires, and fears. Once we step outside our comfort zones to embrace an unknown world, we open a new world of possibilities. Explore the reasons why traveling is essential! Explore the transformational benefits of travel to broaden your horizons, increase your knowledge about the globe, and enhance your life in many ways.

“Travel is the bridge to wisdom; it takes you to places and people that textbooks can’t.” – Unknown.

Travel is moving from one place to another, especially over a long distance. A journey is undertaken for various purposes, from business to leisure or education. As well as personal benefit, traveling has an effectful economic effect. Tourism is an integral sector in many parts of the world, and tourism provides jobs while creating income for local communities.

Table of Content

Broadening horizons through travel, the educational value of travel, exploring self-discovery and personal growth, travel as a stress reliever, building relationships and social bonds, enhancing creativity and inspiration, health benefits of travel, promoting cultural understanding and tolerance, overcoming challenges and adapting, environmental awareness through responsible travel, travel for career growth and opportunities, nurturing memories and stories through travel, travel as a source of inspiration for the future.

• The Digital Age and Virtual Travel Experience

Conclusion:

• FAQs: Why travel is important?

Here are some key reasons why travel is important:

One of the primary benefits of travel is its ability to expose us to diverse cultures, traditions, and ways of life. It’s like opening a book and immersing ourselves in a different chapter each time we visit a new place. Meeting people from various backgrounds and understanding their perspectives can be eye-opening.

Traveling allows us to learn about the world in a way no classroom can teach. From the ancient ruins of Rome to the serene temples of Japan, each place has a unique story to tell, and being there in person helps us truly grasp the depth of human history and civilization.

In the next section, we’ll explore the educational value of travel and how it can transform our perspectives.

Traveling is akin to being in a live classroom, where the world is our teacher. It’s an opportunity to delve into history, geography, sociology, and anthropology tangibly and interactively. Standing in the Colosseum in Rome or walking through the ancient Petra in Jordan brings history to life. It’s not just about seeing; it’s about experiencing and understanding.

“Travel is the university of life, where every road taken is a lesson learned.” – Unknown.

We grow as individuals when we break out of our everyday routines and experience new things. Travel challenges us, pushing us beyond our comfort zones. Whether it’s conquering a fear of heights by zip-lining through a forest or navigating a foreign city’s public transportation system, these experiences build resilience and confidence.

Travel opens doors to self-discovery. We discover untapped strengths in unfamiliar places and learn to adapt and thrive. It’s a journey of self-exploration, understanding our preferences, fears, and dreams.

Escaping the daily hustle and bustle by embarking on a journey can do wonders for our mental and emotional well-being. It’s a chance to unwind, disconnect from the stresses of everyday life, and recharge. Whether it’s a beach vacation or a mountain retreat, travel offers a change of scenery and a break from routine essential for our mental health.

“Travel far, travel wide, and let your soul be your guide.” – Unknown.

Travel is not just a solo adventure; it’s an avenue to connect with people from around the globe. Interacting with individuals from diverse cultures enriches our understanding of humanity. Friendships formed during travel can be enduring, transcending borders and backgrounds.

Sharing experiences with others creates lasting bonds. From fellow travelers to locals, each interaction shapes our journey and leaves us with memories to cherish.

In the subsequent sections, we’ll discuss how travel nurtures creativity, promotes cultural understanding, and impacts our health positively.

You may interested: Fun Things to Do in Boston in the Winter

Travel has an incredible way of stimulating creativity and sparking inspiration. Experiencing new cultures, landscapes, and cuisines leads to a surge in creative thinking. Writers find the latest stories, artists find new colors, and musicians find new rhythms in the tapestry of the world.

Every place visited offers a fresh perspective; sometimes, all it takes is a change in scenery to break through creative blocks.

Traveling involves physical activities, whether hiking in the mountains, strolling through cities, or swimming in the sea. This movement is excellent for our overall health. It’s a chance to exercise while enjoying the beauty of the destination.

Moreover, the mental relaxation from being in a new environment, away from everyday stressors, significantly contributes to our well-being.

“Travel is the best therapy; it rejuvenates the body, mind, and soul.” – Unknown.

Travel is a bridge that can bring us closer to a world that sometimes feels divided. Experiencing different cultures firsthand breaks down stereotypes and prejudices. It fosters empathy and understanding, showing us that we are all human with similar desires and hopes at our core.

Understanding and appreciating other cultures makes us more accepting and tolerant.

Travel is an adventure filled with unexpected turns. Flights get delayed, reservations get mixed up, and plans change. Navigating these challenges hones our problem-solving skills and teaches us to adapt swiftly. It’s a lesson in being flexible and making the best of any situation.

Every mishap becomes a story, and every challenge becomes a lesson learned.

In the forthcoming sections, we’ll explore the environmental aspects of travel, how it impacts our careers, and the importance of creating lasting memories through our journeys.

Related article: Affordable Delicious Japanese Food

As exciting as it is, travel has an environmental impact and tells us why travel is important. However, responsible and sustainable travel practices can mitigate this impact. Travelers can contribute to conservation efforts by being conscious of their ecological footprint. Choosing eco-friendly accommodations, minimizing waste, and respecting natural habitats and cultures is crucial for responsible travel.

Promoting these practices ensures that the world’s beauty remains for future generations to explore.

Travel isn’t just leisure; it can also propel our careers. In a globally connected world, experiencing different cultures and meeting people from various backgrounds can broaden our professional horizons. Networking during travel can open doors to new opportunities, and for those in specific industries, business-related travel is an essential aspect of growth.

“Travel isn’t only about seeing new places; it’s about seeing the world with new eyes, gaining fresh perspectives.” – Unknown.

Travel leaves us with memories that stay etched in our hearts. The laughter shared, the challenges faced, and the beauty witnessed all become stories we tell and cherish. These memories enrich our lives, reminding us of the vastness of the world and the diversity it holds.

Photographs and souvenirs become tokens of these beautiful moments, allowing us to relive them whenever we want.

Related article: How to Travel the World for Cheap: A Budget-Friendly Guide

Every trip we take becomes a source of inspiration for the future. The places we visit, the people we meet, and the experiences we gather shape our vision. Travel can help us to identify our passions and goals and inspire us to pursue them.

 It can help us to see the world in new ways, to learn about different perspectives, and to imagine new possibilities.

Here are just a few examples of how travel can inspire us:

• Traveling to a new country can show us different ways of living and working .  It can inspire us to think about new ways to solve problems and to create a better future for ourselves and our communities.
• Visiting historical sites can teach us about the successes and failures of the past. It can help us to learn from the mistakes of others and to make better decisions for the future.
• Meeting new people from different backgrounds can help us to understand other cultures and perspectives. It can help us to become more open-minded and tolerant and to build a more inclusive future.
• Witnessing the beauty of nature can motivate us to become environmental advocates and create a more sustainable future.

Seeing how other people live their lives can help us clarify our values and goals and pursue our dreams with more passion and purpose. Seeing people worldwide living their lives to the fullest can motivate us to do the same.

Here are some specific examples of people who have been inspired by travel:

• Nelson Mandela:  Mandela was inspired by his travels to Africa to fight against apartheid and to work for a more just and equitable society.
• Steve Jobs:  Jobs was inspired by his travels to India to embrace Buddhism and to develop a more holistic approach to business and technology.
• Malala Yousafzai:  Yousafzai was inspired by her travels to meet other world leaders and to advocate for girls’ education.

These are just a few examples of how travel can inspire us and why travel is important to create a better future. If you can travel, I encourage you to take it. Travel can be a life-changing experience that can inspire you to make a difference in the world.

 The Digital Age and Virtual Travel Experience

The digital age has revolutionized the way that why travel is important. Virtual travel experiences are now available that allow us to explore the world from the comfort of our own homes. These experiences can be highly immersive and informative, and

They can offer several benefits, including:

• Convenience:  Virtual travel is incredibly convenient. You can explore any destination you want, any time of day or night, without leaving your home. It is especially beneficial for people with limited mobility or who live in remote areas.
• Affordability:  Virtual travel is also very affordable. Many virtual tours and experiences are free or very low-cost. This makes it possible to explore the world without having to spend a lot of money.
• Education:  Virtual travel can be a great way to learn about different cultures and places. Many virtual tours and experiences include educational content that can help you know about the history, geography, and culture of the destination you are visiting.
• Planning:  Virtual travel can also be a helpful tool for planning real-world trips. You can use virtual tours to get a sense of a place before you visit it and to identify the areas you want to see and do.

Here are some examples of virtual travel experiences that are available today:

• Google Street View:  Google Street View allows you to take virtual tours of streets and landmarks worldwide. You can use Street View to explore cities, towns, and natural wonders from your home.
• Virtual museums:  Many museums now offer virtual tours of their collections. It allows you to explore museums from all over the world without having to travel.
• 360-degree videos:  360-degree videos allow you to experience a place as if you were there. You can watch 360-degree videos of popular tourist destinations and more remote and off-the-beaten-path locations.
• Virtual reality (VR):  VR headsets allow you to experience virtual worlds as if they were real. You can use VR to explore historical sites, natural wonders, and other planets.

Virtual travel experiences are still in their early development stages, potentially revolutionizing travel. As technology advances, virtual travel experiences will become more realistic and immersive, allowing us to explore the world in ways we never imagined.

Here are some of the ways that virtual travel experiences can be used in the digital age:

• Education:  Virtual travel experiences can be used to teach students about different cultures, places, and historical events. For example, students can use virtual tours to explore ancient ruins, visit museums, or travel to different countries.
• Marketing:  Virtual travel experiences can be used to promote tourist destinations and businesses. For example, hotels and resorts can use virtual tours to give potential guests a preview of their facilities.
• Entertainment:  Virtual travel experiences can entertain people of all ages. For example, people can use virtual reality headsets to explore new worlds or play games.

Overall, virtual travel experiences offer several benefits and have the potential to revolutionize the way we travel in the digital age.

Travel is vital for personal growth, cultural understanding, and stress relief. It broadens horizons, inspires creativity, and fosters empathy. Whether physically or virtually, travel offers transformative experiences that shape a better future. It’s not just about reaching a destination; it’s about exploring, learning, and connecting with the world.

That’s why travel is important—it’s a journey that enriches our lives and inspires positive change. Whether physical or virtual, travel remains vital for shaping a better future by encouraging us to embrace diversity, learn from history, and aspire to a more inclusive and sustainable world. So, why travel is important? Because it illuminates our paths to wisdom, broadens our horizons, and inspires us to impact the world we share positively.

FAQs:  Why travel is important?

Why travel is important for personal development  .

Traveling is essential for personal growth as it takes you out of your comfort zone, exposes you to new experiences, and helps you learn more about yourself and the world around you.

How does travel enhance cultural understanding?  

Travel provides a firsthand experience of different cultures, traditions, and ways of life. It promotes tolerance and empathy by breaking down stereotypes and fostering a deeper appreciation for diversity.

Can travel be a stress reliever?  

Absolutely! Traveling allows you to escape the stresses of daily life, providing an opportunity to unwind, relax, and rejuvenate. It’s a chance to take a break and return home with a refreshed mind and spirit.

In what ways does travel contribute to environmental awareness?

Responsible travel practices, such as choosing eco-friendly accommodations and minimizing waste, help raise awareness about environmental conservation. Travelers can play a crucial role in preserving natural habitats and promoting sustainable tourism.

How can virtual travel experiences benefit individuals?  

Virtual travel experiences offer convenience and affordability, allowing individuals to explore various destinations virtually. These experiences can be educational, providing insights into different cultures and aiding in trip planning by offering a preview of the places they intend to visit.

Similar Posts

Dominica’s Digital Nomad Visa: Your Ultimate Guide to Paradise

In recent years, remote work has taken the professional world by storm. With the advent of technology, the global workforce has shifted towards a more flexible and decentralized model. This transformation has given rise to…

Traveler’s Diarrhea Prevention: The Ultimate Mastery Guide

In today’s fast-paced world, traveling has become essential to our lives. Exploring new places can be exciting and enriching for business or leisure. However, one familiar concern travelers often face and would rather avoid is…

Travel Photography Tips – Capture Memories-Explore Now

Indeed, let’s delve deeper into the world of travel photography tips and explore the techniques that can help you capture memorable moments during your journeys. This user-friendly guide will help you understand travel photography thoroughly,…

Healthy Travel: Tips for Staying Fit on the Road-Explore Now!

“All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.” – Samuel Johnson Traveling…

How to Travel the World for Cheap: A Budget-Friendly Guide

Discover the ultimate guide on how to travel the world for cheap. Uncover money-saving tips, hacks, and budget-friendly strategies for your dream adventure. Traveling the world is a dream for many, but the misconception that…

South France Camping: Tips for a Memorable Outdoor Experience-Discover Now

South France camping is an experience that promises the beauty of nature, the charm of local culture, and the freedom of exploration. Nestled in the heart of Europe, South France offers a diverse range of…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• eTravel.com
• Car Rentals
• Travel Inspiration
• Write For Us

25+ Powerful Reasons Why Travel is Important, Don’t Miss the Infographic!!

Infographic: Why Travel? – Learn about the various benefits of travel

1. Travel is educational

• You Learn to Step in Today's World
• You Feel Sense of Independence to do New Things
• You Learn About History and Human Race
• Magic of Nature Will Help You Find The New You
• Traveling Gives You Sense of Infinity

2. Travel as a stress buster

• New Environment Steals your Stress
• You Become Healthier with Delightful Traveling
• Let it Go your Worries, Past and Sadness
• Traveling Makes You Find Better Version of YOU
• You are no More in the Cage of Depression

3. Helps you re-discover yourself

• You become Free to Explore Your flows
• You Listen to Rhythm of Your Soul
• Create the Harmony With Nature
• Traveling Lightens up the Sparks Within You
• Traveling Helps to Initiate the Innovations

4. Travel creates everlasting memories

• Create Priceless Memories with Family
• Rekindle Sparks with Your Best Friends
• Solo Travel – Love Yourself
• Journeys of Knowledge and Wisdom
• Life is Short - You Deserve to Travel

5. The fun of adventure

6. Strengthens your relationships

• Kindness Shown By Other People
• Mastering the Art of Patience and Tolerance
• Strengthen Your Relationship with Your Partner
• Creating Unique Memories with Parents and Siblings
• Make New Friends and Reconnect with Old Friends

7. You get great business ideas

8. Helps you gain some new friends

9. You will be rejuvenated

10. Enjoy the pleasure of planning your travel

• Find Out the Objective
• Set the Budget
• Decide Your Destination
• Follow the Checklist
• Keep the Documents Ready
• Pack the Enthusiasm
• Insured Yourself With Insurance

Click here for the 25 Ultimate Travel Inspirations for Travelers - Infographic

  BEST INSPIRATIONAL TRAVEL QUOTES  

Category: Travel Tips

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Get the best deals and helpful tips from eTravel.com

Why and where do we travel?

In 2017 more than 1.3 billion international tourists travelled the world. That number has more than doubled since 1995 and increased by over 4000 percent since the 1950s. Why are we travelling to such an increasing extent? There are a number of factors motivating us. Incomes are higher, we have more free time, and flying is cheap. We also feel a greater need to get away and switch off from everyday life, or to create an identity for ourselves through travelling. Other major contributing factors are travel marketing and how easy it has become to book trips yourself.

In addition, certain destinations can be so attractive that we want to go there just to experience them, like the Grand Canyon, the Ice Hotel in Northern Sweden, the Eiffel Tower or similar tourist hot spots. Price levels and exchange rates in a country can also attract tourists, whereas political instability and risk of terrorist attack frightens people off. The figure below (based on Schmoll, 1977) illustrates tourists’ decision making processes and the different driving forces and factors that influence them:

You can find the references for the above here .

Click on the boxes below to read what research has to say about driving forces and factors affecting travel demand, tourists’ travel motives and how destinations’ supply can influence travel.

Political factors

Economic factors

Environmental factors

Technological factors

Social and demographic factors

Travel motives

Destinations' offers

• Hispanoamérica
• Work at ArchDaily
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy

Why Do We Travel?

• Written by Nicolás Valencia
• Published on September 13, 2019

Everyone wants to travel the world, whether it's to meet new people, taste new food, or visit new places. Travel is consequently an extremely lucrative industry, but tourist destinations are getting more crowded than ever and associated pollution emissions are only worsening the climate emergency .

Why do we travel? In this edition of Editor's Talk , four editors from ArchDaily based in Lebanon, the United States, and Chile share their thoughts on the meaning of travel, and why tourists enjoying a beach in a location like Brazil should also care about the cities they visit.

Nicolas Valencia: Travel was June's Monthly Topic . Back then we published articles about architecture guides and travel-related typologies, but we didn't talk about the experience of traveling. What does travel mean to you?

Dima Stouhi : I was born and raised in Lebanon, but I'm moving to Switzerland next month. This will be the first time that I experience living abroad. Because Lebanon is so different from any other country, traveling is incredibly important for me to see how other people live and what other cultures are like.

Eric Baldwin: I often introduce myself by saying that I’m a farm kid from rural Iowa. My idea of the world, including different cultures and ways of working, was limited for much of my youth. In college, that worldview expanded greatly. I was able to study and travel around the world, in places like China, Italy, and Greece. I believe that context is everything; travel is one way to expand your context.

Christele Harrouk : I was born in Beirut too, coming from French roots, so It was always easier for me to travel, and it was always an option for me to live abroad. Nevertheless, I never opted for this choice: I did spend a couple of months here and there, but to me, the notion of home was more important. Traveling has opened my eyes to what this world holds, and it has also made me better appreciate what I had and took for granted.

Nicolas Valencia:  But it's still a luxury nowadays.

Eric Baldwin:  Travel has been priceless to me, but it’s also become terribly destructive to our environment. In many ways, it is a luxury. As Greta Thunberg showed when sailing across the Atlantic on a zero-emissions yacht, we have to come up with better ways to travel. Our current conditions are becoming more and more unsustainable.

Dima Stouhi:  Traveling is definitely a luxury now. Especially for people who need visas to travel, like me.

If you travel, you are a loser

Nicolas Valencia: In June we published an article titled The Age of Travel is Over . The author says that "if you travel to earn your living, you are a loser. If you travel to see places, or to learn, you are an enemy of the planet."

Eric Baldwin: I think it was meant to be a sort of provocation. Travel is still so important, but that doesn't mean there aren't better ways to travel. Or that we shouldn't continue to imagine new modes of connection that bring us together and expand our context without harming the environment.

Christele Harrouk:  Traveling is a pure form of learning, possibly the most genuine way of getting information, but I always go back to the idea that if you don't do anything with these experiences, they become useless and the whole process becomes futile in a way. The more I meet people, the more I discover that a lot of them, who pretend to roam the globe, are so closed into themselves.

Dima Stouhi:  The idea of traveling is different now. People want to travel to show everyone that they traveled or just for the sake of traveling. There isn't much thought to what they harm along the way.

Nicolas Valencia:  Dima has a point. Traveling has become a sort of meta-traveling:  visit  a place to say you visited a place.  I'm very critical of those who don't learn anything from traveling, but then, I think, "Why should they experience it the same way I do?"

Dima Stouhi:  That's the thing, it's a matter of perspective. I doubt that people "never learn" from traveling. Regardless of how different each individual is, at least one experience, building, or even meal is going to get stuck in their head. It's just a matter of what people are paying attention to while traveling.

Eric Baldwin:  We travel to work, to discover, to connect with family or friends, to get the perfect Instagram post, to escape. As long as we continue to question why, and whether we are doing so responsibly, I think travel will continue to have meaning. Beyond location, I think being a "good" vs. a "bad" tourist is part responsibility and part perspective. If you travel to escape your daily life and enjoy a beach in Brazil, but you don’t care to learn about the city, people, or culture you visit, is that inherently bad? Again, it’s a matter of context.

Cities for rich tourists

Nicolas Valencia: Bloomberg published a chart on Instagram a few days ago explaining that "tourist destinations are only going to get more crowded," especially in Europe. We recently saw Venice ban large cruises from its historical center . How do we think other cities are going to deal with tourism?

Dima Stouhi:  I support Venice's decision. I went to Vatican City last year in August. I remember at one point I just wanted to leave because of how crowded it was. We couldn't even stop for one second to look around us. There was no place to stand in the Sistine Chapel. It's sad.

Eric Baldwin:  It’s a tricky thing. It’s tied to preservation: when does saving something relegate it to becoming frozen, functionless scenery? Again, I go back to context. What does tourism give to a city, and what does it take away? Does heritage have a part to play? No city remains the same, and in turn, tourism and travel have to change too.

Dima Stouhi:  But Eric, the way we see it, preservation comes first because we know and appreciate the value of historical sites. The majority of people don't.

Eric Baldwin:  I question the value of historical sites. How do we measure relevance or heritage? Why are the pyramids worth preserving? It’s a question — and battle — of values and those things that define us. In turn, it’s directly related to why we travel.

Nicolas Valencia:  Countries such as Spain rely strongly on tourism — the industry accounts for around 13% of its GDP. It's hard to regulate if your city's economy relies so strongly on tourism. Anyway, I'd assume that restricting access to tourists will eventually punish middle-class tourists. 

Christele Harrouk:  Well, I'm not sure about this. Maybe not restrict accesses but make them more organized.

Dima Stouhi:  I don't believe that increasing prices and limiting access to rich tourists is the way to solve it. I think it's like what Christele said: it's how governments organize it that might make a difference.

Christele Harrouk:  This is the responsibility of the cities: they have to advertise different areas. It's not difficult, but they just don't take the initiative. Changes in marketing strategies can indirectly reduce the concentration of tourists in one place and divide it into many regions, making new areas grow and develop as well.

Nicolas Valencia:  If I'm going to Venice, I'm going to visit downtown, not a peripheral neighborhood.

Christele Harrouk:  But if there is a Zaha Hadid building in the periphery, you will go there, and spend less time downtown.

I Love City Branding

Nicolas Valencia:  We have been talking about Europe, but what about Latin America? Africa? Asia? Have you visited these regions?

Dima Stouhi:  Dream destinations, big budgets!

Nicolas Valencia:  In Latin America, we are more interested in visiting Europe and the US, rather than our own region. This is despite the fact that airfare has plummeted in this region, so it's cheaper than ever to travel across Latin America.

Christele Harrouk:  This may be global, but don't you think this is where city branding comes in hand?

Nicolas Valencia:  Sure, city branding defines what we think about them. But one thing that freaks me out about traveling is that after spending a week abroad, people think they gain a certain power to explain what a whole country is like. We each have different backgrounds of emotions, ideas, and expectations, so a gay man visiting a city after breaking up might have a totally different experience from a heterosexual woman who meets a guy in that same city. Each person's visions of the same city are completely unique, which means these narratives can't be universal.. 

Dima Stouhi:  I think these assumptions are a normal human reaction. Whatever is different from what they usually see, they pin-point it as if it were a flaw..

Eric Baldwin:  I think that's a very hard thing to change. You inherently have more perspective than someone who has never been there, but at the same time, you have an inherently limited understanding as well. I think the after-visit stereotypes will continue to happen, as Identity is always tied to travel and context. How that context is shaped happens in a myriad of ways, and defines who we are.

Image gallery

• Sustainability

想阅读文章的中文版本吗?

编辑论坛：旅行，是对城市片面的定义

You've started following your first account, did you know.

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.

• &Beyond Connect
• My WILDwatch Online
• Chat to our WILDwatch guides at Ngala
• Chat to our WILDwatch guides at Phinda
• Chat to our our WILDchild guides
• Chat to our Conservation experts
• WILDwatch Live
• WILDchild TV
• Experiences TV
• Protect our planet
• Humans of &Beyond
• Engage: Inspiring People
• Explore: Travel Inspo
• Impact: Making a difference
• Indulge: Spoil yourself
• WILDwatch: The Animal World
• Meet the editor
• Africa @ home
• Asia @ home
• South America @ home
• WILDchild @ home
• &BEYOND LODGES
• South Africa
• Flying solo
• With my partner
• With my family
• Adventurous
• Responsible Travel
• Private Travel
• Slow Travel
• TRAVEL TRADE PORTAL
• MANAGE YOUR TRAVEL BOARD
• 5 years ago by Claire Trickett

10 reasons to love travel

What does travel mean to you here are just 10 of the many reasons i love to travel….

• Travel Specialist

In today’s tech-obsessed world, social media may well be the perfect platform to showcase the world’s beauty to armchair travellers across the globe, but travel is so much more than just getting that perfect Instagram shot. Travel should be meaningful. It should excite and inspire you, rejuvenate and ground you, educate and challenge you, and most of all, it should humble you.

Travel gives us our greatest stories, our most cherished memories and countless irreplaceable learnings that we can choose to pay forward to others. It teaches us about ourselves and each other, it broadens our horizons and, just like a reset button, it forces us to refocus on what really matters.

Here’s what travel means to me…

For me personally, travel is a way of life. I was born into a travel-obsessed family and had already lived on three different continents by the time I started school, so wanderlust (and an often ridiculed hybrid accent) was inevitable for me. My sister and I are incredibly fortunate to have parents that insisted that travel was the best classroom and, thankfully, our school holidays were spent exploring fascinating places, both near and far.

Upon graduating university (and turning 21), I was given the greatest gift: the gift of travel. Armed with a round-the-world plane ticket and a sense of adventure, I took off on a six-month solo backpacking trip through Europe, Southern Africa and Australia and, without a doubt, it changed the way I saw the world. So, as a self-confessed travel addict, here are the 10 reasons why I love to travel.

1. Travel to leave our world a better place

I have been fortunate to work and travel with &Beyond for more than 13 years now and what inspires me most is our company ethos and unwavering commitment to care for the land, wildlife and people. Travelling with &Beyond has given me the rare privilege to actively take part in so many unforgettable and truly meaningful experiences, such as: witnessing endangered rhino being safely translocated; observing an elephant cow being collared for research and monitoring purposes; helping to relocate a vulnerable nest laid by an enormous and highly endangered sea turtle; spending a night in a traditional Maasai manyatta (homestead); and so much more. &Beyond ’s authentic, experiential travel not only enables travellers to participate, engage and learn, but it also allows them to travel with purpose and to help leave our world a better place.

2. Travel to meet different cultures

Travel exposes us to different cultures and ancient traditions and through these authentic encounters, we learn to embrace and celebrate both our similarities and our differences. Travel teaches us about humanity and gives us an appreciation, understanding and respect for different points of view and ways of life.

3. Travel to learn

Not all classrooms have four walls and travel is the best way to immerse yourself in geography, history, culture, gastronomy, languages, biology … you name it. Travel enriches the mind and educates us far beyond any textbook or travel guide. Not only do curious travellers learn about different landscapes, languages and lifestyles; glean fascinating facts while observing wild animals in their natural habitat; delve into a region’s history and taste the local flavours; but they also learn about themselves (and each other) along the way.

4. Travel to escape reality

We all need to fall off the radar and escape reality every once in a while. Travel allows us to enjoy complete anonymity in new and unexplored territories. It gives us absolute freedom to live in the moment and it allows us to be anyone, to go anywhere and to do anything. The best part of my six-month trip around the world, way back when, was the freedom of being able to just wake up and pick a spot anywhere on the map and find a way to get there. Travel enables us to be spontaneous and seek new experiences.

5. Travel to relax

Our lives are time-starved and technology-driven and, let’s be honest, it’s not often that we actually take the necessary time to de-stress and truly switch off. Travel allows us to escape life’s daily demands, dramas and deadlines and enables us to clear our minds. It encourages us to recharge our batteries and to truly disconnect (from our phones, Wi-Fi, emails, laptops, social media, etc.) in order to reconnect (with ourselves, each other and the natural environment).

6. Travel to explore

Travel takes us out of our comfort zones and inspires us to see, taste and try new things. It constantly challenges us, not only to adapt to and explore new surroundings, but also to engage with different people, to embrace adventures as they come and to share new and meaningful experiences with friends and loved ones. Whether you seek adrenaline and non-stop activity, or unapologetic siestas and ultimate relaxation, travel gives us the opportunity to explore with an open heart and an open mind.

7. Travel for humility

Without a doubt, travel is a crash course in humility. As we cross borders, and oceans, we gain true perspective. We learn to recognise and be grateful for all of the things we take for granted in our own lives, and we also gain an appreciation and respect for how others live. Travel teaches us to be tolerant, flexible and open-minded, and most of all it makes us humble.

8. Travel to eat

One thing you’ll never find on a suggested packing list is a diet. Leave it at home! Just make sure you bring a healthy appetite and a willingness to taste new flavours and sample all of the local delicacies. Remember, mimosas are totally acceptable at breakfast and dessert is always a good idea. Indulge, go back for seconds and exercise when you get home.

9. Travel to be transformed

Don’t just travel for travel’s sake. Travel to seek adventure and feel alive. Take part in authentic experiences that will not only change the way you see the world, but that will also encourage self-reflection, environmental awareness and global action to help protect and conserve our planet.

10. Travel to live out your bucket list dreams

Every traveller’s bucket list is different. Whether you long to watch the sun set over the Taj Majal, snowshoe on the side of an active volcano, witness Africa’s Big Five and the Great Migration, or find your Zen on a yoga retreat in the Himalayas, if you can dream it, you can do it. Travel is the best medicine and long may it continue to take our breath away and turn us all into storytellers (and committed custodians of our precious planet).

SEE WHAT LIES BEYOND

Subscribe to the Bateleur Magazine.

You might also be interested in…

Leaving our world a better place for years, discover the impact legacy that your travel with &beyond is driving. just as the un’s sustainable development goals have been a touchstone for our vision 2020 group-operation sustainability audits, so they continue to guide and underpin our ambitiously scaled vision 2030 goals., we're sorry but this site doesn't work properly without javascript enabled., please enable it to continue., privacy overview.

Why Do People Travel?

Most people at some point in their life will have an urge to travel. This may be a two week holiday to somewhere warm to top up your suntan or it could be a life changing year, or longer, trip. Everyone has their own reasons that they decide to travel but most people are triggered by something. This is often a life-changing event or it could be a sudden change of feeling giving you the desire to fly the nest and set off on an adventure. After speaking to people I have met travelling, I have discovered, what I believe, are the main reasons why people travel.

Why do people travel?

1. to visit family.

Some family members move to another country. It can be on the other side of the world or just in another country next to yours. No matter where they are you will want to visit them at some point or another. The great thing about family visits is not only that you get to catch up with loved ones but you also get to see how they live and get up close and personal with their new culture. These new cultures could also encourage you to explore different parts of the world yourself.

2. To Spend Time With friends

A Gap Year or world trip can be described as the best time of your life. The memories you will make are enough to last you a life time, what better way to enjoy these memories than with friends. Planning a holiday with friends can be a great way to say goodbye before heading off to college / uni or just a great thing to do together as something you will always remember. I mean who wouldn’t want to travel from country to country relaxing on different beaches every day with your best friend? I know I would.

3. To Find Better Weather!

No matter where you live chances are you will, at some point, moan about the climate that you are in. “I’m too hot” or ‘It’s too cold”. Lots of people travel simply to escape the climate they experience on a daily basis. People who live in colder climates race to the sunshine to top up their tans and people from countries which are constantly hot may travel to places to try activities such as skiing which they could not do so easily in their home country.

4. To Discover New Cultures

Some people like adventures and to escape their normal monotonous life. They like not knowing what they can expect and want to deepen their knowledge in other lifestyles. How do other people live? What do they eat? What are their hobbies and values? And what better way to find these things out than by exploring the world.

5. To Find Themselves

This is a very common one, and this one in particular seems to be triggered by a life-changing event at home. It could be that you lost your job, a long term relationship broke up, you finished university and still have no idea what you want to do as a career or it could be the loss of a loved one. People who go travelling to find themselves tend to travel alone but don’t worry, it’s incredibly easy to make friends.

6. To Find Love

Are you unlucky in love ? Live in a small town and just can’t meet anyone? Then go travelling! The very least you’ll find is someone with the same desire to travel and experience different countries and cultures as you. Going travelling certainly doesn’t guarantee you’ll meet the love of your life, but travelling around certainly gives you loads of opportunities to meet new people.

7. Wanderlust

Wanderlust is a strange word but what does it mean? Descended from the German word ‘Wandern’ meaning to walk and ‘Lust’ which is described as ‘A very strong or irresistible impulse’. In short it means that you travel because you have the urge to. You may not have one particular factor that made you book a flight. All you know is that you want to travel and you want to travel NOW!

8. You Won the Lottery

Ok, so this is a very rare reason, but I reckon at least half of lottery winners go an at least an extended holiday! One day hopefully I will be so lucky that I win big on the lottery. Some people, who have won millions have no idea what to do with the money. They already bought a big house but that’s not enough. What better way to spend your money travelling from country to country taking in all the amazing sights and cultures.

So why do you travel? Whatever the reason you decide to travel I have no doubt you will have the most amazing time and will catch the ‘Travel Bug’ and never want to stop.

Blogs are better shared

Check out this awesome blog have been looking at

Embed this blog

Copy and paste the following HTML into your website code:

27 thoughts on “ Why Do People Travel? ”

Thanks so much for your answer. This was so helpful to me and my entire family.

• Pingback: Why Do We Travel? | Quality Inn Sudbury

that photo of the men makes me really happy I love it

it helped me with my assignment’

This is an interesting subject. I am a nomad for 3 years and I have lived incredible experiences for the places I have already spent. The cool thing about traveling around the world is that we experience many different cultures, as well as being able to try different cuisines and visit beautiful places such as beaches and tourist sites.

Interesting point … for example I started my travels around the world at my 18 years of age and even though it was not something my parents wanted very much, I followed my adventurous heart and I have been through more than 20 countries so far.

Traveling is something that to me is addictive and incredible. But I only find it interesting when you have a cash income that does not depend on physical means to win. And I also really prefer to travel by car on the roads than by plane.

You miss a lot of incredible things like amazing landscapes and places. But unforeseen events can happen and something unexpected happens. It is always great to be able to read and learn new tips and experiences on nomadism.

I love traveling the world too 🙂

awesome ideas

AGENCIA DE VIAJES Y TURISMO EN TRUJILLO En Agencia de viajes y turismo en Cusco nuestro personal se enorgullecen de ofrecer un excelente servicio al cliente que confía en nosotros con sus arreglos de vacaciones

thank you so much nodmads this is a great sight which can help student klike me have really learnt alot from this page.

It sure is interesting that you said how exploring the world can help you experience other cultures and allow people to break away from their monotonous life. My son has been talking to me a lot lately. He has temporarily closed his photography business after giving in to all the stress of high-pressure jobs and creative rut. I think traveling around the world and plugging out of the normalcy of life will help him put the fire back in his eyes again.

• Pingback: Preparing for a Trip

Thanks this is so helpful

• Pingback: Discourse Community – Nai's UWP Portfolio

Thank you for sharing this information. it was useful and interesting.

Thanks, I was able to complete my Annotated Bibliography.

thank you for sharing this amazing information it really helped me with my project

I really like it when you made mention of how traveling help’s one finds love… I have a friend who actually left the country cause he was having bad luck in choosing is life partner,according to him all the ladies he ever came across with always have “a skeleton in their cupboard”,…. thereafter he decided to go for an holiday in a small town…….. to cut the whole storyshort,….. he’s now happily married with two kids abroad,

I’m glad you explained that some people travel simply because they have the urge to. Lately I’ve been wanting to travel but have been having trouble justifying it. Thanks for sharing this article and helping me see that it’s okay to treat myself to some luxury traveling soon!

Really good for a project.

I wish I’d won the lottery lol!! But I have traveled for my reasons combined above… 🙂 Also found my love abroad.

very informative blog you are doing great work

Omg tysm it rly helped me with my geography assignment for school! 🙂 it also made me feel rly happy, ty 🙂

I am travel lover. It’s true and most of the reason perfectly matches with my travelling plans. Very good analysis.

Thanks for sharing this great article Very well-written! Please see my blog, 3 Main Reasons Why You Should Go on Adventure Trips Hope this will help, Thank you!

Great blog! If you want to learn more about yourself, then traveling is definitely something that you must do.

Regards Mike

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Other things to do in the area

Where would you like to stay?

Quick links.

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

• Publications
• Our Methods
• Short Reads
• Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

Americans who have traveled internationally stand out in their views and knowledge of foreign affairs

Do people who travel think differently about the world? A new Pew Research Center survey suggests they do.

Americans who have traveled internationally are more interested in and knowledgeable about foreign affairs, feel closer to others around the world, and favor a more active foreign policy, according to the survey of 3,576 U.S. adults conducted in spring 2023. We also surveyed people in 23 other countries about their international travel habits.

This analysis examines international travel with a focus on Americans’ travel, including which Americans travel abroad and how their interest in the world and views of international affairs differ from others.

For this analysis, we surveyed 3,576 U.S. adults from March 20 to March 26, 2023; 3,581 U.S. adults from March 21 to March 27, 2022; and 10,606 U.S. adults from June 14 to June 27, 2021. Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

For non-U.S. data, this report draws on nationally representative surveys of 27,285 adults conducted from Feb. 20 to May 22, 2023. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Surveys were conducted face-to-face in Hungary, Poland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. In Australia, we used a mixed-mode probability-based online panel.

Here are the June 2021 survey questions and responses used in this analysis. Those for the March 2022 survey may be found here , as well as those for the March 2023 survey .

How many Americans have traveled internationally?

Roughly three-quarters of Americans (76%) have visited at least one other country, including 26% who have been to five or more. About a quarter (23%) have not traveled internationally, though most in this group say they would if they had the opportunity.

Related:  How experience with international travel varies across 24 countries

To analyze how Americans’ travel experiences relate to their attitudes on other questions, we placed people into three categories:

• Globe-trotters have traveled to at least five other countries. About a quarter of the U.S. public (26%) falls into this category.
• Casual travelers have traveled to between one and four other countries. Half of Americans fall into this category.
• Nontravelers have never left the United States. This category includes 23% of Americans.

Compared with Americans, people in many European nations are more likely to have traveled to five or more other countries. For instance, 88% of Swedes have done so.

However, international travel is much less common in many middle-income nations. It is strongly correlated with a nation’s gross domestic product per capita. (For more on international travel and views about global engagement, read “Attitudes on an Interconnected World.” )

Who travels internationally?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, older people are more likely than younger people to have traveled internationally. Americans ages 65 and older are more than twice as likely as adults under 30 to fall into our globe-trotter category (37% vs. 17%).

Income is even more strongly related to travel than age. Two-thirds of upper-income Americans have traveled to at least five countries, compared with 9% of Americans with lower incomes.

Similarly, Americans with a postgraduate degree are far more likely to be globe-trotters than those with a high school education or less (59% vs. 10%).

Residents of suburban and urban areas generally have more international travel experience than people who live in rural areas.

There are no significant partisan differences when it comes to international travel: 26% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents qualify as globe-trotters, as do 28% of Republicans and GOP leaners.

Do travelers know more about the world?

Globe-trotters are especially likely to say they are interested in foreign affairs and follow international news. Casual travelers, in turn, are more likely than nontravelers to do so.

Globe-trotters are also the most knowledgeable about international affairs. In 2022, we conducted an international affairs quiz , asking Americans 12 questions related to international news. On average, globe-trotters got 8.2 of the 12 questions correct, compared with 6.4 for casual travelers and 4.2 for nontravelers.

Is international travel related to views of global engagement?

International travel experience is also linked to Americans’ views about international affairs and their feelings of connection to other people around the world.

When asked which comes closest to their view, 57% of globe-trotters say the U.S. should be active in world affairs, while 43% say the U.S. should pay less attention to problems in other countries and concentrate on problems at home. In contrast, most casual travelers and nontravelers say the U.S. should focus on problems at home.

In all three groups, at least half of respondents say that when the U.S. is making foreign policy, it should take other countries’ interests into account – even if that means making compromises. But globe-trotters are especially likely to hold that view.

Globe-trotters are also particularly likely to say they feel close to people around the world, with 42% saying so. By comparison, 34% of casual travelers and 30% of nontravelers say this.

• International Affairs

Richard Wike is director of global attitudes research at Pew Research Center

Janell Fetterolf is a senior researcher focusing on global attitudes at Pew Research Center

Fewer Americans view the United Nations favorably than in 2023

What are americans’ top foreign policy priorities, rising numbers of americans say jews and muslims face a lot of discrimination, younger americans stand out in their views of the israel-hamas war, how u.s. muslims are experiencing the israel-hamas war, most popular.

1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

• Age & Generations
• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Economy & Work
• Family & Relationships
• Gender & LGBTQ
• Immigration & Migration
• Internet & Technology
• Methodological Research
• News Habits & Media
• Non-U.S. Governments
• Other Topics
• Politics & Policy
• Race & Ethnicity
• Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

Cookie Settings

Reprints, Permissions & Use Policy

Conde Nast named this MA island one of the best places in the world to travel to this May

Looking for a world class trip without having to leave New England in the next few weeks?

There's an option, and one that just so happens to be a favorite spot of President Joe Biden.

Conde Nast Traveler recently released its list of the 13 best places in the world to travel in May, and a popular New England destination made the list, alongside places like Zambia, the Cyclades, and Sicily.

May, they said,  "is one of our favorite times to roam the world because the weather is usually ideal no matter where you go—whether in the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern, and the crowds are much thinner than during the summer months when most families and their kids are off for holidays."

What New England spot landed on the Conde Nast Traveler list?

Nantucket was ranked at number five for the best places in the world to travel in the month of May, according to Conde Nast Traveler.

Why did Conde Nast Traveler say this destination is great in May ?

The Conde Nast Traveler website stated, "So much more than just a summer town,  Nantucket  is a beauty in every season. But there are a few perks to visiting in May - namely, beating the summer influx of tourists. You won’t have to dodge quite as many crowds as you bike and sail your way around the island, and you can score some unobstructed views of the three million daffodils that bloom here in late April and early May."

Other tips from Conde Nast Traveler

If you go to Nantucket in May, Condé Nast recommended adding the following to your itinerary:

• Eat seafood at the many restaurants on the island.
• Try the oysters at  Cru  (open for the season in May) or Atlantic halibut at  Dune .
• Plan your visit around the  Nantucket Wine Festival , a four-day event happening from May 15-19, 2024.
• Stay at  The Wauwinet , a five-star hotel on the island that allows visitors some quiet isolation.

Biden visits: President Biden often goes to Nantucket for Thanksgiving

What other spots made the list?

Other places on the Conde Nast Traveler list include:

• Zambia, Africa;
• The Cyclades, Greece
• Holland, Michigan
• Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
• Machu Picchu, Peru
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Healdsburg, California
• Sicily, Italy
• he Hamptons, New York
• Puebla, Mexico
• Nova Scotia, Canada
• Greenville, South Carolina.

Fun facts about this destination

The following are facts from the Nantucket Historical Association:

• While it's a tourist destination now, in the beginning sheep had the run of the island. "At the beginning of English settlement on Nantucket , most of the island was one unfenced common for the grazing of livestock, mainly sheep."
• It used to be that people used the moon to predict the weather. "In the days before modern weather forecasting, Nantucketers anticipated bad weather around the time of an underground moon. The  Inquirer and Mirror ’s 12-month calendar not only indicated the phases of the moon throughout each month but the dates on which an underground moon would occur. "
• Collecting seaweed is a right of the townspeople. "In 1904 a committee making recommendations for the management of the Cliff Bathing Beach included: 'The right to collect seaweed from the beach, subject to the direction of the Cliff Bathing Beach Commissioners, shall be reserved to the town’s people.'"
• "The first golf course was the Nantucket Golf Course on the north shore along Cliff Road." It was built in 1897, with a permanent clubhouse being built in 1899.
• One of the first industries on Nantucket  was silk, with the whaling industry taking off later that century.

• The Bahamas
• 11 Reasons Why You Should...

Reasons Why You Should Visit the Bahamas

For many people, the Tiffany-blue waters and the golden beaches are reason enough to visit the Bahamas . However, there’s even more to this place than photogenic sands and sea: the country’s 700 islands and cays are home to national parks, walking trails and some of the best diving spots in the world. Here are the top reasons why the Bahamas are unmissable.

1. there are 700 islands and cays to explore by boat.

Natural Feature

With more than 700 islands and cays, the Bahamas are best explored by boat. If you have sailing experience, Great Abaco is one of the most rewarding places to charter a yacht. The nearby Treasure, Green Turtle, Man-O-War and Elbow Cays are dotted with sheltered anchorages and people-free beaches. Alternatively, join a day sailing tour – trips from Nassau to the uninhabited, hammock-topped Sandy Toes Rose Island are always popular.

2. There’s sunset-to-sunrise nightlife

Hotel, Resort

Elegant cocktail places, craft brewpubs and nightclubs that close at dawn are all part of the Bahamas’ nightlife portfolio. To experience them all under one roof, head to the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. Sip the signature Pineapple Passion cocktail beneath the chandeliered ceiling of the Sea Glass bar, order a flight of locally produced beer at the Pirate Republic, then swap drinking for dancing at the 9,000sqft (836sqm) Aura nightclub.

3. It’s a paradise for scuba divers

There are rich pickings for divers in the Bahamas. The country is home to the Andros Barrier Reef, one of the largest barrier reefs in the world. There are underwater shipwrecks to discover here, too, such Theo’s Wreck, a sunken 80m (262ft) freighter off the coast of Grand Bahama. Plus, the waters are teeming with wildlife such as seahorses, rays and turtles. Braver divers can also head to Tiger Beach, an hour’s boat ride from West End in Grand Bahama, for mettle-testing dives with tiger sharks.

5. You can retrace the steps of pirates in Nassau

6. There are more than 2,000 beaches

The islands of the Bahamas are belted by more than 2,000 beaches. If you’re looking for bands of sand with all the trimmings, head to Cable, Junkanoo or Cabbage Beach on Nassau; if you prefer a lower headcount, try French Leave or Taino Beach on Eleuthera. For something a little different, go to the Love Beaches on Long Island, where coral gives the sand a tutu-pink hue.

7. The restaurants specialize in net-fresh seafood

Restaurant, Caribbean

Food plays a huge role in the lives of Bahamians. Why wouldn’t it? The waters are filled with seafood like rock lobster, snapper and grouper, while fresh tomatoes, hot peppers, mangos and avocados grow on land here. For a taste of real Bahamian cooking, head to the Fish Fry strip on Arawak Cay in Nassau. Here, you can tuck into national dishes like conch fritters alongside mountains of rice and peas.

8. You can discover Mount Alvernia Hermitage

At 207ft (63m) above sea level, Mount Alvernia is the highest hill in the Bahamas. It’s crowned by a grey stone hermitage, built by a Roman Catholic priest in 1939 as a retreat from the rest of the world. Follow a walking trail up the hillside to visit the turreted building. Once at the top, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views over Cat Island and the distant Atlantic Ocean.

This is an updated rewrite of an article originally by Sheri-Kae McLeod .

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Guides & Tips

The best wineries, breweries and distilleries in the bahamas.

See & Do

Top reasons why you should go sailing in the bahamas.

Restaurants

The best oceanside restaurants in the abaco islands.

Beat Busy Marinas in the Bahamas With These Alternative Locations to Dock

How to See Ocean Atlas – the World's Largest Underwater Statue

The Best Waterside Restaurants in the Bahamas

Which Islands Should I Visit While Sailing Around the Exumas?

Bars & Cafes

The best oceanside bars in the exumas.

The Ultimate Diving Guide to the Abacos and Exumas in the Bahamas

The Best Things to Do on Harbour Island, the Bahamas

Secret Beaches and Coves in the Exumas, the Bahamas, You Can Only Reach By Boat

Food & Drink

Bahamas rum cake and other must-try snacks, culture trip spring sale, save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips limited spots..

• Post ID: 1614132
• Sponsored? No
• View Payload

More From Forbes

Bucket-list travel: why you need to go to the galapagos now.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Galapagos Blue-footed Boobies

The Galapagos is an enchanted place, and it has stayed that way largely because it has been protected. Several islands in the remote volcanic archipelago remain as pristine as they were well before Charles Darwin first visited in 1835.

But for how long? With nature tourism surging since the pandemic, it’s not surprising that the Galapagos, 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, is now at the top of everyone’s bucket list. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTCC), wildlife is now the primary motivator for travelers who want to experience nature. Where better to see it than the Galapagos Islands?

A Fragile Ecosystem

However, the rise in tourism in the Galapagos is putting a strain on resources the Islands can provide such as fresh water, electricity (provided by diesel-run generators), food and transportation. With so many travelers wanting to visit the Galapagos—and they should—how is this sustainable? What needs to happen right now to protect the people and wildlife of the Galapagos, so that we can all enjoy it for years to come?

According to Dolores Gangotena, co-founder of Quasar Expeditions , a pioneer in responsible and regenerative tourism with her husband, Eduardo Diez, “The number of tourists the Galapagos receives–300,000 in 2023–is not sustainable,” she says. “Every year I see more people living in the Islands, more hotels being built, more cars, more motorcycles, and even more dogs, which also pose a threat to the fragile ecoystem,” she continues.

Huawei s Pura 70 Ultra Beats iPhone With Pioneering New Feature

Sh gun episode 10 review a powerful finale but not what i was expecting, the trump media stock price djt is about to adjust down by 22 7.

Landscape View of Darwin's Arch near Darwin Island of Galapagos.

The Galapagos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Park managed by the Galapagos National Park Service, the Charles Darwin Research Center and the Ecuadorian government. For the past 12 years, the Charles Darwin Foundation has warned about the need to monitor the human capacity of the islands. If strained much further, it could cause an extreme threat to everything that makes Galapagos such a draw to begin with, according to Gangotena. “Change needs to happen, and it needs to happen now,” she says.

Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism

Gangotena first visited the Galapagos in 1969 on a school trip, and the experience was life-changing. Her love of nature and passion to preserve it inspired her to launch Quasar Expeditions in 1986. The mission was simple: “to share nature with the world in order to protect it, and keep the destinations as pristine as we found them,” she says. When Gangotena and Diez founded Quasar—now a family business, with their sons—they were the first small-boat luxury cruise company in the Islands, and they have been leaders in sustainable tourism ever since.

A family business: Quasar Expeditions founders Dolores Gangotena and husband Eduardo Diez with sons, ... [+] in the Galapagos

An outspoken advocate for conservation in the Galapagos, Gangotena says that unless oversight tightens up and the footprint slows down, she is worried for the future of the Islands. “People using the resources of any natural area need to understand the impact of their actions and know how to protect, prevent damage, and learn love for the destination,” she says.

According to Gangotena, stronger regulation for fishing boats is needed to prevent over-fishing. (Global warming is already posing a threat to wildlife by diminishing food sources like fish.) Education about “proper garbage disposal, recycling, and using state of the art engines and generators that consume less fossil fuels” is important. Small boats for day trips and artisanal fishing need to be better regulated to protect wildlife. And policymakers need to work closely with conservationist groups like the Charles Darwin Foundation to monitor and manage the impact on resources in the Galapagos, which can have a ripple effect on people and wildlife.

Environmental and Community Impact

Over the years, Quasar has been involved with supporting the Galapagos community as well as the environment. The company has funded a project to educate teachers and students on how to become stewards of the environment. The company sources locally and Gangotena supports local craftspeople and nonprofits throughout Ecuador. She has created an organic vegetable farm project and a hospitality training school on the islands, and offers students a chance to spend time on board the Quasar yachts in order to observe firsthand what may become an employment opportunity for the future.

By keeping the Quasar expeditions small–two elegant yachts that house 16 and 32 guests onboard–guests not only have a richer more intimate experience, but the environmental impact is significantly lower than it would be on one of the larger boats that tour the area. “Smaller is always better,” she says. “Every guest is given individual attention by the naturalists and personal interactions with the wildlife, in order to enjoy every single moment nature offers us when there.”

In the Galapagos Islands, off of Floreana Island a Galapagos sea turtle (Chelonia mydas agassisi) ... [+] swims in Champion Islet

When travelers snorkel off the coast of Santiago Island with Quasar, they share the sea with an underwater world: giant sea tortoises in suspended animation; juvenile sea lions, curious enough to paddle just inches away from your mask; schools of electric-hued tropical fish; tiny but speedy penguins. As the sun slices through a tranquil mangrove lagoon at Bahia Elizabeth off Isabela Island, kayakers scour the waters for rays and sea lions, which are plentiful and easy to spot. A hike up to Darwin’s Lake reveals unobstructed views of sea and sky that extend for many miles. Pelicans and cormorants crisscross the sky. Marine iguanas build nests in the sand or sun themselves on the lava rocks. Nearly half of all life on the Galapagos–marine and land iguanas, Darwin's finches, Galapagos giant tortoises, Galapagos sea lions, blue- and red-footed boobies, Galapagos penguins, for example–is found nowhere else on the planet.

Because the Galapagos is on the equator, every constellation is clearly visible, and the night sky is thick with stars. Schools of dolphin frolic off the sides of Quasar Expeditions’ luxuriously outfitted 12-passenger yacht, the Grace, which once belonged to its royal namesake, Princess Grace. Sea lions chase schools of jumping fish, and frigates swoop into the sea.

Colorful marine iguana

The company has newly expanded routes into Patagonia and Belize. And in 2025, there will be an addition to their Galapagos fleet. The Conservation, outfitted for 18 guests, will be the first yacht in the Galapagos to operate with a hybrid engine system.

Expectations are high when it comes to the Galapagos, and the sheer beauty of these boats, with their knowledgeable naturalist guides, elegant accommodations, skilled and gracious Ecuadorian operations team, ever-evolving and fascinating itinerary, next-level food and wine, make this a superior experience. But the goal is to aspire higher: “We hope we change our guests' view on nature and on how they can make a difference at home,” says Gangotena. “When this happens, we will have achieved something significant.” Something you will also want to protect and share, for years to come.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

International tourist figures still millions below pre-COVID levels as slow recovery continues

For two years, Marcela Ribeiro worked three jobs to save for her dream holiday to Australia.

Like millions of people across the globe, the 35-year-old from Brazil had long wanted to explore the country's world-famous destinations, specifically the Great Barrier Reef, World Heritage-listed rainforest and sandy beaches. 

"I worked really, really hard, many jobs, to get here," Ms Ribeiro said.  

"The flights were very expensive, so I have to watch everything I spend. I can't afford to eat out in the restaurants every day." 

It's been a similar story for William Grbava from Canada and Amelia Mondido from the Philippines, who last week arrived in Australia for a holiday. 

"It's expensive here, much more than we were expecting. We have only been able to factor in a short stop in Sydney," Mr Grbava said. 

"We just had a beer and a pizza in Circular Quay for $50.

 "What I really wanted to do was drive up the coast to Brisbane, through Byron Bay and those beautiful towns. That's what I did when I was younger. But with the cost of fuel and car rental, it wasn't possible." 

Industry yet to recover to pre-COVID levels 

It's been more than four years since Australia's borders suddenly closed to the rest of the world and became one of the most isolated destinations on the globe. 

COVID-19 wreaked havoc across the country's economy, but nowhere was the pain as instant or more devastating as in the tourism industry. 

In 2019, 8.7 million tourists visited Australia from overseas in an industry that was worth $166 billion. 

New figures from Tourism Research Australia show there were only 6.6 million international visitors last year, a deficit of more than 2 million compared to 2019 levels.  

Victoria experienced the largest loss in international visits at 33 per cent, followed by Queensland at 24 per cent and New South Wales at 22 per cent. 

Nationally, Chinese visitor numbers — which made up the bulk of visitors to Australia pre-pandemic — slumped to 507,000 last year, down from 1.3 million in 2019. 

Figures for the month of February show more than 850,000 people visited Australia, an increase of 257,000 for the same time in 2023, but 7.5 per cent less than pre-COVID levels. 

Gui Lohmann from Griffith University's Institute for Tourism said there were a number of reasons for the slow return of international visitors. 

"The airfares are significantly high and we are under an inflationary situation with labour and food costs," Professor Lohmann said. 

"It could be challenging for Australia to reach above 8 million international visitors in the scenario we are in at the moment." 

Professor Lohmann said cost-of-living pressures were also at play in the return of international tourists, as was a "reset" in European thinking.  

"Many Europeans believe a long-haul trip is quite damaging to the environment and they're also flying less generally," he said. 

"Their domestic airline routes no longer exist [and] have been replaced by train trips." 

He said China's ongoing economic problems, the war in Ukraine and United States' election were also having an impact.  

"It's a much more complicated world we are facing after the pandemic," he said. 

A long road to recovery 

Oxford Economics has forecast it could take until 2025-26 before Australian tourism returned to pre-pandemic levels. 

Tourism Australia, a government agency that promotes holidays, said the strongest markets since borders reopened had been New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom. 

"We always knew that the recovery of international travel to Australia would take time, and we have continued to see the steady return of international visitors to our shores," a spokeswoman said. 

Maneka Jayasinghe, a tourism expert at Charles Darwin University, said affordability was a key factor in attracting visitors Down Under.  

She said the state and federal governments should consider subsidising travel to Australia. 

"Measures to reduce costs, such as discounted hotel prices, tourism package deals and food vouchers could be of importance to encourage visitors to Australia," Dr Jayasinghe said. 

"Tourism operators were badly hit during COVID so may not be in a financially viable position to provide further perks to visitors, especially the small-scale operators in smaller states and territories and those operating in remote areas." 

She said re-establishing links with traditional tourism markets, including Japan, was also a potential solution. 

"Countries with a rapidly growing middle class, such as India, could have high potential to grow. Some of the south-east Asian countries, such as Vietnam and Indonesia, could also be attractive due to their proximity to Australia." 

Dutch tourists Tim Erentsen and Laleh Maleki estimated it would cost them around $16,000 for their three-week holiday in Australia, where they are visiting Sydney, the Whitsundays and Cairns. 

"It has been expensive, especially the flights," Mr Erentsen said. 

Ms Maleki said the couple had travelled extensively throughout Europe and the US and the cost of hotels and food in Australia was comparable. 

"We thought if we were coming all this way and spending the money to get here, we should stay a bit longer, which is adding to the cost," Ms Maleki said. 

But despite that extra cost, she said the trip had been worth it. 

"We love the nature, it feels very safe here. The food is so good and the people are very friendly." 

• X (formerly Twitter)

Related Stories

This couple has spent months burning fuel and money to power a campsite no-one can visit.

The surprise group of people driving a resurgence of the cruise industry

• Immigration
• Rural Tourism
• Tourism and Leisure Industry
• Travel and Tourism (Lifestyle and Leisure)

See which popular national parks are requiring reservations for summer 2024

Every year, it seems that more national parks are requiring timed-entry reservations . Sometimes, it’s just to drive into a park . Other times, it’s for specific, sought-after activities .

This summer is no different, with Mount Rainier and Yosemite joining the mix. The requirements add an extra step and expense for travelers, but they’re not meant to be a hurdle.

“The timed entry system reservation system is not to limit visitation but to spread it out more equitably throughout the day,” Mount Rainier National Park ranger Terry Wildly told USA TODAY in February.

In the past, she said visitors had to wait up to three hours just to enter the popular park, and some caused lasting damage to meadows when venturing off-trail to avoid crowds. 

As Mount Rainier rolls out reservations this summer, here’s what other park visitors should know.

How many national parks have timed entry?

Only a fraction of America’s 63 national parks require timed-entry reservations or permits for particularly popular experiences. In most cases, they’re only for certain portions of the park during the busiest times of day. 

◾ Acadia National Park will require timed-entry reservations for vehicle access to Cadillac Summit Road from May 24 through Oct. 22. There are two types of reservations, Sunrise and Daytime, with varying restrictions. Each reservation costs $6 per vehicle and may only be purchased online, not in the park. A separate $35 vehicle entry fee is also required for the park.

◾ Arches National Park requires timed-entry reservations for all vehicles entering the park between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. through Oct. 31. Timed-entry tickets cost $2. A separate vehicle entry fee of $30 is also required.

◾ Glacier National Park will require timed-entry reservations for vehicles accessing North Fork and Going-to-the-Sun Road from the West Entrance between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. from May 24 through Sept. 8. Reservations will not be required for vehicles entering Going-to-the-Sun Road from the St. Mary Entrance nor will they be required for Two Medicine, like they were last year. However, they will still be required for Many Glacier between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m from July 1 through Sept. 8. Each type of reservation costs $2. A separate $35 vehicle entry fee is also required for the park.

◾ Haleakalā National Park requires reservations year-round for visitors who want to watch sunrise from the summit. Summit sunrise reservations cost $1 and are required for every vehicle entering the park between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. A separate $30 vehicle entry fee is also required for the park.

◾ Mount Rainier Natonal Park , for the first time, will require timed-entry reservations for two of its most popular areas: Paradise Corridor from May 24 through Sept. 2 and Sunrise Corridor between July 3 and Sept. 2. Reservations will only be needed between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Each type of reservation will cost $2. A separate $30 vehicle entry fee is also required for the park.

◾ Rocky Mountain National Park will require timed-entry reservations to access most roads between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. from May 24 through Oct. 14. Visitors who also want to access the park’s busy Bear Lake Road will need a specific type of reservation, Timed Entry+, between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. from May 24 through Oct. 20. Timed Entry+ covers all park roads. Both types of reservations cost $2.

◾ Shenandoah National Park requires day-use tickets to hike Old Rag Mountain through Nov. 30. Tickets cost $2 per person and can be reserved 30 to 5 days in advance. The day-use tickets are separate from the park’s $30 vehicle entry fee .

◾ Yosemite National Park now requires reservations for vehicles entering the park between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. on certain days. Through June 30 and between Aug. 17 and Oct. 27, they’ll only be required on weekends and holidays. But they’ll be required every day from July 1 through Aug. 16. Peak hour reservations cost $2, on top of the $35 vehicle entry fee for the park.

◾ Zion National Park is continuing to pilot its permit system for its popular Angels Landing hiking trail. Permits can be obtained through a seasonal lottery or daily lottery on Recreation.gov. Lottery registrations costs $6 for up to 6 people for each lottery. Permits cost $3 per person. That’s on top of the $35 vehicle entry fee for the park.

When can I make park reservations?

Dates vary by park, but all national parks book reservations through Recreation.gov .

The great outdoors next door: Hot to find hiking, camping, more near you

Which national parks in Utah require reservations?

Of Utah’s “ Mighty 5 ” national parks, only Arches requires reservations for park entry.

Do you need reservations to get into Zion National Park?

No. Reservations are not required to enter Zion, just permits to hike Angels Landing.

Can I get into RMNP without a timed entry?

Yes. Rocky Mountain National Park’s timed-entry requirements don’t begin until May 24. Even after that, reservations will only be required during peak hours.

Are reservations required for Yellowstone?

No. Yellowstone does not require timed-entry reservations. However, permits are required for specific recreational activities , such as backcountry camping and boating.

U.S. tourist faces 12 years in prison after bringing ammunition to Turks and Caicos

An Oklahoma man faces up to 12 years in prison on a Caribbean island after customs officials found ammunition in his luggage.

Ryan Watson traveled to Turks and Caicos with his wife, Valerie, to celebrate his 40th birthday on April 7. They went with two friends who also turned 40.

The vacation came to an abrupt end when airport staff found a Ziploc containing bullets in the couple's carry-on luggage. Watson said it was hunting ammunition he had accidentally brought with him — but a strict law in Turks and Caicos may still see a court imposing a mandatory 12-year sentence.

"They were hunting ammunition rounds that I use for whitetail deer," Watson told NBC Boston in an interview conducted last week that aired after their first court appearance Tuesday.

"I recognized them and I thought, 'Oh man, what a bonehead mistake that I had no idea that those were in there,'" he said.

The couple were arrested and charged with possession of ammunition. Authorities seized their passports and explained the penalties they faced.

"When I heard that, I immediately was terrified because I was like, we can't both be in prison for 12 years. We have kids at home and this is such an innocent mistake," Valerie Watson said in the interview.

The charges against her were dropped and she returned home to Oklahoma City on Tuesday after the court hearing to be reunited with her two young children.

"Our goal is to get Ryan home because we can’t be a family without Dad," she said.

The couple also spoke of the financial burden of a much longer-than-planned trip. "This is something that we may never recover from," Ryan Watson said.

The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas issued a warning to travelers in September about a law that strongly prohibits possession of firearms or ammunition in Turks and Caicos, an overseas British territory southeast of the Bahamas.

It said: "We wish to remind all travelers that declaring a weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into TCI [Turks and Caicos Islands] and will result in your arrest."

The embassy added: "If you bring a firearm or ammunition into TCI, we will not be able to secure your release from custody."

NBC News has contacted the embassy and the government in Turks and Caicos for comment.

The same thing happened to another American, Bryan Hagerich, from Pennsylvania, who was arrested after ammunition was found in his luggage before he attempted to board a flight out of Turks and Caicos in February. He said he accidentally left it in his bag.

Hagerich was on a family vacation with his wife and two young children but has now been in the country for 70 days. He spent eight days in prison before posting bail.

"It’s incredibly scary. You know, you just don’t know what the next day may bring. You know, what path this may take," Hagerich told NBC Boston.

"You know, it’s certainly a lot different than packing your bags and going away with your family for a few days. It’s been the worst 70 days of my life," he said.

Once a professional baseball player, Hagerich was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the MLB 2007 June Amateur Draft from the University of Delaware.

His case goes to trial on May 3.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.