merits of travel

22 Benefits of Traveling

By: Author Zachary Friedman

Posted on Last updated: May 17, 2024

Categories Travel

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Whether you’re taking a quick weekend getaway or a multi-month sabbatical around the world, travel offers a wide range of benefits. From making you happier to reducing stress to teaching you about the world, this guide outlines 25 benefits of traveling.

Over the past 12 years, I’ve traveled to over 60 countries on 6 continents. I feel that travel has greatly improved my life. In this guide, I’ll share some of the biggest benefits that I have noticed.

1. Travel Makes You Happier

According to a recent study in the Journal of Tourism Analysis, people who travel frequently report being 7% happier than those who rarely or never travel. Interestingly, you don’t have to travel far to benefit. Participants of the study reported greater levels of happiness when they traveled 75 miles or more from home.

Spending money on experiences provides longer-lasting happiness than spending money on material items. This may be because people experience more happiness from anticipating experiences rather than from waiting to obtain material possessions. You’ll be happier if you spend your money on a plane ticket to Thailand rather than a new iPhone.

There other ways travel can make you happier. For example, travel allows you to experience new and exciting things. Travel also allows you to get away from the daily grind of work and other responsibilities. In addition, travel gives you the opportunity to create memories with your friends or family. Alternatively, it can also give you some time for yourself away from your parents, kids, boss, or co-workers. All of this can improve your happiness.

Personally, I feel the most happy when I’m on the road. Most of my best memories were made while traveling.

2. Traveling Improves Your Communication Skills

If you’re traveling somewhere completely foreign, you might face a language barrier. In this case, you will have to learn how to communicate in nonverbal ways using hand gestures and body language. This can improve your overall communication skills.

Travel also forces you to speak with people who are different from you. You’ll talk to people from different religions, social classes, cultures, political affiliations, and ethnic backgrounds. This will help you learn how to communicate with people with different beliefs, values, and life philosophies. Being able to talk to anyone is a great skill to have.

Travel also teaches you about different communication styles and how to adapt your own communication style to meet the needs of others. For example, in some cultures, people communicate more directly than in others. In some cultures, people are friendlier than in others. You’ll learn how to adapt to this during a conversation.

Finally, when you travel, you’re also forced to interact with lots of people. You’ll talk to tour guides, ticketing agents, receptionists, other travelers, and random locals. Chatting with lots of people can help you improve your social skills. This is particularly beneficial if you suffer from social anxiety.

Traveling is a great way to become a more effective communicator. Communication is an important skill that can help you in both your personal life and professional life.

I am not a good communicator. It’s something I’m constantly working on. I feel that travel has helped me improve in this department. I am way more confident when talking to people I don’t know.

3. Travel Helps Reduce Stress and Anxiety

In a recent study , researchers found that travel can help to reduce stress and anxiety. During the study, a group of middle managers was sent on a short vacation (4 nights) in a hotel. This had an immediate effect on their reported levels of stress levels.

In this study, researchers also found that the mode of travel didn’t matter. Participants just needed to be outside of their normal environment for a few days to benefit. The effects were also surprisingly long-lasting. 30-45 days after the vacation ended, stress and anxiety levels were still reported to be lower among those who went on vacation than those who didn’t.

Travel can be a great way to reduce stress and anxiety in your life. If you work a stressful job, a long weekend away can help you recover.

If you’re traveling to reduce chronic stress, you will need to choose a style of travel that won’t cause you more stress. For example, if you’re afraid of flying, take a train instead. If you don’t like traveling alone, take somebody with you. Don’t give yourself more stress. It doesn’t matter where you go. You just need to leave for a few days and take a break from daily life to benefit.

4. Travel Makes Your Life Feel Longer

We all want to live longer. Travel can’t make you live longer but it can make your life feel longer. Here’s how:

Travel has a major impact on the way we perceive time. According to this interesting article, experiencing new things can slow our brain’s perception of time. This is why time seems to pass slower when we’re children. We’re constantly having new experiences.

When you’re traveling, time seems to move much more slowly because you’re constantly taking in new sights, learning new things, and tasting new foods. There’s always something new to experience.

When looking back, your vacation feels like it lasted far longer than it actually did. When you’re in your normal routine at home, months can fly by without you even noticing. It’s easy to get trapped in a routine and let years slip by.

When you travel frequently, your life will feel longer and more fulfilling because time seems to move more slowly. A month on the road can feel like a year when looking back. To me, this is one of the main benefits of travel.

5. Travel Helps You Achieve Peace of Mind

When you’re feeling stressed, burned out, or just fed up with life, sometimes, the best thing you can do is take a break and explore someplace new. Travel has a way of resetting your mind. When you return home, you can look at everything with fresh eyes. Even a short trip can help clear your head.

Being in unfamiliar surroundings makes it easier to let go of all the worries and concerns that are weighing you down at home. It takes your mind off things. When you’re exploring a new place, you don’t have time to dwell on whatever is stressing you out.

Travel is an excellent distraction. It can distract you from people in your life, your job, politics, and technology. You’re too busy taking in new sights, sounds, and experiences to think about your problems. This can bring you some inner peace.

Travel can also help you put your problems into perspective. When you view a beautiful site, you realize how great the world can be. You might also realize that your problems are minor compared to the problems of those living in other parts of the world. Someone living in poverty in a developing country might envy your life, even with all of your problems.

6. Travel Enhances Your Creativity

When you travel, you are exposed to new cultures, people, and experiences. This can open your mind to new ideas. In turn, this can lead to an increase in creativity.

Studies have shown that there is a link between travel and creativity. For example, in this article , Columbia Business School professor Adam Galinsky says, “Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms.”

Cognitive flexibility is the brain’s ability to switch between different ideas, tasks, or viewpoints. This is a key part of creativity. The study found that people who had spent time abroad were more likely to come up with creative solutions to problems than those who had not traveled.

If you’re a writer, photographer, designer, or artist, and you’re looking for a way to boost your creativity, consider taking a vacation. It could be just what you need to come up with your next big idea. Travel can help you think outside the box and inspire your work.

I have been living as a digital nomad for the past few years. I have noticed that I am more creative and productive when I travel. Most of my work involves writing. The ideas flow better when I’m on the road. It makes me more creative.

7. Travel Allows You to Try Excellent Food

When you travel, you have the opportunity to try all sorts of different foods that you would never have the opportunity to taste at home. You get to experience new flavors and textures that you would never otherwise encounter.

For me, the food is one of the best parts of exploring a new culture. Some people travel for food alone. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture. If you really love the cuisine, you can learn how to cook it by taking a cooking class. This is a great way to further immerse yourself in the culture. As an added bonus, you’ll learn how to prepare some authentic meals for your family.

Even if you end up not caring for the food, it’s still worth it for the experience. For example, while in the Philippines recently, I tried Balut. This is a fertilized duck embryo that is developing in the egg. It’s sold on the street. It’s not the most appetizing thing but eating it is an experience that I will never forget.

8. Traveling Has Physical Health Benefits

Many of us live sedentary lifestyles. We don’t get as much exercise as we should. While traveling, you will be active and you will get exercise. For example, you’ll walk more. You’ll be on your feet all day while sightseeing, walking through airports, and traveling around the city you’re visiting. You might also participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, surfing, or cycling. Also, if you’re at the beach sitting out in the sun, your body produces vitamin D.

Additionally, travel has been linked with a reduction in heart disease. According to this article , “A nine-year study from the State University of New York at Oswego found that vacationing every year reduced the overall risk of death by about 20 percent, and the risk of death from heart disease by as much as 30 percent.” This means travel can reduce your risk of one of the leading causes of death.

9. International Travel Makes You More Tolerant and Understanding of Different People and Cultures

Before you travel, you might have some biases about certain groups of people. You may not even notice this. Travel challenges our beliefs.

While traveling, you’ll meet and interact with people from different backgrounds. Traveling also gives you a chance to learn about different customs, religions, and beliefs.

Travel allows you to see that people from all walks of life can be interesting, kind, and valuable members of society. You learn to accept others despite their differences. You become more tolerant towards people from different backgrounds.

In addition, people who are different from you learn to accept you. During your travels, you may encounter people who’ve never met a foreigner before. By meeting you and having a positive interaction, they may become a bit more tolerant and understanding of different people. Tolerance and acceptance can spread. This can make the world a little more peaceful.

10. Get Real-World Experience and Real-Life Education

When you travel, you gain real-world experience that can’t be replicated in a classroom. You learn how to plan ahead, problem-solve on the fly, improvise, navigate new surroundings, and deal with different types of people. It’s an education that you can’t get from a book. In other words, travel can help you become street-smart.

For example, before your trip, you need to learn how to book accommodation, transportation, tours, etc. When you arrive in a new city, you have to learn how to use the public transportation system. If you miss your bus, you have to find an alternative mode of transport. If there is a language barrier, you need to figure out how to communicate with body language. These real-world experiences teach you life lessons that come in handy in your day-to-day life.

Traveling also gives you a chance to learn about new cultures and customs. You can try new foods and experience new traditions. It’s an opportunity to learn about the world in a way that you can’t in a classroom. You learn through experience.

Travel also educates you. While traveling, you’ll learn about the history, geography, politics, art, and religion, of the places you’re visiting. You become more worldly and knowledgeable. I’ve picked up loads of interesting facts and bits of information in my travels that I otherwise would never have learned.

You also gain life experience when you travel. You might fall in love, make friends, and view the most beautiful artwork and landscapes the world has to offer. At the same time, you might fall victim to a crime, have your heart broken, get into an argument, or get in trouble with the law. All of these life experiences, both positive and negative, help you grow as a person.

11. You’ll Understand Yourself More When You Travel

When you travel, you’ll find yourself in unfamiliar situations. This is a great opportunity to learn more about yourself. You’ll see how you interact with people who are different. You’ll see how you respond to problems and setbacks. In addition, you’ll see how you react in various situations.

How do you react under pressure? How do you deal with unfamiliar situations? What kind of person are you? These are the kinds of questions that you can only answer by putting yourself in new and challenging situations. Travel forces you to grow and adapt in ways that you never would at home.

You will come back from your travels with a greater understanding of who you are and what you want out of life. Travel also helps you identify your shortcomings. After returning home, you can reevaluate yourself based on what you observed while traveling. You can work on improving yourself.

When you travel alone , you also have the opportunity to think about your emotions and thoughts. You can practice introspection. Long bus and train journeys are a great time to reflect. You have hours to yourself to just think. For some people, this is incredibly valuable.

Travel also allows you to compare your culture to other cultures. When you travel, you’ll see how others think and behave. This can help you better understand why you think, behave, or feel a certain way.

12. Travel Boosts Your Self Confidence

While some people are born confident, others have to work a little harder to find it. For those of us who struggle with self-confidence, traveling can be a great confidence booster.

If you can navigate your way around a new country or culture, you can pretty much get around anywhere. This is a great skill to have in life. It allows you to be more independent. Knowing you can get around anywhere can inspire confidence.

In addition, when you travel you learn how to talk to anybody. You might have to interact with a shopkeeper in Delhi, a flight attendant from Singapore, or a security guard from London. Being able to talk to anybody is extremely beneficial in social situations. It makes it easier to approach people, ask questions, and strike up conversations. This makes you feel more confident.

Traveling can also help you feel more comfortable in unique or challenging situations. For example, maybe you have to deal with a language barrier. Maybe you get lost. Maybe you just get confused.When you’re constantly exposed to new situations, you become desensitized. You can deal with these situations more confidently without feeling fear.

When you step out of your comfort zone, you realize that you’re more capable than you thought. You’ll overcome obstacles and take risks. Suddenly, anything feels possible and your life is no longer limited by your fears. When you’re confident, you can pursue your passions and goals without anything holding you back.

I have always struggled with self-confidence and self-doubt. Travel has helped me realize that I am more than capable of anything I set my mind to. This has been incredibly inspiring.

13. Travel Helps You Get Out of the Rut of Everyday Life

Travel can be a great way to get out of a rut. It allows you to free yourself from your daily routine and have time to yourself to relax or explore.

It can be a break from the mundane and repetitive day-to-day life of a 9-5. It’s easy to get caught up in a routine. You wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch TV and then go to bed.

When you travel, you have the opportunity to shake things up. You can try new activities, meet new people, and see new places. You escape the routine of staying in the same place.

Travel also gives you an opportunity to focus on yourself for a change. It can be a time to reflect on your life and what you want from it. While you’re traveling, you can also work on your physical health, mental health, or emotional health. Maybe you realize that you want to make some changes in your life.

14. Travel Expands Your Social Network

Making friends is one of the best parts of travel. When you travel, you meet people from all walks of life. You’ll have friends with different backgrounds. You’ll have friends from different countries and cultures.

These friends can come in handy when you visit their home countries. They can show you around, introduce you to new people, and help you get the most out of your trip.

As your social network grows, new opportunities open up. During your travels, you might meet someone who can help you get a job in a new city. A friend might connect you with other travelers. Maybe you meet your future spouse through a travel buddy.

I have made a number of lifelong friends while traveling. Some of them I still keep in contact with over a decade after meeting. Whenever we meet up, we pick up right where we left off.

15. Personal Development

Travel can make you a better person. Travel can make you a better communicator, more independent, more adaptable, more confident, more accepting, and more patient.

When you leave your comfort zone to travel, you’re forced to develop social skills. You’ll talk to people at hostels, on tours, and on public transport. Sometimes people will approach you to chat because you’re a foreigner. This can teach you better communication skills.

You also have to learn how to be independent. There is nobody there to hold your hand if you make a mistake or get lost. You will also spend a great deal of time alone while traveling. You have to learn how to live with your own thoughts.

When you travel, you also have to learn to adapt to the local culture. The locals won’t change to accommodate you. You have to change. Travel will make you more adaptable.

You also become more accepting of others. The locals may have different religious beliefs, morals, diets, languages, political beliefs, cultures, ways of life, or behaviors. You’ll learn to accept these differences and look past them. 

And as you navigate new surroundings and meet new people, you’ll become more confident. You may become more courageous after facing scary, uncomfortable, or dangerous situations.

Travel can also help you develop personality and character. This happens when you face hardships. Travel isn’t always easy. You might fall victim to a crime. People might discriminate against you. You might have to deal with a language barrier. These may seem like negative experiences when they happen but they can help build character.

You’ll also develop patience when you travel. Things don’t always go as planned. Maybe your flight gets delayed 12 hours. Maybe you have to gather a stack of documents and deal with a bunch of red tape to apply for a visa. The internet might go down or the power might go out. You learn to just roll with the punches.

16. Travel Teaches Us to Appreciate Nature and the Earth

When we travel, we get to see some of the most amazing natural wonders that the earth has to offer. For some of us, travel is the first time that we see mountains, deserts, jungles, or oceans. Travel allows us to view different types of plant life and wildlife in their natural habitats. It’s also our first experience with different types of climates and landscapes.

One of my greatest travel experiences was going on a safari in the Serengeti . Seeing the Milky Way for the first time while camping in the desert in Namibia was also unforgettable. If I stayed in my hometown and didn’t travel, I would have never seen an elephant, an ocean, or a desert.

While traveling, you’ll also witness the destruction of natural environments through pollution, deforestation, and other human activities. You’ll realize how fragile the planet is. This can be heartbreaking but educational.

Through travel, we learn to appreciate the Earth. We learn how fortunate we are to have such a diverse and beautiful planet. We start to realize that it is our responsibility to protect and preserve the Earth for future generations.

17. World Travel Makes you Appreciate Your Home Even More

Traveling can be an amazing experience. It can also be exhausting, overwhelming, and uncomfortable.

After a long vacation, there is nothing like coming home and sleeping in your own bed. While traveling, all of the little things that you took for granted, like a soft bed, a hot shower, and your own bathroom, become luxuries. During a long trip, you will miss the comforts and conveniences of home. It’s hard to get a good night of sleep while camping, sharing a room in a hostel , or simply sleeping in an unfamiliar place.

Travel can also be exhausting. Packing and unpacking. Moving from place to place. Sitting on buses, planes, and trains for hours, and walking around sightseeing takes a lot out of you. When you return home, you may actually appreciate your normal routine.

In addition, you may find a new appreciation for how things work in your home country. In some countries, nothing works. There is bureaucracy and red tape. There are long lines to withdraw cash or buy food. The power may go out frequently. The tap water might not be potable. When you return home, you may realize that most things just work. You may find a new appreciation for your country.

You may also have a feeling of relief when you return home. On your home turf, you know the local laws, customs, and culture. You know your rights and freedoms. You don’t have to worry about accidentally breaking a law or offending someone. It’s nice to feel like part of society. Like you belong. When you’re abroad, you’re always an outsider. You’re not quite sure what you can and can’t do.

You also won’t have to deal with a language barrier when you return home. It’s nice to be able to hold an in-depth conversation and talk freely with other people. Struggling to communicate gets exhausting.

All of this can help you appreciate your home country much more.

While traveling, I have gained a much greater appreciation for my home country, the United States. After traveling to 66 countries on 6 continents, I can’t think of a place I’d rather live. I think the U.S. is the greatest country, even though it has its flaws.

18. Travel Helps You Find a New Purpose

Many people find that travel can be a life-changing experience. It can help you to find a new purpose or direction in life, especially if you feel like you’re at a crossroads. Traveling can give you the time and space to reflect on your career or your life, and make decisions about what you want to do next.

Travel can also help you to see the world from a different perspective and learn new things about yourself. If you’re feeling lost or stuck, taking some time out to travel may be just what you need.

Travel certainly helped me find a purpose. When I left home on my first solo trip , I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. After returning home, One thing I knew was that I wanted to travel.

Years later, after losing my job, I felt lost I didn’t know what to do so I took a trip to Africa. After returning from that trip, I launched this website and started making a living writing about travel. These days, I live as a digital nomad . I make my living as a professional blogger. I feel happy.

19. Expand Your Horizons and Try New Things

Traveling to a new place will help you see the world in a different way. When you travel, you’ll have the opportunity to try new things. You’ll see new sites, taste new foods, talk to new people, hear new music, smell new smells, and be introduced to new thoughts and ideas.

For example, maybe you go surfing, Scuba diving, or horseback riding for the first time. Maybe you see the pyramids, taste sushi, or talk to a local student.

All of these experiences allow you to learn and see things from a different perspective. It can also simply be a lot of fun to try new things. Travel opens the mind. It might open your eyes to something new.

20. Travel Lets Us Take a Break from the Rat Race and Recharge

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the grind. You might feel like you’re on a hamster wheel. If you’re starting to feel burned out, travel gives you an opportunity to take a break and recharge.

Travel allows you to take a step back from your normal life and just relax. Not every trip needs to be educational or challenging. You can just relax by the pool and have some drinks or take a stroll on the beach.

This can help relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also give you a much-needed opportunity to simply rest and rejuvenate. An annual vacation can provide some real health benefits.

21. You Can Learn a New Language

If you’re trying to learn a new language, traveling to a foreign country where that language is spoken will help you tremendously. Actually, the only way to truly become fluent in a language is to immerse yourself in it.

When you travel, you will constantly be exposed to new words and phrases. You’ll also have the opportunity to talk to native speakers. This gives you a chance to practice and improve your comprehension and pronunciation.

Even if you’re not actively trying to learn the language, you’ll pick up some words here and there. For example, I learned basic Portuguese while traveling in Brazil for 2.5 months this year. I probably won’t use it often but it was fun to learn.

Learning a language allows you to communicate with people who only speak that language. This opens up new opportunities to travel and experience different cultures.

In addition, learning a new language can help to sharpen cognitive skills, such as memory and critical thinking. Studies have even shown that bilingualism can delay the onset of dementia.

22. You’ll Make Lifetime Memories

When you travel, you create memories that last a lifetime. Some of my most memorable life experiences have happened while traveling. I will never forget my motorcycle trip across Vietnam. I will never forget walking on the Great Wall of China .

You can tell stories about your adventures to your friends and family. My dad’s travel stories are one of the main reasons I started traveling myself. He inspired me.

If you travel with friends or family, you’ll have more stories to look back on and reminisce about when you’re older. Even though I’ve only been traveling for a decade, I still enjoy looking back at old photos and talking to travel buddies about our journeys.

How has travel benefited you? Share your experience in the comments below!

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Zachary Friedman is an accomplished travel writer and professional blogger. Since 2011, he has traveled to 66 countries and 6 continents. He founded ‘Where The Road Forks’ in 2017 to provide readers with information and insights based on his travel and outdoor recreation experience and expertise. Zachary is also an avid cyclist and hiker. Living as a digital nomad, Zachary balances his professional life with his passions for hiking, camping, cycling, and worldwide exploration. For a deeper dive into his journey and background, visit the About page. For inquiries and collaborations, please reach out through the Contact page. You can also follow him on Facebook.

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Wednesday 17th of January 2024

I like that you talked about how traveling is a great way to become a more effective communicator. I want new experiences, so I am thinking of traveling. First off, I'll try going on a Miami tour.

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• THE BIG IDEA

Why travel should be considered an essential human activity

Travel is not rational, but it’s in our genes. Here’s why you should start planning a trip now.

In 1961, legendary National Geographic photographer Volkmar Wentzel captured two women gazing at the surf off Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. This and all the other images in this story come from the National Geographic image collection.

I’ve been putting my passport to good use lately. I use it as a coaster and to level wobbly table legs. It makes an excellent cat toy.

Welcome to the pandemic of disappointments. Canceled trips, or ones never planned lest they be canceled. Family reunions, study-abroad years, lazy beach vacations. Poof. Gone. Obliterated by a tiny virus, and the long list of countries where United States passports are not welcome.

Only a third of Americans say they have traveled overnight for leisure since March, and only slightly more, 38 percent, say they are likely to do so by the end of the year, according to one report. Only a quarter of us plan on leaving home for Thanksgiving, typically the busiest travel time. The numbers paint a grim picture of our stilled lives.

It is not natural for us to be this sedentary. Travel is in our genes. For most of the time our species has existed, “we’ve lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers moving about in small bands of 150 or fewer people,” writes Christopher Ryan in Civilized to Death . This nomadic life was no accident. It was useful. “Moving to a neighboring band is always an option to avoid brewing conflict or just for a change in social scenery,” says Ryan. Robert Louis Stevenson put it more succinctly: “The great affair is to move.”

What if we can’t move, though? What if we’re unable to hunt or gather? What’s a traveler to do? There are many ways to answer that question. “Despair,” though, is not one of them.

In this aerial view from 1967, wall-to-wall seaside sunbathers relax under umbrellas or on beach towels in Ocean City, Maryland .

A 1967 fall festival in Guadalajara, Mexico , starred traditionally costumed musicians and dancers.

We are an adaptive species. We can tolerate brief periods of forced sedentariness. A dash of self-delusion helps. We’re not grounded, we tell ourselves. We’re merely between trips, like the unemployed salesman in between opportunities. We pass the days thumbing though old travel journals and Instagram feeds. We gaze at souvenirs. All this helps. For a while.

We put on brave faces. “Staycation Nation,” the cover of the current issue of Canadian Traveller magazine declares cheerfully, as if it were a choice, not a consolation.

Today, the U.S. Travel Association, the industry trade organization, is launching a national recovery campaign called “ Let’s Go There .” Backed by a coalition of businesses related to tourism—hotels, convention and visitor bureaus, airlines—the initiative’s goal is to encourage Americans to turn idle wanderlust into actual itineraries.

The travel industry is hurting. So are travelers. “I dwelled so much on my disappointment that it almost physically hurt,” Paris -based journalist Joelle Diderich told me recently, after canceling five trips last spring.

(Related: How hard has the coronavirus hit the travel industry? These charts tell us.)

My friend James Hopkins is a Buddhist living in Kathmandu . You’d think he’d thrive during the lockdown, a sort-of mandatory meditation retreat. For a while he did.

But during a recent Skype call, James looked haggard and dejected. He was growing restless, he confessed, and longed “for the old 10-countries-a-year schedule.” Nothing seemed to help, he told me. “No matter how many candles I lit, or how much incense I burned, and in spite of living in one of the most sacred places in South Asia, I just couldn’t change my habits.”

When we ended our call, I felt relieved, my grumpiness validated. It’s not me; it’s the pandemic. But I also worried. If a Buddhist in Kathmandu is going nuts, what hope do the rest of us stilled souls have?

I think hope lies in the very nature of travel. Travel entails wishful thinking. It demands a leap of faith, and of imagination, to board a plane for some faraway land, hoping, wishing, for a taste of the ineffable. Travel is one of the few activities we engage in not knowing the outcome and reveling in that uncertainty. Nothing is more forgettable than the trip that goes exactly as planned.

Related: Vintage photos of the glamour of travel

Travel is not a rational activity. It makes no sense to squeeze yourself into an alleged seat only to be hurled at frightening speed to a distant place where you don’t speak the language or know the customs. All at great expense. If we stopped to do the cost-benefit analysis, we’d never go anywhere. Yet we do.

That’s one reason why I’m bullish on travel’s future. In fact, I’d argue travel is an essential industry, an essential activity. It’s not essential the way hospitals and grocery stores are essential. Travel is essential the way books and hugs are essential. Food for the soul. Right now, we’re between courses, savoring where we’ve been, anticipating where we’ll go. Maybe it’s Zanzibar and maybe it’s the campground down the road that you’ve always wanted to visit.

(Related: Going camping this fall? Here’s how to get started.)

James Oglethorpe, a seasoned traveler, is happy to sit still for a while, and gaze at “the slow change of light and clouds on the Blue Ridge Mountains” in Virginia, where he lives. “My mind can take me the rest of the way around this world and beyond it.”

It’s not the place that is special but what we bring to it and, crucially, how we interact with it. Travel is not about the destination, or the journey. It is about stumbling across “a new way of looking at things,” as writer Henry Miller observed. We need not travel far to gain a fresh perspective.

No one knew this better than Henry David Thoreau , who lived nearly all of his too-short life in Concord, Massachusetts. There he observed Walden Pond from every conceivable vantage point: from a hilltop, on its shores, underwater. Sometimes he’d even bend over and peer through his legs, marveling at the inverted world. “From the right point of view, every storm and every drop in it is a rainbow,” he wrote.

Thoreau never tired of gazing at his beloved pond, nor have we outgrown the quiet beauty of our frumpy, analog world. If anything, the pandemic has rekindled our affection for it. We’ve seen what an atomized, digital existence looks like, and we (most of us anyway) don’t care for it. The bleachers at Chicago ’s Wrigley Field; the orchestra section at New York City ’s Lincoln Center; the alleyways of Tokyo . We miss these places. We are creatures of place, and always will be.

After the attacks of September 11, many predicted the end of air travel, or at least a dramatic reduction. Yet the airlines rebounded steadily and by 2017 flew a record four billion passengers. Briefly deprived of the miracle of flight, we appreciated it more and today tolerate the inconvenience of body scans and pat-downs for the privilege of transporting our flesh-and-bone selves to far-flung locations, where we break bread with other incarnate beings.

Landscape architects work in their Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , studio in 1955.

A tourist photographs a towering century plant in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, in 1956.

In our rush to return to the world, we should be mindful of the impact of mass tourism on the planet. Now is the time to embrace the fundamental values of sustainable tourism and let them guide your future journeys. Go off the beaten path. Linger longer in destinations. Travel in the off-season. Connect with communities and spend your money in ways that support locals. Consider purchasing carbon offsets. And remember that the whole point of getting out there is to embrace the differences that make the world so colorful.

“One of the great benefits of travel is meeting new people and coming into contact with different points of view,” says Pauline Frommer, travel expert and radio host.

So go ahead and plan that trip. It’s good for you, scientists say . Plotting a trip is nearly as enjoyable as actually taking one. Merely thinking about a pleasurable experience is itself pleasurable. Anticipation is its own reward.

I’ve witnessed first-hand the frisson of anticipatory travel. My wife, not usually a fan of travel photography, now spends hours on Instagram, gazing longingly at photos of Alpine lodges and Balinese rice fields. “What’s going on?” I asked one day. “They’re just absolutely captivating,” she replied. “They make me remember that there is a big, beautiful world out there.”

Many of us, myself included, have taken travel for granted. We grew lazy and entitled, and that is never good. Tom Swick, a friend and travel writer, tells me he used to view travel as a given. Now, he says, “I look forward to experiencing it as a gift.”

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15 Benefits of Travelling and Why Travel Is Good for You

What comes to your mind when someone asks you about “travel”? Does travel mean a vacation on the beach while sipping some margaritas, an adventure to the unknown, or an Instagrammable sunset destination? The idea of travelling varies from person to person, but the advantages of travelling are unbounded. 

When you travel, not the trip or the vacation itself, but the whole process of planning, exploring, and returning from a trip is important. When you realise how the benefits of travelling can do wonders for you, you definitely will have the motivation to pack your bag and start travelling more. What is it about travelling that always makes you feel good after coming back from a trip? There are so many advantages behind travel, but here are the top 15 benefits.

The Health Benefits of Travelling: Travelling Improves Your Health and Mind

Improving your well-being is one of the fundamental benefits of travelling. Travelling helps to decrease the risks of heart attack and anxiety, while developing our brain health. There have been studies proving that travel can place a positive impact on our heart health. One study from Framingham Heart Studies Organization published in the American Journal of Epidemiology shows that women who would travel at least twice a year had a significantly lower risk of developing coronary heart disease or heart attack compared with those who would only be able to travel once in every six years.

One of the health benefits of travelling is that when you travel to new surroundings, you press a restart button to your body and mind, which brings in fresh energy when you get back to your regular activities. It keeps you physically fit by being active on the journey, exploring nature, hiking, or strolling the local markets. A healthy body means a healthy mind, and the stimulation you get from travelling can boost your productivity and effectiveness in your daily work. 

Exploring a new place, trying new things, and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can increase the level of dopamine in your brain. This will contribute to how we strive, focus on things and find things interesting. Remember, “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind,” said the Roman philosopher Seneca. 

Source: unsplash.com

The Advantages of Travelling: Travelling Improves Your Communication and Language Skills in Many Ways

Some people enjoy the idea of travelling because it allows them to meet new people from all walks of life. Speaking to new people and getting new perspectives will change how one perceives the world and easily get engaged in various topics of conversation. Travel really helps in consolidating both effective communication and social skills as you are exposed to different cultures and outlooks. This benefit you get from travelling can be applied not only to your personal life but your work life also .

Setting foot in a new part of your country or a new part of the world means you are out of your ordinary comfort zone. Everything is new and captivating to your curiosity. The benefit of this is you are eager to learn new things and open to new ideas and concepts. This will naturally lead to the urge to open your mind and practice your people skills, whether you travel alone or with someone else. 

Travelling is when creativity comes into play in your daily communication. When you travel to a new country, there are situations where you would have to use not only verbal communication but also gestures and other non-verbal ways to express yourself. Whether you ask for directions, buy ingredients at a local market or have a conversation with a local, be prepared to utilize your body language skills! 

The Benefits of Travelling: Hedonistic Travel Ensures Peace, Calms Your Mind and Encourages Positive Feelings

When going on a holiday, we often tend to be stimulated, present and be in the moment, which brings us a step closer to achieving mindfulness. Travelling alone brings in the feeling of solitude that we don’t often get enough of. Travelling allows us to be disconnected from people, and even technology, for a while, and be more connected to our own mind and self, which leads us to our inner peace.

Whether it is domestic or international travel, travelers step out of their habitat and get exposed to other conditions of life. We find ourselves more thankful for our life and realise what we have might be what others desire. Appreciation to every little thing in life is one way or another a course for happiness. 

Travelling also changes our attitude towards life and people in a more positive way. We observe things and think from a broader perspective when our mind is open to the outside world. The benefit of travelling helps us embrace cultural and social differences more when immersing ourselves in a different environment with new people and perspectives. Moreover, coming back from a journey means ticking off one goal and proving our ability to overcome challenges. This forms the positive attitude that helps us tackle the hurdles. 

Why Travelling is Good? International Travelling Boosts Creativity through Experiences

“Why would travel have anything to do with creativity?” you may ask. First of all, it is associated with the sense of being innovative. When we travel, we try the local cuisines which we might have never tried before, get exposed to new customs and culture, and get introduced to unfamiliar ideas and beliefs. This stimulates creativity within our thinking, our methods and how we deal with certain situations. It is easier for us to come across new ideas when we get out of our usual surroundings. If we are put in boxes, how can we think “outside the box”?

Travelling teaches you to be creative and that everything has an alternative. What if you bump into a toilet that only has a hole on the ground, or a bathroom without a shower but only a bucket of water? That is travelling forces you to use your creativity to roll along with it. 

What you might have experienced but not have realised when you travel is that travelling touches your every sense. Ask yourself this question, do you feel a strong sensation by a mellow sound you have never heard, an exquisite taste from local cuisines, an evoking smell from a street food vendor, or a remarkable sight of a magnificent mountain range? If the answer is yes, then this effect of exploring a new place can be an attribute to revitalize your mind and make you more creative when you travel. 

Not only does travelling help with our creativity, but it also enhances our cognitive ability, sometimes referred to as general intelligence. This ability includes the capacity to “reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly, and learn from experience” (Plomin, 1999). These attributes are all connected to travel. The more you travel, the wiser you become. Adam Galinsky , a professor at Columbia Business School has stated “Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms.”

The Benefits of Travelling Abroad: Travelling Enhances Your Tolerance towards Different People and New Cultures

Travelling is more than just about exploring new places. It also allows you to become more tolerant and open towards new cultures and people. It is a great opportunity to connect with locals and other like-minded people from around the globe. When you are willing to strike up a conversation with someone from a different background, the more you understand them and accept diversity, the better your tolerance level gets. Travelling teaches us to appreciate and value cultural diversity, traditions and appearances. 

Not only does travelling help us embrace cultural, social and racial differences, travelling also increases our tolerance towards tough conditions and uncertainties. When we throw ourselves into an unfamiliar or less developed locality, we begin to become more accepting. It is not always a bed of roses everywhere we travel to, and things do not always go as planned, however, when we are aware of this, we get less bothered and enjoy the journey as much as we want. 

Cabinzero’s CEO Neil Varden shared with us some stories about a time when he traveled to India - a country of hues and colors, and on top of all, a country of kindness. He was deeply touched by how friendly and greathearted local people were when he found out a notion followed in their mind, which is “Guest is God”. As he was travelling to Diu - a very small and unfamiliar town in India - on a bus, he happened to have a conversation with an Indian doctor. And since there was no direct bus to the town and it was very late at night, the doctor then invited him for a stay with his family for the night and offered him the surprisingly good generosity that he had ever received. 

Another time when he was on a bus, and there was this Indian woman who offered him some biscuits when he was hungry, while she might not have enough to eat for herself and her children. Those are just among many warmhearted stories that he stumbled upon during his travel that made him realise one thing: you can really meet people who have almost nothing but still are generous with what they have.  

The Benefits of Travelling: Travelling Is a Great Way to Boost Your Confidence

Neil also shared an example of how travelling can be a motivation for us to gain more confidence in ourselves and our passion. “Unbeknown to me, travelling when I was 22-26 changed my life long term, even today. The confidence gained by travelling to an unfamiliar country/culture gave me huge benefits when I started my business. I never had much fear knocking on doors of factories or visiting trade shows in countries I had never been to before. AND, for sure, my business and the brand would not exist if I hadn’t travelled. Since I travelled I spent all my time after trying to figure out how I could make travel a permanent fixture in my life and the business was built around this need, it is truly a lifestyle business.” - Neil Varden, CEO of Cabinzero .

Regarding this advantage of travelling, Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, an associate professor of education and psychology at the University of Southern California, says “What a lot of psychological research has shown now is that the ability to engage with people from different backgrounds than yourself, and the ability to get out of your own social comfort zone, is helping you to build a strong and acculturated sense of your own self.”

Stepping out of your bubble to travel, especially alone, is one way to prove that life has no limits. Travelling makes us realise that difficulties and obstacles can be handled well without the help of friends or family. When you see the powerful force within you, you start to build more trust in yourself and fear less. You believe in the certainty that things can be tackled one way or another, and it comes with the creative mind you get from travelling - nothing can stop you from achieving your passion and goals in life!

The Importance of Travelling: You Get Real-life Education from Travelling to a New Place

Real-life education comes naturally when you travel. Think about when you plan for a trip, when you solve a problem, or when you come across a situation that you have to use your body language to communicate. Those circumstances train you to be skillful as you travel. This benefit of travelling helps in your planning skills, problem-solving skills, improvising ability, and such. As you learn from your own experiences, these lessons are what you can equip yourself with and make use of in the long run.

What you learn in books is great, but travelling offers you the opportunity to learn more about something new every day. The moment you step out of those hotel doors and go out on the street, you learn at least one new lesson. Simple things like how people greet and talk to each other, how they behave tell you a bit about their culture. What’s more, travelling teaches you failures can turn into great hands-on lessons. It is true that travelling is not always glorious and can be hard at times. Let’s say the language barriers, for instance, it is surely possible to make mistakes with words here and there. Imagine going to the market and getting mixed up with the words for tomatoes and fish, this could be a bit embarrassing, but that’s where you get to learn. 

The Benefits of Travelling: Travelling Make Memories from New Experiences

Do you usually take photos during your travel, or collect items like currencies or souvenirs after the trip? If not then we strongly suggest you to, as this is one of the benefits of travelling that could be valuable to you. Photos, or videos, that are taken from a trip, whether you keep them on your phone or post on social media, can remind you of the good time you have spent. Even an object you take home from the trip can really awaken your memories and feelings. 

Memories from travelling are often connected with positive emotions, when you try something new, or the excitement you get from going to a new place that makes you feel at one with yourself and others around you. There are definitely times when you face unexpected obstacles on the journey, however, after you figure how to settle them, those memories are the life lessons that you have got a chance to learn. 

If you travel in a big group, special memories from the trip can be turned into engaging stories that can last for a lifetime. When we travel, we are relaxed and open to show our true colors, which even adds more spices to the fun. This is the reason why travelling can be such a great bonding activity for families or groups of friends. 

Why Travel is Good for You - How Travelling Helps You Understand Yourself More is Very Important

Travelling alone facilitates a process of introspection, allowing you to reflect on your own emotional and mental well-being. This is a wonderful benefit of travelling that you might not have thought of. When you are away from the stress of your daily life, be present and live in the moment, you are more likely to be conscientious about how you think and feel. 

When you travel internationally, you get to observe how you feel being far away from your own culture. You observe the differences in people’s manners and behaviors, how people think and react to specific situations. From there, it is human instinct to compare the differences. You then start to explore and compare how it is different from your own culture and mindset, how other people are different from you, and why. Eventually, travelling will help in the process of understanding yourself more and give you a reflection on how you feel and think.

On the other side of this self-discovery process, travelling even changes you. You are not the same person after returning home from a journey. You have tons of intriguing stories to tell, you are more open and accepted. Moreover, travelling helps you reinvent yourself and re-evaluate your values in life after the lessons you learn on the road. Travelling teaches you to be more patient and curious about the world around you. This benefit undoubtedly helps in understanding and developing yourself.

The Benefits of Travelling: Travelling Helps Reduce Stress and Eases Anxiety

When you choose to leave your daily work to travel, you give yourself an opportunity to be more connected with nature. Fresh air and sunshine are a benefit to your health, fresh air boosts oxygen in your body and sunshine provides you with vitamin D. Being connected to these elements of nature makes you feel calmer, which definitely helps with stress and anxiety. 

Whether you are a fan of hiking, cycling, climbing or diving, they are all a cure for depression while you travel. Fun and adventurous activities help you to relieve stress as you get to live and enjoy the moment. Leave your daily hassles away, pack your bag, go on a trip and get some air! 

Why People Are Travelling - Travelling Gets You out of a Rut of Daily Life

Travelling is one of the great ways to get out of the hustle and bustle of your everyday life. It frees you from your daily schedule and allows you to have time for yourself to relax and explore. To some people, 9-5 jobs are occasionally mundane and repetitive, which makes a break from work totally a must. It is easy to get stuck in the workload and forget about our purposes and direction in life. Therefore, travelling gives us a pause from ordinary life and helps us get more focused on ourselves. 

The Benefits of Travelling: World Travel Teaches Us to Appreciate the Beauty and Fragility of Nature and the Earth

If you ever wander off the rice terraces in the Philippines and Vietnam, dip in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, or fall in love with the cherry blossoms season in Japan, you definitely feel a great sense of appreciation and gratitude for what Mother Nature has offered. Travelling opens your eyes to the absolutely breathtaking wonders of the Earth, especially if you gaze upon them with your own eyes. 

World travellers are people who have witnessed the diversity of nature and wildlife, and how fragile this Earth can be. Travelling is eye-opening and enriching our responsibility of protecting the planet that we are living on. It makes us realise that nature and animals are suffering from human activities and raises more awareness about our crucial role in developing a more sustainable future. 

Why Is Travelling Important? Travelling Helps You Find a New Purpose and Forces You to Take Action

For some people, travelling can be a life-changing experience. If you are at an important transition in your life and thinking of making a decision, travelling is a breath of fresh air to slow things down and it gives you time to think it through. If you are looking for a purpose and direction in life, try planning a trip to unfamiliar surroundings and experiencing it as much as you can. What if you see a meaning out of it and figure out what you are looking for? 

Believe it or not, travelling can turn you into a better decision-maker. Travelling is about decision-making in the whole process, from planning a trip, to deciding a place to eat, or where to go, you need to be determined and actively leading the way. If you are confident in making those little decisions, it will build up your determination in bigger decisions in life. 

Travel Makes You Embrace Your Home and Ordinary Life More - One of The Advantages of Travelling 

We often tend to dream of travelling and those days off hitting the road while we’re working 9 to 5. However, when we travel, there are certain situations that you may find yourself miss the feeling of home and how convenient it is to be in your own comfort zone. You will begin to appreciate the essentials you have at home when you travel. The feeling of a comfy bed and pillows at home may pop in your mind when you spend days and weeks sleeping in hostels or camping tents. You may miss your own bathroom when you share it with other travellers in dorms and hostels. Those are the little things that you will appreciate when you are back home from a long journey.

What’s more, the language barrier is another aspect that can make you miss home when you travel. Of course, during the trip, you might be able to use some basic communication with the locals and can pick up several phrases here and there. However, you will definitely miss the feeling of being able to join in a more in-depth conversation, discussing politics, or expressing your opinions at some point. 

The Benefits of Travelling: You May Find the Love of Your Life When You Travel and Meet New People

“Could you find love on the road?” Yes, it is possible. You meet plenty of like-minded people when you spend days hitting the road. Someone who shares the same values and mindset as you might come along unexpectedly and suddenly you feel connected to them. Especially when you travel, you open your mind and heart to new experiences, therefore, falling in love with someone is very likely to happen. 

Travelling can indeed bring people closer, which is why couples choose to spend time together on a vacation to spice up their relationship. But what about meeting a total stranger and falling head over heels unexpectedly, while strolling on the riverside or a random beach? That sounds more intriguing. That random stranger might just be a fling or can turn into the love of your life, who knows?

It caught my attention when you said that you can get helping reducing stress when you engage in fun and adventurous activities while you travel. As you said, traveling gives you an opportunity to be more connected with nature. With this in mind, I will consider finding great travel ideas so I can plan my vacation. Since December last year, I have been feeling so stressed due to the divorce process that I had to go through, so it is important for me to find places where I can feel recharged and relaxed. Thanks for sharing this. https://www.homegrowngreat.com/discover/attractions/

It’s great that you mentioned that one of the health benefits of travelling is that when we travel to new surroundings, we press a restart button to our body and mind, which brings in fresh energy when we get back to our regular activities. My husband and I will go on vacation to a family resort this weekend with our family. I’ll share this with him since we really need to travel more often and destress from work. Thanks! https://edgeofthewilderness.com/resort-lodging-minnesota-northern.html

Interesting article. So many reasons to travel!

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Why is Travel Important? Here Are 7 Important Benefits of Traveling

Wondering why travel is an important part of life here are the most impactful benefits of traveling, including health, happiness, and more.

As I write this, the world is in the midst of the second wave of the coronavirus crisis. Travel is far below the level it was at back in 2019, and it’ll be some time before it picks back up to pre-pandemic levels.

So, it feels a bit weird to write an article on the benefits of traveling and why travel is important.

But, travel will make a comeback. When it does, health and safety risks will remain. Many fair-weather travelers may be hesitant to return to the skies, roads, rails, and seas. 

However, traveling is important and its benefits far outweigh the risks involved.

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Here are some of the most important benefits of traveling:

1. Travel Makes You Happier

Sure, a travel experience easily makes you happier by getting you away from your daily grind. And, if you can get away from your parents, kids, freelance work , pets, homework, piano lessons, part-time job , studying for exams or any other things possibly weighing you down, that will definitely put a smile on your face, to say the least.

However, travel makes you happier in another way, as well. According to a study by Amit Kumar, Matthew A. Killingsworth, and Thomas Gilovich from Cornell University, that money spent on doing something (called “experiential purchases”) will leave you with a longer-lasting sense of happiness than money spent on having something (called “material purchases”). 

The study says that “waiting for experiences tends to be more positive than waiting for possessions.” And, it goes on to say that “people derive more happiness from the anticipation of experiential purchases and that waiting for an experience tends to be more pleasurable and exciting than waiting to receive a material good.”

Related Read : The Best Work-Life Balance Quotes to Know

2. Travel Lets You Disconnect & Recharge

One of the best things you can do for your mental health every now and again, especially as a busy college student with an evening job or a young professional working 12-hour shifts, is to disconnect in order to recharge.

Working or studying for days, weeks, and months on end may help get you where you’re looking to go. However, you deserve a break every once in a while from the chronic stress. If not, you may suffer from burnout, depression, anxiety, and a whole host of other problems and ailments.

If traveling to a foreign country or experiencing a different culture doesn’t sound like a true break from everyday life and its stressful situations, stay local or do a solo trip to someplace remote and serene. The important thing for your is to unwind. That’s a health benefit and travel tip all rolled into one!

3. Traveling Relieves Stress and Anxiety

In a randomized controlled trial conducted by Austrian researchers and published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , one of the many great travel benefits is that it can reduce stress levels and anxiety.

The researchers found that even just one short-term vacation (~3 days in length) “independent of the mode, has large, positive and immediate effects on perceived stress, recovery, strain, and well-being.” Furthermore, the beneficial effects last quite a while after you return home. “The effects can still be detected at 30 days (recovery) and 45 days (well-being and strain) post-vacation.”

Just make sure the way you travel doesn’t cause you stress, either! If you have a fear of air travel or a disdain for family travel, go by rail or take a solo travel experience. The important thing is to break away from the chronic stress of everyday life in order to calm down and reset your mind.

Related Read : How to Set Goals You Will Actually Achieve

4. Travel Exposes You to New Things

When you travel, you are stepping outside your comfort zone, for one thing. Even if your destination is relatively nearby (across the country rather than internationally), you are still experiencing new things.

Mark Twain said it best in one of my favorite travel quotes:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

5. Travel Exposes Others to New Things

When you meet someone new, whether it’s in another town nearby or in a city halfway around the world, they also are meeting you. And, just as you’re being exposed to new foods, culture, languages, traditions, and so forth, they’re also getting a taste of yours. Just remember to be a good ambassador for your hometown, values, and beliefs!

When you visit a new place, meet new people, and learn about a new culture, whether through group travel or when traveling solo, the benefit to your life is immense, but it also benefits your friends, family, and other loved ones. Not only will you get to experience new things, but you’ll also bring what you learn back to your school, workplace, and hometown.

Related Read : 15+ Best Educational Podcasts to Listen to for Everyday Learning

6. Travel Makes You Physically Healthier

If you’re an active individual and asking why is travel important, there are some great benefits of traveling in store for you! From running through airports and train stations to make that tight connection to hiking through uneven terrain on your mountain climbing adventures to getting some vitamin D as you catch some rays on the beach, there are many reasons why travel is beneficial to your health.

According to a study by the Global Commission on Aging and Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, in partnership with the U.S. Travel Association, travel decreases the risks of heart attacks and makes your brain healthier. The study determined that men who take an annual vacation are 30% less likely to die from heart disease, among other findings.

7. Traveling Can Boost Your Creativity

Are you a student, artist, writer, photographer, chef, advertising manager, or video game designer struggling with coming up with your next great idea? Traveling can help! If you’re looking to reignite your creativity, head on to Kayak and start booking some international flight tickets.

“Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms,” Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, tells The Atlantic . Cognitive flexibility plays a major role in overall creativity, defined as the ability for a person to be able to entertain various ideas and viewpoints one after the other.

So, when it’s safe to do so, get back out there and travel.

You’ll improve your happiness and mood, get exposed to new things, strengthen your mind and body, remove stress and anxiety, and so much more!

Got any questions, feedback, or other great reasons why travel is important? Let us know in the comments below, and thanks for reading!

Related Read : 21+ Growth Mindset Quotes to Know for Success, Happiness & Fulfillment

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1. Traveling broadens your perspective.

2. It allows you to see the world from a different angle.

3. It helps you to learn new things.

4. It makes you more tolerant and understanding

It’s fascinating that you point out that traveling offers a great way to relieve anxiety. I’ve been having a lot of anxiety for the past three months because of my divorce, so I’m considering booking a tour of Europe this summer. I’m going to look for a good business that offers tours of Europe.

Love this Christian, it keeps me do travel multiple times a year. Thank you so much.

I am Ain from Malaysia. I’m looking for contents to be used on my school assignment about travelling and I found your website would be so helpful for me and my group members. In this assignment , we are required to choose our international destination. In this assignment , we are going to make a report paper and two products (brochure and presentation). This work won’t be published online. We would like to include flight ticket to our destination , foods , place to stay , transportation and more. So , here I would like to ask for your permission to use contents from your website. This is the link to the content that me and my group members would like / might to use:

https://www.goodwall.io/blog/benefits-of-traveling/

I hope you can approve my permission. That would be great for us!

Thank you very much & stay safe!

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5 Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Traveling Abroad

When was the last time you traveled abroad? Traveling for business is one thing, but I’m talking about packing your bags, logging out of your email account and disconnecting from your normal routine for a week or more.

Traveling the world isn’t just fun and exciting; there’s ample research to suggest it’s highly beneficial for your physical, mental and emotional health as well.

Check Out These Five Proven Benefits

Americans may say they like to travel, but most don’t venture abroad very often. According to a study published in the Hostelworld Global Traveler Report, Americans are half as likely as Europeans to go abroad and visit more than one country.

The average resident of the UK has visited 10 countries, Germans have seen eight, and the French traveled to five nations on average. But Americans? They tend to visit just three. In fact, 29 percent of American adults have never been abroad!

When citizens of the U.S. do move past the border, most visit Canada or Mexico. Affordability is evidently a big factor — about 71 percent of Americans say it’s too expensive to leave the country — but that’s hardly the whole story.

Given what all the travel and deal sites have to offer today, you can travel abroad without ransacking your piggy bank. Perhaps many Americans don’t grasp the benefits of traveling abroad — and there are many!

Let’s dive in and take a look at some of the health benefits that researchers have explored and verified scientifically.

1. Travel Makes You Healthier

According to a joint study from the Global Commission on Aging and Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, in partnership with the U.S. Travel Association, traveling actually keeps you healthier . The study found that women who vacation at least twice a year show a significantly lower risk of suffering a heart attack than those who only travel every six years or so.

The same is true for men. Men who do not take an annual vacation show a 20 percent higher risk of death and 30 percent greater risk of heart disease.

2. Travel Relieves Stress

Although missing a connecting flight or losing baggage in a foreign airport is sure to boost your anxiety, traveling has been scientifically proven to lower stress levels, and rather dramatically.

RELATED: Try These Simple 1-minute Meditations to Calm Your Mind

According to one study , three days after taking a vacation, travelers report feeling less anxious, more rested and in a better mood. Interestingly, these benefits tend to linger for weeks after the trip has ended.

3. Travel Enhances Your Creativity

“Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms,” explains Adam Galinsky , a professor at Columbia Business School who has authored a number of studies that investigate the concrete links between creativity and international travel.

Travel alone isn’t enough, however. Galinsky has found that international travelers have to be purposeful about engaging.

RELATED: 7 Creative Pep Talks to Get You Through the Work Week

“The key, critical process is multicultural engagement, immersion and adaptation,” he continues. “Someone who lives abroad and doesn’t engage with the local culture will likely get less of a creative boost than someone who travels abroad and really engages in the local environment.”

4. Travel Boosts Happiness and Satisfaction

Most people tend to be happier when they’re traveling and don’t have to worry about work, of course. However, one of the more interesting takeaways from a Cornell University study is that people also experience a direct increase in happiness from just planning a trip.

Three days after taking a vacation, travelers report feeling less anxious, more rested and in a better mood.

The study found that the anticipation of taking a vacation is far greater than the anticipation of acquiring a physical possession. Thus, the benefits of traveling abroad begin well before the trip does.

5. Travel Lowers the Risk of Depression

While people tend to avoid the subject in our society, depression is unfortunately a major problem. Millions of Americans struggle with depression on a regular basis and it’s not uncommon for doctors to overprescribe medication for depression.

Luckily, healthier alternatives are available for escaping the hopelessness of a depressed state. According to research, travel may be one of them.

A study from the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin found that women who vacation at least twice a year are less likely to suffer from depression and chronic stress than women who vacation less than once every two years.

Where Will Your Travels Take You This Year?

So there are clear, scientifically-backed health benefits of traveling the world. Mentally, physically and emotionally, you can gain a lot from packing your bags and visiting places you’ve never been.

But where will you go? Thousands of places across the world are worth visiting. Here are a few that should be on your radar:

• London, England. London is a must-visit city. If you’re new to international travel and want to get your feet wet, there’s probably no better destination. Not only is there a lot to do in London , but it’s cheap and easy to get to from most major U.S. cities. There’s also no language barrier, which is a bonus for people who get nervous about that.
• Cape Town, South Africa. The beauty of Cape Town is astonishing. Not only is the landscape unique, but there’s wildlife galore, including the Big Five (lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and rhino). There’s much to see ; whether you prefer a fast pace or slow and easy, there’s an itinerary for you.
• Lucerne, Switzerland. If you’ve never been to Switzerland, Lucerne is a fantastic first city to experience. Conveniently near to the Zurich airport, the town is compact, yet lively. Not only are there lots of attractions in the city , but you can enjoy an array of hiking trails just outside of town.
• Auckland, New Zealand. Whether you want to kayak to a volcano, abseil down a waterfall, swim with sharks, or tackle challenging trails on a mountain bike, Auckland has everything an adventure lover could ask for. Oh, and it’s also a city that teems with good food and entertainment.

For many, the notion of international travel isn’t as mysterious and thrilling as it used to be. In a world accessible via YouTube, Google Earth, and virtual reality, many think they’ve already seen all the world has to offer, when they’ve really only stared at a screen a few inches in front of their face.

If you want to enjoy the scientifically proven health benefits of travel abroad, you should start planning a trip. Whether you go to London, Cape Town, Lucerne, Auckland, or somewhere entirely different, boarding a plane and flying to a foreign destination where you’re equal parts excited and intimidated is great for your growth and development.

Where will you go?

• GENERAL TRAVEL

Why Traveling Abroad is Important

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

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• General Travel
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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!

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14 BENEFITS OF TRAVELLING (& Easy Ways To Enhance Your Travel Experience)

July 15, 2023

Many of us understand and enjoy the health benefits of travelling , we feel calmer, happier and more relaxed. But in what other ways does travel impact on our lives?

The benefits of travelling are instant. As soon as you start planning and booking a trip, you feel excited.

Travel means different things to each of us, however the benefits gained through travel are far-reaching and last long after we return from a trip. Here, I outline why travel can have such a positive effect on your life and discuss some of the main benefits to a traveller.

14 INCREDIBLE BENEFITS OF TRAVELLING

1. brings a sense of calm to an overloaded mind.

Let’s face it, life can be hectic, hurried and packed with mundane and stressful times. We can be left feeling as though we are riding a rollercoaster of emotions, with no way of stopping and getting off.

While some stress can be good for us, allowing our minds to find peace is also important. Travel can have an enormous positive effect on our mental health and wellbeing. Without any commitments, we can change our outlook and reduce our stress levels.

Away from the normal daily life worries, concerns and thoughts, we are able to switch off and find a sense of calmness.

2. ALLOWS YOU TO DISCOVER NEW THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF

Travel takes us out of our normal routine and sometimes our comfort zone. When faced with new situations that we don’t normally face, it is surprising how easy we find it, to make immediate decisions. You discover that you can indeed deal with different scenarios.

We can discover different aspects to our character when travelling, that we hadn’t appreciated before. It can be something as simple as chatting to a local when you never considered yourself as a sociable person. This new found knowledge can give you confidence for similar situations back home.

3. TURNS YOU INTO A STORYTELLER

Travel provides us with a wealth of stories to share with people, whether friends and family, or new people we meet. You can become a conservationist, sharing tales of where you have been and what you have seen.

I personally love hearing about people’s travels. It is inspiring, travelling a journey alongside the storyteller.

4. YOU LEARN HOW TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE

The more people we meet from every walk of life, the more we learn how to communicate better with each other. Travel isn’t always an uneventful experience and at times we have to show great tolerance towards each other! We tend to go out of our way more when we travel, to communicate with people.

We once spent a couple of hours on a train, seated with an elderly French couple. They spoke only a few words of English, and we were trading on our French learnt at school!! Did we spend the entire meal just talking to our partners?

No, we found a way to communicate with hand gestures and one word sentences, and when we parted, the lovely couple left us their business card!

5. GETS YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING

When we travel, everything that is familiar is cast aside and we see new things for the first time. We make different decisions, meet new people, try new experiences and it can be a refreshing change for our brains.

We are no longer running on auto pilot or in a rut, and this brings new creativity to the fore. Suddenly after months of trying to come up with new ideas, fresh takes on situations, our minds are brimming with possibilities . Our thoughts are sharper and clearer and it feels like a breath of fresh air!

6. EDUCATES YOU IN LIFE OUTSIDE OF BOOKS

I love reading about a new destination and hearing about other traveller’s stories. Reading about a country gives you a broad spectrum of understanding.

However, with all things in life, it is only when you experience them, that you gain true insight. You have to be there, to really take in the beauty of an architectural building. You have to be there, to witness things through your own eyes.

7. MANY TRAVEL MYTHS ARE DISPELLED

There are many reasons why people don’t travel, and these are often down to myths and misconceptions. It is only when we do travel, these these myths are shown up for the scare mongering that they are.

Travel doesn’t have to be expensive. Travel isn’t dangerous. You won’t be surrounded by strangers that you cannot communicate with.

8. YOU ENCOUNTER AND LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT CULTURES

Just one aspect of travelling, is discovering how other people live, work, eat, pray and play. It is exciting, walking around temples, hearing how locals beliefs, impact on their lives. What their faith and culture means to them.

This knowledge can add a different dimension to your own life. It broadens your perspective and understanding.

9. YOU COME TO THE REALISATION THAT WE ARE ALL BASICALLY THE SAME

Travelling helps you realise that we all essentially have the same needs. We all eat, drink, work, play and move around. We may do these things differently, but ultimately have the same basic needs as each other.

Travel shows us that it is narrow-minded to make assumptions about people, just because they may eat different food and live in a different culture. But that for me, is part of the excitement of travel.

10. A SHIFT TAKES PLACE WITHIN US

Travel exposes us to so many new and different things and experiences. Your awareness alters and you begin to question what is important to you as an individual. Visiting poorer countries, those who have suffered tragedies, oppression or genocide cannot fail to have an impact on you psychologically.

You begin to question your own values, your feelings and even the purpose of your life. With this new sense, you may decide you want to live differently or for your life to take a new direction.

11. WE GAIN A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF WHAT WE HAVE

With a shift in our values and understanding, hopefully comes a deepened sense of appreciation. For what we already have in our lives, for our families and loved ones and for our own country and our freedom.

It is so easy for all of us to just focus on the negative things we perceive to have in our lives back home. Suddenly, we are handed a stark reminder of how good our lives actually are, in comparison to other peoples.

12. IT BRINGS OUT THE ADVENTURER WITHIN YOU

Life can become mundane and steady when we work full-time. There doesn’t seem time or opportunity to experience new activities when you feel in a rut.

Come holiday time though, and the adventurer within us seems to be unleashed. We are not tied down to keeping up appearances, and the sense of freedom means we are happy to try new things and conjure up our own mini adventures.

13. A WEALTH OF MEMORIES ARE CREATED

Material possessions don’t make memories, travelling does. It doesn’t matter whether it was a weekend, a week or a month. Travelling opens a door within your mind, that makes you want more of it.

Your life will be the richer for all the wonderful moments that you experience and the unforgettable memories that stay with you forever.

14. RETURNS YOU HOME CALMER AND HAPPIER

When we travel, we press the pause button on everyday life. We have the chance to give our minds and body a well earned rest. This results in us feeling less stressed, relaxed and happier. We have more energy and feel more able to cope with what life may bring.

The only downside, is that we crave more of the same and can’t wait for our next trip!

HOW TO ENHANCE YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

For many of us, we have spent months planning and dreaming about our upcoming trip and are filled with excitement and enthusiasm in equal measure. We look forward to having a break from our jobs, home and the grind of day-to-day routines.

We want our trip to be everything we imagined and more. But how can you fully enjoy the benefits of travelling, and enhance your holiday experience so your time away is spent in the best way possible?

What if I told you that this is unbelievably easy to achieve? The best part? It doesn’t involve you spending lots of extra money and it’s how we have enhanced our trips over the years.

18 EASY WAYS TO ENHANCE YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

1. start the day early.

Getting up early when you are on holiday, is not the same as getting up at home to go to work. Your overall mindset is completely different, more carefree and devoid of the normal stresses that you encounter. You can fit so much into your day when you start early, and being able to witness a stunning sunrise, is worth its weight in gold.

Not only that, you will also avoid crowds, bus tour groups, queues at popular sites and often have places all to yourself.

2. USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT

What better way to experience life like a local, than to ride with them on public transport. In many ways, countries have similar infra-structures, but it is fun to ride local trams, tuk-tuks, ferries and underground metros.

Discovering the way tickets are purchased, how you queue for the arrival of trams/trains and the etiquette of your journey is eye-opening, interesting and a learning curve.

When we were in Darwin Australia, we used local buses, and the driver would interact with every passenger as they boarded and shout goodbye when each of us departed, often offering tips for a particular tourist sight. It made us feel like locals.

3. DON’T AVOID TOURIST SIGHTS

Tourist sites can often be crowded and noisy, but there is a reason for their popularity. They are worth seeing and impressive in their own right. Sights such as Niagara Falls, Empire State Building, Uluru and the Louvre are termed ‘unmissable’ because they are incredibly view worthy.

So don’t cross them off your list as being busy or predictable, rather visit them early morning and enjoy them before the hordes of tourists arrive.

4. KEEP A JOURNAL

It can be difficult during a trip where each day is crammed full of sightseeing, to remember the finer details. You will forget the quirky cafe that served amazing breakfasts, the hotel that had sunken baths in their rooms, the name of the lovely interesting old man you chatted to for an hour or the route that took you along amazing scenery. These are all details that you will come to treasure and still recall years later.

Take a journal or simple notepad and write down details about your day, before you go to bed. I personally like to record cafes/restaurants we have eaten in, sites we have seen, walks we have taken, places we have stayed and people we have met. Trust me, you will be thankful for this journal when you want to recall details and memories.

5. ATTEND A LOCAL EVENT

Whether you are attending a special yearly festival or simply joining in with a pub quiz, you can embrace local life and gain an insight to what it feels like to live in a certain place.

Local events have a real community feel about them and often involve experiences you would never consider participating in at home. If you have the opportunity, attend that local quiz, fair or concert and you will be glad that you did.

We have enjoyed local events such as open air cinema nights , beach markets and craft fairs where we struck up conversations with local people, enjoyed local fare and purchased handcrafted souvenirs. These events have definitely enhanced our holiday experience.

6. EMBRACE THE UNEXPECTED

Even with the best laid plans, things can sometimes go awry. If you can, it is easier and more comfortable to try to attempt to embrace these unexpected events rather than fight them and get stressed.

Years ago when I was a frightened flyer, we were flying from Melbourne to Cairns, via Sydney. I suffered a major panic attack on the first flight so we decided to get off the plane in Sydney and hired a car to drive all the way to Cairns. The rental dealer thought we were mad!

Yes, at the time it was stressful, incurred additional expense and resulted in 2 lost days in Cairns. But, we embraced this unexpected change and followed the coast road where we witnessed incredible scenery and beautiful beaches, ate in local cafes and when we finally arrived in Kewarra Beach, discovered that our room had been given away and we had been upgraded.

Twenty years later and we still talk about the amazing drive and the fond memories it gave us.

7. LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO STATIONS

If you are on a road trip, tune into the local radio station and you will be kept up to date with any traffic holdups, road closures and local weather. It is also fun to listen to the music the station plays and you might even spot a new favourite artist to listen to back home. It is interesting to hear the local lingo and be entertained on your journey.

8. SMILE OFTEN

I am a great believer in the power of a smile, especially when you are in a foreign country. It costs nothing, helps form a bond that surpasses language barriers and makes you feel more cheerful.

A smile conveys so much between people,that words cannot always express. You never know what a stranger is going through, but a smile lifts spirits and makes a huge difference. So, smile at fellow walkers, at passengers you sit next to and people who catch your eye because it will improve your day.

9. CHAT TO LOCALS

By chatting to locals, you will learn and discover so much more and make better connections. As locals living in that particular town, they are a valuable resource to the best sights, best places to eat, hidden gems off the normal tourist track and their recommendations can really add value to your whole experience. Many locals will really appreciate you making the effort to stop and talk to them.

10. SAVOUR VIEWS FIRST HAND

It is great to take photos when you are away on a trip but with Facebook and Instagram being a part of many people’s lives, it can be the number one distraction. How many times have you reached a phenomenal sight, only to be surrounded by selfie takers, flicking their hair this way and that, posing with their backs to the camera or worse, atop the very attraction you have arrived to see.

By all means take as many photos as you want, but make the first viewing with your eyes only and not through a small screen or viewfinder. I bet you will remember how special that view is and instantly recall how it made you feel.

11. BE SPONTANEOUS

Say yes to last-minute spontaneous invitations and new experiences, this way you will meet new people, have fun and discover new things. It pays to plan your trip to a certain extent, but always leave room for accepting any offer that comes your way.

We were staying in a bed and breakfast in Kalbarri, Australia and our hosts invited us to their home for a bbq on the second night. We were so tempted to politely decline as we are reasonably reserved until we know people better, but spontaneously accepted and had a great laughter filled night.

On another occasion in Namibia, we had just arrived at our lodge and were immediately invited on a game drive leaving that minute. We so nearly said we would go on the drive the following morning but thankfully left our luggage at reception and joined 2 other couples.

We had an amazing and truly memorable time, seeing a cheetah, 3 wild dogs and a leopard. So always be spontaneous – it will certainly enhance your holiday experience.

12. WANDER OFF THE BEATEN PATH

As long as you have the address of your accommodation with you, do not be afraid to wander down side streets, cobbled paths and alleyways. You will be rewarded with meeting and conversing with locals, finding small churches, quaint houses, local parks and you will get a different perspective of the area and often find hidden gems that the hordes of tourists miss.

13. STOP AND BE MINDFUL OF THE MOMENT

It can be tempting when you are going from place to place seeing local sights, to not really enjoy the here and now.

Try and practice ‘mindful travel’ to deepen your awareness and enjoy being in the present moment. Stop every now and then, put your camera down and become really aware of your surroundings, the beautiful landscape and vistas.

Look closely at birds and flowers noticing everything about their appearance. Smell the enticing aromas around you, feel the breeze in your hair and the sun on your face. Be aware of everything around you. Use your senses to really be present in this moment right now.

Not only will you be feeling calmer but you will be fully present and notice so much more around you – a great way to enhance your holiday experience.

14. SAMPLE LOCAL FOOD

Travelling abroad provides us with the chance to try cuisine from different regions and foods that you may never have tried before. Trying traditional food is part of learning about a country’s culture and opens up a whole new world of unique cuisine. So don’t be afraid of trying local delicacies such as laksa in Singapore, dumplings in Hong Kong, arancini in Italy and sushi in Japan.

15. TRY SOMETHING NEW

Travel is the perfect opportunity to try something new, to push yourself and take you out of your comfort zone.

There are normally a wealth of different and exciting experiences to be had that will leave you with great memories. We took a cooking class in Thailand which involved buying fresh ingredients from a local market, went on a cormorant fishing trip in China and completed a famous day hike in New Zealand.

These are all things we would not have done at home and were great fun.

16. BE FLEXIBLE AND REALISTIC

Whilst it pays to be organised and have a trip planned out to make best use of your time, it is also a good idea to be flexible, as you don’t know when an opportunity may present itself that you want to take advantage of.

Sometimes a local gives you a recommendation of a place to visit or you discover a local event that you would like to attend.

It is also important to be realistic and accept that sometimes things do not pan out according to how we would like them to or indeed expect them to and it helps to be mindful of this.

Sometimes the weather throws us a curve ball and rains, flights are delayed or cancelled, places take longer to reach and we can’t see every sight we want. Life at home isn’t always plain sailing so don’t expect it to be any different on holiday.

17. RESPECT OTHER CULTURES

Part of travelling is learning about other cultures and seeing how people live in different societies. This also means that we may come across beliefs, religions and traditions that don’t sit comfortably with our own way of living.

Remain open-minded and find out more about a custom that may seem offensive or uncomfortable to you. Above all be respectful of another person’s point of view and way of living as you would expect them to be of yours.

18. END THE DAY ON A THANKFUL NOTE

I always take the time at the end of the day before going to bed, to reflect on the day and write down three things that I am thankful for. This makes me more appreciative, more positive and happier.

Even if things haven’t worked out as you had planned, maybe a flight was delayed, the hotel wasn’t as nice as expected or it constantly poured with rain, there will still be a lot of things tangible or intangible, that have been good about the day.

This practice helps with stress, makes you feel more positive and calmer and is proven to be good for your mental health and well-being.

Hopefully this post showed you the benefits of travelling and how to enhance your holiday experience. Start to immplement these easy strategies and get as much enjoyment from your trip as possible.

Which ways do you use to improve your holiday experience?

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Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Traveling Abroad

An average UK resident has visited 10 countries , which is more than Germans (8) and the French (5) and Americans (3). Given the number of deals, discounts, and offers most travel platforms offer these days, you can easily travel overseas without having to ransack your piggy bank or burning a hole in your pocket. Globe-trotting isn’t just fun and interesting – there’s adequate research to show that travelling can be highly beneficial for emotional, mental and physical health as well. Doesn’t that sound like a good enough reason for you to book a luxurious B&B (like, Sweet Field Manor ) in Barbados to unwind after a long week? Wait, there’s more!

Travel exposes you to different environments, which create stronger antibodies and boost your immune system significantly. Antibodies are the little proteins that shield your immune system from deadly pathogens, and multiple research studies imply that being exposed to dirty or minor illnesses really keeps your body and gut more grounded. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t rehearse essential cleanliness out and about, however, being exposed to some new microscopic organisms throughout your life is certifiably not a terrible thing.

According to Joel Weinstock , Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Tufts Medical Center, “In the 20th century, we started changing the way we live. We live in very clean boxes. Water is immaculate. Food is nearly sterile. Exposure to bacteria and soil is less common. Certain diseases that were essentially unknown in the 18th century and earlier are becoming common now.” When you venture out from one place to the other, your body automatically adjusts to a huge number of infinitesimal bodies, making it significantly more grounded. Andy Lee Graham who has travelled to 107 countries since 1998 admits to travelling being “his best probiotic.”

Adam Galinsky, a Columbia Business School professor who has authored several studies investigating the connection between international travel and creativity says, “Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms.” However, travelling alone, without being purposeful about engaging, isn’t enough. “The key, critical process is multicultural engagement, immersion and adaptation,” he explains further, “Someone who lives abroad and doesn’t engage with the local culture will likely get less of a creative boost than someone who travels abroad and really engages in the local environment.” The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology clearly states that people who travel abroad are more open, emotionally stable, culturally aware, and experience an increase in cognitive flexibility.

Most people tend to often associate travel with happiness and contentment, especially on ‘staycations’ where they don’t have to worry about work. Although losing your baggage or almost missing a connecting flight in a foreign country can be nerve-racking, but, overall, travelling has been scientifically proven to dramatically reduce stress. A Cornell University study noted that people are significantly happier while planning a trip, that they might not even take. The anticipation of taking a vacation contributes to their direct happiness more than when they acquire a physical possession. Hence, it’s only fair to conclude that the advantages of travelling take effect way before the trip does.

Not only this, travellers who take 3-days off for a vacation agree to feeling more relaxed, less worried and in a better mood for weeks after their excursion has ended. The Wisconsin Rural Women’s Health Study also says that women who go on a vacation at least 2 times a year are less prone to chronic stress and depression , as opposed to women who go on a vacation less than once every 2 years. On a similar note, a collective research commissioned by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies (TCRS) and the United States Travel Association shows that men who do not indulge in a yearly vacation are at a 20% higher sudden death risk and display a 30% elevated risk of contracting heart disease.

While travelling often involves sitting for hours on end in numerous moving vehicles, it also provides you with plenty of opportunities to be active. When your travel, you’d want to explore new things and see all any place has to offer, so you’re more likely to take up an extreme sport, walk the street markets, or take a hike, which to be honest is much more than what you generally do back home. All said and done, travel forces you to pull up your socks and work on your muscles twice as hard, giving you an adventurous excuse to stay fit and catch up on regular exercise.

With the aforementioned scientifically-backed health benefits, it’s clear how much you can gain from packing your bags and visiting places that you’ve not seen.

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27 Surprising Benefits of Traveling Abroad: How Traveling Changed My Life

Personal growth might not be one of the first things that comes to mind when you think about traveling abroad, but perhaps it should. When you leave the comfort and familiarity of life in your home country, you turn every day into an opportunity to learn, discover, explore, and grow. But the lessons you learn may not be what you always expect. Here are 27 surprising benefits of traveling abroad that have transformed my life for the better.

Benefits of Traveling Abroad

1. you regain your curiosity..

As children, we all have an innate sense of wonder. We view the world as a magical place to explore using our favorite two words: ‘how’ and ‘why’.

Unfortunately, as we grow up too many of us are taught to stop questioning things and to instead do as we are told. Whether at school, at home, or in the workplace, we are led to believe that following directions is the primary means to success and happiness. And over time, we simply stop asking how or why.

Travel is the perfect opportunity to regain one’s curiosity. Leaving the banalities of everyday life behind and instead surrounding yourself with the new and exciting reignites the flame of exploration . You’re not only allowed to ask questions, you’re encouraged. How do the locals live? Why is a particular custom followed?

When you travel, being curious becomes a way of life. You get accustomed to asking questions about everything you see, do, and feel. And when you return home these habits follow. With curiosity, a trip to the neighborhood grocery store can be as interesting as a walk through the bazaar of Marrakech. It’s all mindset.

2. You gain confidence.

Travel isn’t always easy. Spend enough time on the road and you’ll have your share of mental and physical challenges. But these obstacles are almost always less intense or consequential than those you face at home.

The culture shock you get arriving in Japan for the first time or the strain your put yourself through hiking to Machu Picchu might seem intense in the moment, but these pale in comparison to the challenges you’ll have starting a business, raising a child, or battling a serious illness.

The challenges you face on the road rarely compare to those you face at home. But in this way, it makes for the perfect training ground.

Travel provides the perfect opportunity —i n a fun and relatively safe environment — to overcome obstacles and build confidence. Whether your future challenges are mental or physical, research indicates that believing in yourself is the most important thing you do to succeed.

3. You learn to take things slowly.

How often do you slow down and simply enjoy the moment in your daily life? Be honest.

If you’re like most people, it’s not very often. We live in a time where, despite--or perhaps because of--all the advances in technology, we feel as though we must constantly rush from thing to thing, accomplishing goal after goal.

This is not a good way to live. You miss out on so many incredible things when your not focused on the present moment. All too often we fail to notice the warmth of a friend’s hug or the joy passed on through a stranger’s smile because we’re thinking of something entirely unrelated to our current circumstances.

Many novice travelers pack this habit with them on vacation. They try to see the whole Louvre in one day, or all of Europe in two weeks. Invariably, they return home exhausted, stressed, and disappointed, wondering why their hurried experiences didn’t live up to their lofty expectations.

Fortunately, one of the benefits of traveling abroad is that you realize how counterproductive this is. You decide to either do less or travel for longer. And you discover that slowing down actually allows you to experience more.

For a single day spent living in the moment—fully focusing on people and places you encounter—will provide infinitely richer feelings and insights than a whole month of rushed travel.

It pays to slow down when traveling.

And while it’s not always possible to go through life at home with the same leisurely pace we have on the road, the memories of your travels inspire you to regularly slow down—even if just for a few moments.

4. You realize it’s OK to fail.

Anyone who honestly looks back at their past travels recognizes that they are often filled with failure. From butchering the pronunciation of the local language, to getting lost in a foreign subway system, to wrongly guessing which of the menu items won’t come with eyeballs, travelers are always making mistakes.

The wrong guess was made.

And yet, 99% of the time, everything works out just fine. We learn something new about the way things are done in whatever corner of the world we’re in, and we move on. Often, such minor failures are so common that we simply overlook them.

This is in stark contrast to how many people live at home, where they treat failure not as a useful tool to be embraced but rather as something to be avoided at all costs.

I used to feel this same way. I thought that one C on an exam was a disaster or that a mess up at work would instantly result in a pink slip. Somewhat unsurprisingly, this made me incredibly risk adverse. I avoided situations where failure was a possibility, and always tried to take the safe route.

All this changed once I began traveling. I saw how travel mistakes mostly make for a good laugh or a minor inconvenience. Sometimes they even turn out for the better.

Mispronounce Chianti at a Florentine wine bar and the bartender might snicker. Get off at the wrong stop in the Paris Metro and you might have to walk 30 minutes back to your hotel. Grab the train to Ljubljana rather than Lisbon and you might meet the love of your life

Sometime failure to take the correct exit on the highway leads to unexpected discoveries, like this hidden valley in Iceland, which I had all to myself.

By seeing firsthand through travel that failure can be a valuable learning tool—perhaps the most valuable—rather than something to be feared, you return home eager to make mistakes, to learn, and to grow.

5. You have better stories to tell.

Mark Twain once said that “Truth is stranger than fiction.” Traveling only supports this.

The absurd mishaps, random occurrences, and incredible adventures that occur while traveling make for fascination stories that almost no one—save perhaps the Most Interesting Man In the World—can top. So regardless of whether your audience is your family, your friends, or a hot date, the traveler is able to entertain and (often) inspire simply by sharing a few stories from the road.

Locals dancing in Kargi, Kenya.

6. You learn to focus on what you can control — your responses.

One of the most appealing aspects of travel is that you never quite know what will happen next. Most of the time, this means that life on the road is filled with surprise and novelty, but sometimes it results in unexpected setbacks. 

Missed flights, closed museums, or minor illnesses; almost every traveler has dealt with these issues at one point or another, and there’s little you can do to prevent them.

However, one thing travelers can always do is control their responses. When things go south, it’s up to you to decide quickly whether you react with annoyance and anxiety, or strength and strategy.

Rather quickly, travelers realize that the best way—and sometimes the only way—out of difficult circumstances is to focus on what they can do to improve their situation rather than on what’s gone wrong.

Ask politely for a spot on the next departure when you’re flights been cancelled, and you’ll usually get whatever spots are available. Lash out in anger, and you might be spending the night sleeping on the airport floor.

Whether at home or on the road, we all experience setbacks like this at some point. As travel teaches you, what ultimately determines your future is how we react to these challenges.

7. You better appreciate what you have at home.

It’s easy to take what you have at home for granted. While I don’t believe that you can easily say that one country or city is clearly better than another, when you visit somewhere that doesn’t have the same things that you’re used to it helps you to better appreciate what you have at home.

Of course, not all the things you learn to appreciate about your home while traveling are as serious. A trip abroad can inspire a newfound gratitude for family, friends, certain foods, and even your local weather (nothing quite makes you appreciate the winters in Wisconsin like a January trip to Antarctica).

8. But you also gain humility and perspective.

Of course, traveling isn’t just about reinforcing the good aspects of life at home. Rather, it shows you different ways of doing things, some of which may actually be superior to what you’re used to.

Example: in Japan, you shower before you bathe, which makes sense. Who wants to swim in their own filth?

This process can be somewhat humbling, especially if you’ve been raised to think that your culture and society does everything the best. In the long run, however, having a realistic perspective on things allows you to identify problems and to take the necessary steps to correct them.

Furthermore, once you acknowledge that you may have been wrong (or at least less-correct) on one thing, you become more accepting of new ideas and possibilities in general--something that will help you in all aspects of life.

9. You become a better communicator.

Travel is a great tool for developing your communication skills. While traveling, you encounter all sorts of people, many of whom will share neither your language nor culture. In these circumstances, it can be difficult to convey even the simplest of ideas. Such challenges makes you use ingenuity and creativity to exchange information.

Learning to use tools like Google Translate, point books, hand gestures, and even sketch pads to express your ideas, you begin to think of communication in entirely new ways. And in dealing with people from disparate backgrounds, it becomes clear how the same thing can be intercepted very differently depending on your life experiences.

This process ultimately forces you to think more carefully about how and what you say and do, making you both a more nuanced and more adaptive communicator.

10. You become friends with people around the world.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have met and befriended people from around the world while traveling. Whether they were fellow adventurers or amicable locals, these relationships have enriched my life both on the road and at home.

The same can happen for you with the right attitude and initiative. If you keep an open mind and are willing to speak with strangers, you’ll discover a world filled with interesting and engaging people.

Who wouldn't want friends in Paris?

Naturally, the more you travel, the more people you meet. Over time, you’ll develop a personalized, global network of like-minded individuals with whom you can share ideas, discuss international events from a local perspective, and plan future experiences.

Often, you’ll find yourself taking turns visiting your new friends in their hometown, such as when I went to Dublin ,  Warsaw , or   Skopje . And when you decide to travel somewhere different, you can reach out to this network for advice and to connect you with other like-minded locals. What’s not to love?

11. You learn to trust your gut.

Of course, not everyone you meet while traveling has your best intentions at heart. Because of this, it’s common for less-experienced travelers to feel as though they need to be on constant high alert.

Unfortunately, this can cloud their whole travel experience in negativity and fear, which in turn can lead to unnecessarily mental and physical strain.

Seasoned travelers recognize this problem. Instead of constantly sizing up everyone and everything, they rely on their gut to keep them safe or to make a decision—a practice back ed up by science .

Our sub-conscious minds are incredibly adept at noticing the subtle indicators that suggest that something is off. Because of this, in general you only need to react as if there is danger if you feel something is off.

If your gut says it's not safe, don't risk it.

Experienced travelers don’t worry if acting on their gut makes them appear rude or cowardly; they know that this feeling is there for a reason, and that being safe is only smart.

They also use these gut feelings to assist in less-serious matters. Whether they are trying to decide what restaurant to eat at or which city to travel to next, they discover over time that trusting their instincts often leads to better outcomes. [Check out my article on How to Overcome Your Fear of Flying (And Change Your Life in the Process) .]

12. You see that nobody’s life is perfect.

We live in an age where perfection in life seems not only attainable but common. On television, in the movies, and on the internet, we are bombarded with examples of people whose lives seem to have no flaws. They are happy, healthy, and wealthy.

Making matters worse, social media allows everyone to publish their daily highlight reels, where the only things we do are drink, laugh, fall in love, and travel.

Even if you rationally know that this is an illusion, you subconsciously hold it to be true. And so you begin to ask yourself why—-despite all your efforts—you are not seeing the same results that so many others have achieved. This often leads to stress, self-doubt, and sometimes, even despair.

Travel helps to kills this fantasy. On the road, people tend to let their guard down. They expose more of themselves to the world than they otherwise would.

And so you see that everyone—regardless of personal or professional success—has more to their story than what they share.

You don't often see people sharing the moments where they're exhausted, sick, or sad.

Recognizing that nobody’s life is perfect—that no one is happy, healthy, or successful all the time—allows you better empathize with the plight of others and to stop feeling guilty for being human.

You accept sadness as an everyday part of life. You see failure as inevitable aspect of learning. You stop obsessing over artificial standards of beauty.

This is not to say that you don’t keep trying to improve yourself. If anything, knowing that perfection is not the goal motivates you even more because you can actually see the finish line.

13. You become more creative.

History is filled with writers, inventors, and thinkers whose work has seemingly been invigorated by time abroad. Think Ernst Hemingway, Nikola Tesla, Mary Shelley, or Thomas Jefferson.

Research   has now proven why this is; traveling abroad leads to greater creativity levels. Visiting a different country—and experiencing all the novelty that entails—encourages the development of new ideas by making it easier to change thoughts quickly and to create connections between seemingly unrelated topics (think: sharks + tornados = Sharknados).

What creative thoughts will travel inspire you to have?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the more you immerse yourself in the local culture, the greater the benefits.

Travelers who spend their days interacting with locals—eating as they eat, drinking as they drink, and (attempting) to think as they think—will become more creative than visitors who merely observe native culture from afar.

To be creative, you need to think outside of your normal horizons. To develop new thoughts and create new things, you need to be open to different ideas and activities. Travel teaches you to do all these things.

14. You uncover new passions.

So much of what we do—whether it be the food we drink, the thoughts we have, or the activities we pick in our free time—are a result of our surroundings. Our actions and habits are often copied from our parents, our friends, and our neighbors.

When you travel abroad, you’re able to escape the confines of social pressure and routine of home.

On the road, things that you never would have dreamed of trying at home—either because they go against social expectations or because they’re not easily available—seem to present themselves at every turn. And if you’re willing to take the risk and try, you often uncover new, life-long passions.

Another surprising benefit of traveling abroad: you uncover new passions, such as hot air ballooning.

A farm boy from Kansas may realize they love mountain climbing while backpacking through Austria. An architect from Johannesburg may discover an unknown obsession with baseball during a summer in Chicago. A body builder from London might embrace veganism while in Tibet.

You never know what hidden passions you will find when traveling abroad.

15. You start to see the beauty in small, everyday occurrences.

As travelers we often fetishize the people and places we discover abroad. It’s part of the mindset we develop. When on the road, we’re regularly enchanted by everyday occurrences that we completely ignore when at home.

I still remember how charmed I was the first time I noticed the scent of fresh bread from a neighborhood bakery in small-town France, something to which I’d normally paid no attention.

If you travel enough, this way of looking at the world follows you home. You begin to see the beauty in small, everyday occurrences , like the rustle of leaves on your lawn in autumn or the daily calls of songbirds in the morning.

And in this way, you discover a whole world of simple pleasures.

16. You gain confidence.

When you travel abroad, you inevitably face challenges. Whether these are as minor as driving on the left side of the road (on second thought, that’s actually quite hard!) or as major as learning to live without running water, your confidence grows when you handle new and difficult circumstances.

And the more you travel—and the greater the challenges you face—the more confidence you gain.

Overcoming obstacles results in greater confidence.

Returning home, everything seems easier and more manageable than before. Since you’ve handled adversity on the road—usually without the support systems you have at home (think family, friends, and routines)—you can confront challenges knowing that you’ve got what it takes to succeed, regardless of the circumstances.

17. You find love (even if just temporarily).

As almost any world traveler will tell you, no matter if you're looking for it or not, love seems to find you on the road.

Whether it’s with an amorous local, an intriguing sightseer, your fellow travel parter, or something less human—like Spanish siestas, pistacchio gelato, or Japanese Kit Kats—you’ll feel your heart strings tugged at some point or another.

And though the risk of heartbreak is real (Kit Kat does retire flavors occasionally), the immeasurable joy that comes from deep passion is always worth it.

Love is in the air when you travel abroad.

18. You realize that experiences are way more valuable than objects.

Growing up, I was convinced that the key to happiness was having lots of nice things. At various points in my life, I told myself that I’d be happy forever if I only had a room full of legos or a fancy new car or the latest smart phone.

Traveling the world helps you to see how absurd this is. Yes, you may gain some temporary joy from getting a cool toy, but it won't last long. Soon, you’ll be looking for that next fix.

Experiences (such as exploring the salt flats in Bolivia) > things.

In contrast, the happiness one gains from experiences lasts a lifetime. Memories of an evening spent hanging out with friends on the beach don’t become less enjoyable with time, they become even more precious.

19. You stop watching so much TV.

It’s rare to sit down and watch TV for any extended amount of time while traveling, save perhaps for a big soccer match or news event. Frankly, there’s no time nor need. During the day you’re usually running around seeing things, and at night there’s almost always something more entertaining and exciting going on.

The longer you go without television, the less you feel the need for it.

Spend enough time traveling, and you’ll return home actively wanting to avoid TV, instead preferring to spend your free time doing the same type of things you did while on the road. Chats with friends, live music, walks in nature, reading books—these all instinctually get prioritized over TV watching.

20. You better appreciate the internet, but realize that you must limit its use.

As any traveler can attest, the internet is a godsend.

It allows you to do research quickly, connect to family and friends easily, and even earn a living remotely.

But it’s also a major time suck and a diversion from real life. You can easily get stuck looking up obscure facts on Wikipedia instead of exploring the local Mayan ruins, or distracted by your Instagram feed while out with friends in Bangkok. So experienced travelers learn to limit their use of the internet, opting to look at the world rather than a screen.

Don't miss sunrise at Angkor Wat because you were too busy swiping right.

21. You become painfully aware that you cannot please everyone.

Growing up in the Midwest, I was told that if I only tried hard enough I could indeed make everyone happy. Well, traveling the world has convinced me otherwise.

No matter how friendly or accepting you may be, there will always be someone that doesn’t care for you simply because of who you are, where you’re from, or what you represent. It’s not a large number, but they exist. Once you realize this, it’s as if a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

You’re free to stop worrying about what others think and simply be yourself.

22. You become more employable.

Yet another of the unexpected benefits of traveling abroad: you become more employable.

Traveling abroad helps you develop and enhance a number of skills that are incredibly important in today’s creativity-based economy. These include:

-Adaptability : Travel is practice in quickly and easily adjusting to new customs and cultures, handling unforeseen adversity, and making the most of unexpected opportunities—all useful when starting a new job.

-Creativity : Travel—especially when it’s immersive—has been shown to help you create fresh ideas and develop new solutions to old problems. What employer wouldn’t like that?

-Patience : On the road, the world doesn’t always move at the pace you would like. Whether due to delays, cancellations, or a cultural emphasis on ‘taking one’s time’, travelers learn fast that sometimes you have no choice but to wait patiently.

-Curiosity : Surrounding yourself with new and exciting ideas inspires you to explore and learn as much as you can, something that bosses always love.

-Communication : Traveling to faraway places, where you often don’t share the same language nor the same cultural references, forces you to uncover new ways to express ideas based upon your audience.

-Time Management : Faced with only limited days to see and do everything you want, you have to be smart with your time while traveling. You become an expert prioritizer, and experienced time-estimator, and adept at knowing when to say ‘it’s time to stop’—all incredibly valuable skills when facing deadlines.

-Organization : Travelers, especially those that change locations a lot, have to be well- organized. To have a trip run smoothly—and to keep yourself from losing passports and sim cards—you quickly realize that you need planing and systems.

-Self-Responsibility : When you travel abroad—especially if alone—you take complete responsibility for yourself. Your friends and family aren’t right there to help if something goes wrong; you need to solve your own problems. Employers love to hire people who aren’t afraid to fix things when they are broken.

23. But you also set yourself up to be your own boss.

Perhaps you can see why the digital nomad lifestyle is so appealing.

These same skills also can be used to be your own boss.

The spirit of independence and adventure that travel promotes often inspires people to start their own businesses or to become freelance.

Self-discipline, organization, resiliency, the ability to accept and learn from failure—these are all essential traits for any entrepreneur. There’s a reason so many world travelers become successful digital nomads, working for themselves remotely from all corners of the globe.

24. You realize that almost everyone wants the same things.

The more you travel, the clearer it is that almost everyone wants the same things. Whether you’re in Bangladesh or Bermuda, surrounded by Berbers or Bushmen, deep down the locals you meet are all just looking for some combination of love, security, meaning, validation, and a better future.

Smiling locals in Termi, Ethiopia.

We usually focus on our differences—skin color, religion, economic status—but there’s something quite comforting in realizing how much you have in common with the rest of the world. In fact, it may be the greatest lesson I’ve learned from traveling.

25. You also see that people are very different—and that’s OK (for the most part).

At the same time, there are clear differences between cultures. The ways in which people try to achieve these basic human desires varies greatly from person to person and country to country.

In Japan for instance, the emphasis is almost always placed on the group rather than the individual. As a result, what you want matters much less than what is best for the group.

Sometimes, the way local people decide to live their lives and organize their society might confuse or upset you. When this happens, try and figure out why things are they way they are. Often there’s a logical reason. And if there isn’t, or the reason is something you find morally repugnant, that’s OK.

You don’t have to accept or agree with everything you encounter while on the road.

26. You see that money is not the solution to all of life’s problems.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned while traveling is that money is not the solution to all of life’s problems. Growing up in the U.S., I was convinced that happiness was only dollars away, whether they were spent on the latest video game system, a fancy car, or a massive home.

Local children in Chư Păh District, Vietnam.

Yet while traveling, the happiest people I have met have been those who worked just enough so that they could afford food, shelter, and health care (if it wasn’t already provided for them by the government—a shocking concept, right?!). Unless their profession was something that brought them great joy or directly helps others, to work anymore than necessary would have been silly to them, as that would have taken away time from the things that really mattered to them: family and friends.

They might not have the cash to buy a yacht or a month’s stay at the Ritz Carlton, but their wealthy in so many non-material ways.

27. You understand what it means to be truly generous.

Growing up I thought being über generous meant to tip 20%, donate old clothes to Goodwill, and to occasionally share the nachos at sporting events.

I only learned what it meant to be truly generous after traveling abroad. Without fail, I consistently found that those with the least material goods to give—people who lived paycheck to paycheck, if there even was a paycheck at all—were the most likely to offer me a   a place to stay, a meal to eat, or even just a heartfelt smile.

While I’m not suggesting that you should give up everything you have—after all, generosity deals with more things than just money and things—it does put into perspective the sacrifices I’d been making (or not making) up until then.

Bonus benefit: you realize how lucky you are.

It’s easier than ever before to travel abroad—at least for some people. The majority of the world still has neither the money nor the freedom to leave home. Whether due to personal and professional commitments, health concerns, or a lack of rights, many would-be adventurers cannot travel at all.

When you visit places where the locals rarely travel, you truly see how lucky you are. Not only are you getting to experience a new culture, but you also become a window to the outside world for those you meet. You may indeed be the first American, Canadian, or Australian they’ve ever seen in person, and they might have lots of questions.

Having the ability to share your insights and shape the perspectives of others is a powerful and unique opportunity. You never know what your words will inspire—happiness, curiosity, anger, or perhaps change.

As you can see, the benefits of traveling abroad are numerous.

When we leave our homes, we enter into a world of personal growth, education, and adventure. We develop new skills, uncover new passions, and learn lessons that last alifetime. In these ways travel transforms you, enhancing and changing your life in the process.

And though your journey eventually comes to an end, you’re never quite the same. 

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Benefits of Travel: 14 Things Travel Teaches You

We travel for different reasons, in different ways, and to different places. The preferences vary from traveller to traveller: hot countries, cold countries, long trips, local trips, solo travel, group travel, all-inclusive, adventure holidays - and so on. 

But there is one thing all travel has in common. It teaches you the same lessons - no matter where you go, how you spend your trip, and how long you stay. The multiple benefits of travel are a common denominator for all kinds of trips, and in this article, we will list the most valuable ones.

Benefits of travel - 14 things travel teaches you:

Broadens horizons, helps to step out of the comfort zone, teaches you to appreciate diversity, develops tolerance, improves endurance, increases flexibility, trains assertiveness, proves the importance of research, brings communication skills to the next level, lets you make international connections, verifies relationships, makes you comfortable in your own company, allows you to get to know yourself better.

• Gives an opportunity to adopt new habits and/or traditions  

Travelling opens your eyes to things you never considered before. One of the main benefits of travel is collecting new experiences. They can be physical, emotional, or psychological. 

For example, trying local cuisines may have you tasting dishes you never knew existed. Perhaps you will come across an ingredient you would never consider using on a daily basis, but once you swallow your prejudices, it will turn out yummier than you expected.

Trips also have the power of making you realise the world has a lot to offer. Leaving home may seem scary or unnecessary at first. But when you overcome the initial fear, you discover that you shouldn’t have worried and that the pros of exploring new places outweigh the cons. 

Every trip to somewhere you have never been before is a huge step out of your comfort zone. You have to figure out everything - transport, finances, accommodation, local customs, or how to navigate the city or country.  

Embracing the unknown becomes significantly smoother with the right technological solutions, such as custom software development for travel , ensuring a seamless experience from planning to execution.

Integrating AI in the travel industry further enhances this journey, offering personalized recommendations and real-time support that make stepping out of your comfort zone not just a challenge, but an adventure to look forward to.

The fact you are planning to travel somewhere you have never been before is an additional challenge. It takes a lot of courage to venture to an unknown place and trust that the research you have conducted will ensure a good stay. 

The language barrier is often another difficulty many travellers need to face. Communicating with someone who doesn’t speak your native language is a fantastic exercise to increase your confidence and prove to yourself that you can find your way out of any situation. 

When we stay in our bubble for a long time, we get used to our own ways. We all have our rituals and best practices, a routine we follow on a daily basis. 

Why is travel good for you? It helps you discover that there are other ways of doing things, and that they are all equally great. 

You may not agree with everything you see or experience during your trips. But just knowing about them will open your eyes to how beautifully different we all are. 

Most people travel because they want to discover something new, unordinary. If every corner of the world was the same, there would be no reason for us to go anywhere.

What makes travel so alluring and life so entertaining is the diversity. Different people, different habits, different cultures, different landscapes. All of it attracts us to the notion of travelling and the more we see, the more open-minded we become. 

Prejudices are born out of fear. It’s easy to judge the unknown and form opinions about things we have never personally seen or experienced.

One of the main benefits of travel is witnessing many things you wouldn’t if you stayed at home. You can talk to people with different habits and learn their points of view. 

And just like that, something foreign will become easier to sympathise with. It will no longer be just a tale from another country or continent but a personal story - something you have seen or done. 

You don’t have to start practising the things you discover during your travels. But just understanding them is a step towards increasing your tolerance for everything that is different from what you are used to. 

During your travels, not everything will go as planned. There will be many emergencies and last-minute decisions which need to be taken sooner than you can blink. 

Of course, you can minimise the risk of unexpected turns of events by preparing a detailed travel plan beforehand. But still, no matter how good of a planner you are , certain things just remain out of your control.

Situations like that generate stress, but they are also perfect real-life lessons which help you build up your endurance. The more surprises you experience, the more used to them you become. You work out a course of action, which you can then implement each time something goes wrong. 

What used to be a cause of a minor emotional breakdown, at some point becomes just a minor inconvenience thanks to the unpredictability of travel. 

Next to endurance, flexibility is another must-have trait of every traveller. Not only does travel teach you to keep your cool in case of emergencies - it also allows you to develop the ability to think on the spot and quickly come up with new solutions.

Delayed or cancelled flights are (sadly) a norm these days. Frequent travel has you always thinking of a plan B in case plan A doesn’t work out. You start to avoid strict schedules and leave enough time for eventual adjustments in your travel plan. 

If you absolutely need a detailed plan, you can make use of a travel time calculator . It allows you to establish how much time you'll need approximately to get from point A to point B. You can also calculate how much petrol you'll need for that endeavour if you're going by car to predict the costs, as well as the time frame. 

If your original accommodation doesn’t live up to your expectations, you collect resources to use to quickly find new lodgings in case it ever happens again. Generally, you learn to turn each negative experience into a chance to improve, and that makes you more resourceful with every trip you make. 

For added security, you can also place the correct luggage tags with your details on your suitcases and luggage in advance, in case they arrive on different flights. 

What do people learn from travelling? How to say no, in literally every situation you can imagine.

It can be when someone is trying to sell you a souvenir you don’t want or need. Perhaps when you are trying to negotiate your terms, and someone is convincing you another deal is much better. Or maybe when you need to fight for a refund you know you deserve but which someone is refusing to give you. 

Being flexible and adaptable doesn’t mean being a doormat. You deserve to plan an unforgettable experience and benefit from every aspect of it. Travelling often comes with having to put your foot down - a skill that is hard to get but valuable to have. 

It is in your best interest to do thorough research before embarking on a trip. After all, how else would you know anything about a place you have never been to before?

When you travel, you build up a collection of favourite resources to look for information. These days, obtaining advice is easier than ever - there is a magnitude of travel blogs to choose from. Even TikTok has become a place people often turn to for useful travel hacks.

The amount of information is exactly why you should be more careful now than ever. Only use data obtained from verified resources you know you can trust. 

When looking for tips and tricks or local recommendations, primarily ask around among the people you personally know. Maybe one of your friends or family members has visited the place you plan to go and can share some personal advice or trustworthy sources of information.

Pro tip: even if a site seems trustworthy, check the date when it was last updated. Even the most useful recommendations have no value if they are outdated.

Another thing to watch out for is scams. Double-check every travel agency, accommodation provider, or trip organiser. Look for actual testimonials and verify how many results come up when you Google the name. See if the provided contact details are accurate and if the address matches. 

If in doubt, don’t hesitate to call and ask your questions. If it still seems fishy, look somewhere else. It is better to pay a bit more for guaranteed quality than save on a questionable experience or even be scammed. 

When planning a trip, you have to make many calls and send countless messages. During the travel itself, you are in touch with multiple people speaking a variety of languages. 

If you find it difficult to talk to strangers, travelling will change that. You may never be fully comfortable with initiating conversation, but you can definitely get used to it. 

When it’s your comfort on the line, it’s likely you will eventually give in and make that dreaded call. When travelling to unknown places, you really don’t want to leave too much up to luck and count on the best scenario. 

Additionally, one of the main benefits of travel is making new connections. Talking to the locals is one of the most gratifying elements of every trip, so don’t let your insecurities stop you. 

Once you survive a conversation with someone speaking an entirely different language, your confidence levels will skyrocket. You will prove to yourself that you can do anything. 

No matter if you travel solo or with company, there will always be people you can talk to. Perhaps solo travellers may feel more inclined to make new friends to have someone to interact with. But for some, it is easier to meet new people when in the company of somebody you already know.

You can strike up a conversation with a fellow traveller and exchange tips and tricks. You may also approach a local for personal insights. Not even the most detailed travel guide will be able to provide you with the knowledge someone who lives in a certain place can share. 

Additionally, knowing people in different corners of the world allows you to discover new, useful travel resources. For example, if you have never needed a visa before, someone who has can recommend you ways in which obtaining it will be easier. They might tell you that for streamlined travel preparations, especially regarding visas, services like PassportVisa.org can be invaluable, simplifying your journey.

Having friends all around the world is wonderful. It has its limitations, such as the necessity to maintain long-term relationships. They take effort to upkeep, but are incredibly rewarding if you succeed.

Making a friend during your trip will also give you a reason to go back someday. If you are close enough, you may even be able to benefit from free accommodation during your next stay, and repay the favour by inviting them over to visit you. 

Not to mention, having international friends brings new points of view and refreshing perspectives into your life. When you meet someone from another country, you get to know the place on a deeper level as well. 

There is no better way to get to know someone better than to travel with them. When travelling, you remove yourself from familiar territory, start living under different conditions, and develop new habits.

Oftentimes, you have to turn your life around to adjust to the reality of travelling. Such a big change is a true test for people who embark on a journey together. 

Travel may subject you to unexpected situations, unwanted changes, and difficult choices. Additionally, everyone has a different style of travelling. Every traveller expects to meet different goals and approaches each trip with various expectations.

Some prefer the slow travel experience , while others favour intense trips. While one person would like to relax on a holiday, another may want to pack the itinerary with activities.

Such aspects need to be discussed with every friend, family member, or partner we choose to travel with. Often, a compromise needs to be made, if it turns out the expectations of each side don’t match. 

Living under special conditions and outside of one’s comfort zone can sometimes bring out a side of us we don’t normally show. It’s not uncommon if not even we had been aware we had such a side!

Travelling together can turn out to be a bigger challenge than you may expect. It can tighten the bonds, or it can drive a wedge between people. Even if you think you know the person or people you plan to travel with, make sure to discuss every aspect of your journey together to avoid possible misunderstandings. 

This point is especially valid for solo travellers. It is a topic which is not mentioned nearly enough when talking about solo travel, and many people find it surprising when they experience it on their own.

Namely, you spend a lot of time alone when you travel on your own. Many travel bloggers prefer to avoid mentioning that aspect, showing the cheerful reality of being surrounded by newly made friends 24/7.

The truth is, it will take a while for you to make friends while you travel. Additionally, the people you meet may have different plans than you. Fellow travellers would have likely come with their own itinerary which won’t always match yours step for step. Locals may be at work and have other duties preventing them from dedicating all their time to you.

So while you should expect to make friends, do also prepare to spend some time by yourself. If you sleep at a hostel, you will likely be surrounded by like-minded people most of the time, but may be alone during your daily escapades. If you rent a hotel room or an Airbnb, you will be in your own company a lot more. 

But being by yourself is not necessarily bad. Travelling helps you learn new things about yourself. When you are alone, you have the time to reflect on things you might normally skip over. We all need some me-time once in a while - even the biggest of extroverts - so appreciate that opportunity. 

When you travel, you won’t only learn about new places. You will also find out a lot about yourself.

As we have already mentioned, travel forces you into a special mode, which is often very different from how you normally operate in your everyday life. You are surrounded by the unknown, have to rely on yourself (and whoever you’re with, if you have company), and need to adjust to certain conditions. 

You might need to make decisions you would never have had to at home, or listen to your instincts in case of emergencies. The truth is, you won’t really find out who you are at your core and what you are capable of until you’re pushed out of your comfort zone. 

When you travel, you find out who you are on an unknown ground where nobody is watching, and you may be positively surprised at what you learn. 

Gives an opportunity to adopt new habits and/or traditions

One of the main benefits of travel is discovering new cultures. You will likely come across customs you didn’t know existed. You will like some of them more than others, but if they catch your attention, why not bring them home with you?

If you happen to spend your New Year’s Eve in Spain, you might adopt the tradition of consuming twelve grapes at midnight. If you spend Christmas in Germany, you may bring home a gherkin-shaped ornament to decorate your Christmas tree from now on. 

A new custom is one of the best souvenirs you can come back with. As important as nurturing your own traditions is, it’s not impossible to pair them with new ones. 

Not to mention, it’s a great conversation starter. Imagine being asked about a peculiar habit you have observed abroad and inspiring someone else to introduce it into their life as well. It’s like being an influencer!  

Bear in mind, this is not an exhaustive list of the benefits of travel. In reality, things travel teaches you are never-ending, and every traveller decides for themselves which lessons are the most valuable to them. 

Every trip is different so whenever you travel, you learn something new. It’s a good idea to write your thoughts after every trip in a travel journal and draw conclusions for the future. 

Can you think of any other things travel teaches you? If there are any benefits of travel that are important to you but weren’t mentioned here, feel free to drop them in the comments!

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7 Benefits of Traveling

In this day and age, traveling is a much simpler affair than it used to be in the past, especially with the help of immigration lawyers . For instance, if you want to travel to France, you can book your hotel and plane tickets online and even order a parcel delivery to France in advance. It is a comfortable situation that makes the whole process of traveling much more manageable.

Besides, traveling comes with a lot of other benefits. It might improve your communication skills and broaden your horizons. Additionally, it can help you make unforgettable memories and forget about your daily troubles. Here are some of the best benefits of traveling you should know about. And most importantly, you can now travel and work if your employer allows it of course. This will give you the relaxing benefit of travel and still be able to make money. If you’re also in need of something which can make your journey more comfortable, you can carry vape carts while traveling , naturally, if permitted by the applicable laws and regulations.

Traveling Makes You More Mentally and Physically Healthy

Traveling is reported to have a positive impact on health. It can boost your immune system, improve your mood, and alleviate stress. For example, traveling is said to lower the risk of suffering a heart attack significantly.

In addition, traveling may enhance your general physical fitness and make you more mentally agile. All in all, traveling has a positive effect on both your mind and body. As such, you should try to travel a bit more than usual.

Traveling Can Improve Your Communication Skills

When you travel to another country, you interact with people who are unfamiliar with your language, culture, or customs. Therefore, you will often find yourself in situations where you need to communicate in a foreign language , or you will need to come up with creative ways to illustrate your thoughts without the help of words. It means that traveling to a new place can help you become more flexible when communicating.

Traveling Can Expand Your Horizons

No matter how much time you spend at home, there are only so many things that you can do there. If you want to expand your horizons and try something new, you will need to travel to an entirely new destination and immerse yourself in its culture. It allows you to see things from a completely different perspective and learn new things about the world you share with others. When you embark on such journeys, packing your bags becomes an exciting ritual. Amidst your travel essentials, one item that stands out is your trusty travel hat . This humble yet indispensable accessory serves as a symbol of your adventurous spirit and a shield against the elements.

Traveling Can Make You More Mindful of Other People’s Culture and Values

When you travel to other countries and get to know their inhabitants better, they will likely teach you something new about their culture and share their values with you. As soon as you realize that other cultures also have something unique to offer, it is easier for you to appreciate them more and be more respectful towards them in general. This experience also makes it easier for you to understand others’ customs better and respect individuals’ differences from each other.

Traveling Can Help You Make Memorable Memories

Have you ever looked back on your life and thought about all the unforgettable memories you have created? If not, then you probably need to try traveling more often. When you travel, you often find yourself in situations that are pretty unordinary or even outrageous. Many of these situations are enough to create unforgettable memories, ideal for using a photo calendar and making those memories last forever.

Traveling Can Help You Forget About Your Daily Troubles

If you have any troubles back at home, a trip to a place far away can be just what you need. Of course, this does not mean that your problems will go away for good while you are gone. However, you will have an easier time dealing with them after recharging your batteries and relaxing for a little while.

Traveling Can Help You Meet New People and Mingle With Them

Traveling allows you to meet new people from different cultures and backgrounds. The best thing about this is that when these people get to know you better, they may share their stories with you and teach you some new stuff. Moreover, people who travel also learn new things every day by observing other people’s behavior or visiting new places.

By interacting with other people on your travels, you open yourself up for more experiences that can help you grow as a human being. It is one of the most significant advantages of traveling.

Traveling is a great way to boost your health, broaden your horizons, and make memorable memories. It also helps you improve your communication skills, broaden your horizons, learn new things about other cultures, and forget about your daily troubles for a while. All of these benefits show that traveling can not only keep you healthier but also bring more fun and excitement to your life.

If you have never traveled before, now is your chance to do it! Do not be afraid to break your dull routine and bring more positive changes to your personal life. It can completely change the way you look at the world and make you a much happier person in general. Good luck and have fun!

As you embark on the enriching journey of traveling, don’t overlook the convenience of combining exploration with the practicality of owning a reliable vehicle. While indulging in the benefits of travel, consider the freedom and flexibility that come with having your own transportation, especially in a vibrant city like Calgary. Imagine cruising through the picturesque landscapes or navigating the city’s cultural hotspots with the ease of a well-maintained vehicle. When contemplating your next adventure, whether it’s within the city or beyond, explore the local market for used cars Calgary .

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The Educational Benefits of Travel

• Posted March 19, 2021
• By Gianna Cacciatore
• Entrepreneurship
• Global Education
• Informal and Out-of-School Learning

Master’s student Yasmine El Baggari has been to all 50 states. And she hasn’t just “been” to them in a casual, check-off-the-box way. She has been to them, for extended trips, staying in the homes of more than 250 families, riding countless Greyhound buses, and fostering thousands of genuine connections across cultures.

Originally from Morocco, El Baggari decided that she wanted to travel the United States by bus when she was 17, starting from Kansas where she was living while taking part in the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange — a state-department exchange program that seeks to dismantle stereotypes about Morocco, Africa, and the Middle East in the United States. “I told myself, if I can break down stereotypes in Kansas, I can do it in all 50 states,’’ says El Baggari. She continued her travels across the U.S. through college and beyond, visiting her final state — Alaska — in 2019.

Her commitment to the interpersonal and cross-cultural benefits of travel only grew from there, with additional visits to 50 countries. Six years ago, El Baggari founded Voyaj , an international exchange company that seeks to break down cultural stereotypes and foster a sense of global interconnectedness through travel experiences. Voyaj connects people of all ages with others in their destination country who share their interests and values, “in order to have a deeper cultural experience through their lens,” El Baggari explains.

The program, currently being piloted with select communities, has facilitated journeys for its clients to more than 40 countries, including France, Morocco, and the United States. Hosts open their homes to travelers, who then open their hearts and minds to embrace new cultures. The Voyaj process is planned to work through the Voyaj website, where travelers will be able to sign-up, arrange homestays, and share stories about their journeys.

El Baggari’s work at Voyaj, which is currently a venture at the Harvard iLab , is grounded in the belief that when humans from different backgrounds form authentic connections, our increased global understanding can help lead to a more peaceful world. Learning more about how the human mind works while at the Ed School has given her insight into the factors at play when two strangers sit down and form a deep bond, despite their different social contexts — factors she learned anecdotally from her travel experiences. This developmental knowledge, El Baggari believes, will help her understand cross-cultural connections, even when stereotypes, walls, and borders stand in the way.

“It is so important to realize that we aren’t really that different, and that we can embrace any perceived or real differences and identify our commonalities,” she explains.  

When COVID-19 restricted travel, Voyaj created remote opportunities for connection, facilitating online experiences for people around the globe. While these gatherings lack the allure of an international, in-person experience, they have addressed some of the social ills exacerbated by the pandemic like loneliness and isolation. “That’s one of the positive sides of COVID: More communities are looking to connect and to do so more deeply,” says El Baggari. “Because of the isolation, people are eager to meet. These virtual experiences have proven meaningful.”

El Baggari expects the evolution of Voyaj to continue — even as she concurrently focuses on her ultimate travel goal: becoming an astronaut through Space For Humanity’s sponsored citizen astronaut mission. With the support of her global team, she is running pilots for the upcoming Voyaj app, as well working to form partnerships with other exchange and travel organizations in the United States, New Zealand, Morocco, and elsewhere.

El Baggari believes that travel is about more than place. It is about people: the people you see, the people you meet, and the people who change you along the way. “I believe we have the opportunity to learn at every moment from every encounter,” says El Baggari. “We’re here, and alive! We’ve got to connect, to open and share our cultures, and realize who we truly are.”

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What Are the Pros and Cons of Traveling Abroad?

Find Out Whether International Travel Is Right for You

Visiting another country can reward you in many ways, but you will also encounter issues you would not face at home. Here are some points to consider as you think about traveling abroad.

What's in It for Me?

• History - There is something special about standing where history happened. Whether you want to take a photo from Catherine the Great’s doorstep at St. Petersburg’s Winter Palace or walk along the Great Wall of China, there is an unmistakable thrill that comes from being where history was made.
• World Cultures - Some travelers want to immerse themselves in another culture, trying everything from local foods to traditional sports. If you would like to travel like a local, choose a “home base” and rent an apartment or cottage where you can buy groceries, take walks, experience festivals and hang out with the neighborhood denizens. You will come away feeling you have really learned about your chosen city or region.
• Food Adventures - For some vacationers, it’s all about the food. You might want to taste all the dishes you have seen on an episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern or learn how to make veal marsala. If culinary adventures appeal to you, consider combining your trip abroad with cooking lessons or a wine tasting tour.
• Sense of Accomplishment - Travel can be challenging if you are unfamiliar with the language, customs and cuisine of your destination country. For some travelers, that’s part of the fun. When you unscramble the dinner menu or finally board the right bus, you will feel an adrenaline rush and a sense of pride.
• Dream Destinations - Perhaps your grandfather told you stories about Lake Como or played Hawaiian traditional music for you, and those experiences inspired you to consider traveling abroad. If you can supply an answer to “I’ve always wanted to visit (blank) because..." in five seconds or less, consider crossing a border or two during your next trip.
• Learning Experiences - According to the American Society on Aging, your brain continues to make new cells and establish nerve connections throughout life. For this to happen, you must exercise your brain. Combining travel with learning experiences can keep your brain as healthy as the rest of your body.
• Wonders of the World - Some travelers like to make lists of related destinations – such as the New 7 Wonders Of the World – and visit each place on their list. If you are looking for a worldwide travel project and climbing the Seven Summits isn’t your thing, a visit to each of the New 7 Wonders of the World could be just the project you’re looking for.
• Family Connections - Many travelers decide to visit their ancestors’ homeland on their first trip abroad. Genealogy is an extremely popular hobby, and there is nothing quite like doing your research on-scene . You might see the buildings your ancestors lived in or meet a distant cousin. Finding new information about your ancestors and immersing yourself in their culture will add new dimensions to your family history research.

What Problems Could I Encounter While Traveling Abroad?

• Language Difficulties - Learning a few words in another language can be a daunting experience. If language barriers bother you, but you would still like to visit another country, consider traveling with a tour group.
• Increased Cost - Transportation costs add up quickly. If you want to travel to another country, you may discover that transportation costs use up a large portion of your budget. Save money by booking a tour or cruise through a travel agent who has access to promotions and discounts.
• Poor Accessibility - Some destinations are not wheelchair-friendly. Elevators are narrow, important places do not have elevators or wheelchair ramps and curbs lack cuts. Subway travel might prove difficult – long staircases are a hallmark of subway stations – so you will need to check on elevator availability and learn how to request assistance before you travel. Check with a travel agent who specializes in accessible travel to find the best destinations for persons with your particular disability.
• Dietary Issues - If you like to eat certain types of food – meat and potatoes, for example – expect to pay a premium for the meals you prefer when you travel abroad. Dietary restrictions and food allergies may present special problems. Wherever you travel, bring along a menu translation card or dictionary so you can discuss dining options with the wait staff.
• Safety - While you can avoid most travel-related crimes by wearing a money belt, securing your valuables in hotel safes and staying away from high-crime areas, safety is still an important concern. You will need to identify safe places to stay and learn how to avoid scams and pickpockets .
• Passport Problems - If you are traveling on the spur of the moment, you might not have time to get a passport. As soon as you think you might want to travel abroad, find out how to apply for a passport and start the application process.

How Can I Minimize Problems and Still Travel Abroad?

If you do not want to plan every detail of your trip, consider an escorted tour or international cruise. An independent tour, where the tour operator handles travel logistics but does not hold you to a set itinerary, might help you deal with details while giving you more schedule flexibility. Traveling with an experienced companion could be a cost-conscious way to see the world with a readily available helper.

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Advantages And Disadvantages Of Traveling

by Melissa Giroux | Last updated Dec 31, 2023 | Travel Tips

When it comes to traveling, it can look like it’s all sunshine and rainbows on social media (and sometimes it really is).

However, like with anything in life, there are some pros and cons to the travel lifestyle, especially when it comes to long-term travel or solo travel.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of traveling so that you can decide if traveling is the right option for you.

Advantages Of Traveling

Let’s take a look at the main advantages of traveling the world.

Adventures And New Experiences

Without a doubt, the biggest plus to traveling is all of the new experiences you will get across the world. These are usually experiences you wouldn’t have otherwise like staying with local hill tribes in Thailand or snorkeling with sharks in Australia .

A lot of time while traveling is spent prioritizing having fun and experiencing new adventures, which is so different from our usual daily lives. You can create memories that last a lifetime while traveling, and this is definitely a huge plus when it comes to looking at the advantages of traveling.

Experience New Cultures

You can expand your mind and open yourself up to new cultures and ideologies while traveling. During travel, you are coming into contact with cultures and people that you might not have come into otherwise.

Immersing yourself in the culture of another country can be an opportunity for a lot of learning, and you will see the world through fresh eyes and with a completely new perspective once you get to see how other people live.

Personal Growth

During travel, you spend a lot of time outside of your comfort zone, which leads to a lot of growth at a rapid pace! You will grow to be more independent, even if you are traveling with others.

This can be a great way to gain more confidence too, and learn more about yourself, especially when traveling alone.

Traveling can bring a lot of clarity when it comes to how you want your life to be in the future.

Without the regular stressors of day-to-day life, your mind is clearer to start seeing what is really important to you for your life and your future.

Lower Cost Of Living

Depending on where you travel, your day-to-day living expenses could end up being much cheaper than in your own country. If you are working while traveling, you might even end up saving some money.

The great thing is, you will have the option of doing things on the cheap in the majority of places that are popular with travelers. You will be in a position to choose a hostel over an expensive hotel in more places.

Make New Friends

You will meet people from all over the world that you would not have met otherwise.

It often happens that you make deep and meaningful connections with people extremely quickly while traveling.

This has a lot to do with the fact that a lot of travelers will be on a similar wavelength to each other. Most people you will come across are in search of adventure and connection.

Depending on where you are traveling, you might meet people several times if they are on a similar route to you. If you are traveling solo, you might even find some people to travel with from time to time.

It’s also an incredible excuse to see more of the world by visiting your new friends in the future.

Disadvantages Of Traveling

Of course, there are also some disadvantages of traveling. Here are a few things to remember before booking your trip.

It Can Be Expensive

Although your cost of living may be cheaper than in your home country, if you’re not working while traveling, you could go through your hard-earned savings quite quickly. This is especially true if you are traveling to more expensive places like Europe or Australia.

Staying in hotels, eating in Western restaurants, or taking part in organized group tours are all likely to burn through your savings very quickly.

If you are willing to travel on the cheap and stay in hostels while only eating local food, you can definitely stretch your money much further.

This is an unavoidable part of travel, unfortunately. Whether it’s from food, water, or some mysterious source, the vast majority of people traveling long-term pick up some sort of sickness from time to time.

It can range from a simple tummy bug for 24 hours, to fully-fledged food poisoning that could require medical attention. 

It Can Be Lonely

Particularly if you’re traveling solo, there can be moments of loneliness while traveling. If you are in a country that has fewer solo travelers or backpackers than others, it can sometimes be difficult to make connections and people can end up spending a lot of time on their own.

Homesickness

This is often something that holds people back from travel, and for good reason. Being homesick is a huge drawback for a lot of people when it comes to traveling.

Some people struggle with the thoughts of missing important occasions and milestones with their family at home. It’s also tough to imagine being away from home in case of an emergency.

Final Thoughts On Pros And Cons Of Traveling

So, what’s the verdict? There are advantages and disadvantages of traveling. It all comes down to what your priorities are.

I hope this guide helped you understand some of the advantages and disadvantages of traveling.

Ultimately, the decision comes down to your personal preferences and needs.

Consider your savings, opportunities for adventure, time away from loved ones, and personal growth, and decide what works best for you at the moment.

Want more travel tips? Read one of the following blog posts:

• Tips for staying in hostels
• Advantages and disadvantages of staying in a hotel

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Is a travel agent worth it the pros and cons.

Travel experts agree there are several advantages to hiring a vacation planner.

The Pros & Cons of Using a Travel Agent

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A travel agent can save you money and time.

Need to pivot your trip plans but don't want to deal with the extra time, money and hassle of rebooking flights and accommodations on your own? That's just one area where a knowledgeable travel agent (also commonly known as a travel advisor) can help. Read on to discover the other benefits – as well as the downsides – of using a travel agent, so you can confidently decide whether or not a travel agent is worth it for your next trip.

The Pros of Using a Travel Agent

Travel agents can save you money – and get you other perks.

"In some cases, you'll actually get a better  deal by working with a travel agent," says Jackie Steele, travel expert at MagicGuides . "This could be in the form of a cruise onboard credit (free spending money to use on the ship), access to special agency/group rates, or even just learning about a discount you qualify for but weren't aware of." The best agents will even keep an eye on new discounts as they're announced and apply them to your trip even after you've booked, he notes.

Travel agents handle all the details

Hotel room? Booked. Dinner reservations? Made. Tour tickets? Ready to go. A travel agent handles every detail of your vacation itinerary. "The traveler still gets to be involved in the fun part of dreaming up ideas and providing their travel wishes, while we take and perfect them," says Jessica Parker, founder of Trip Whisperer .

Molly McShea, owner and travel advisor at McShea Travel , points out that travel agents can also help with timing logistics. "Travel agents know how many days should be spent in each destination, which tours go together, and how many things you should do in a day," she says, adding that crafting an itinerary can be challenging if it's not something you regularly do. Additionally, travel agents can help you choose the best time to visit your preferred destination(s) based on seasonality and your budget, and sift through travel insurance policies to find the best option for your needs.

Travel agents can provide local expertise

"A travel advisor's industry connections and relationships provide added value to their clients," says Valerie Edman, a luxury travel advisor and agency owner at Cultured Travel LLC. She says when working with a travel agent, travelers gain access to a global network of connections including:

• In-destination specialists who work exclusively with travel advisors and can connect travelers with unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences they wouldn't otherwise know about
• Exclusive experiences not available to the general public

You'll avoid surprise fees

When deciding if a travel agent is worth it for you, remember this: A reputable agent can guarantee you won't encounter any surprise fees on accommodations and activities once your trip is booked.

You'll have someone to troubleshoot unexpected travel issues

A travel advisor is essentially your personal vacation concierge. "Because they've been around for so long, agents really know what to look for," says Christopher Elliott , a consumer advocate and journalist. "Travel agents are among the first to know about flight cancellations and delays , making it easy for them to rebook itineraries right away." 

The Cons of Using a Travel Agent

It might not be your cheapest option.

There are some instances when it makes more sense to plan your own trip. "If you're planning a quick flight from New York City to Los Angeles, it's easy enough to book it yourself online directly or through a third-party booking site," says Elliott. "If you're planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip or bucket list honeymoon , that's when you call the experts."

You'll have less flexibility in your itinerary

The upside of working with a travel agent is having someone plan an epic vacation for you based on industry knowledge and local expertise. But this can also be a downside in the event you discover an activity you'd like to do or a restaurant you'd like to try that isn't on your pre-planned itinerary. If you alter your plans, you risk losing money; plus, the time it takes for you and your travel agent to coordinate your change of plans may not be worth the hassle.

You still have to do some research

It's important to find an agent you can trust, which means you still have to do some of the vacation planning. For this part, Parker recommends picking up the phone. "Lots of people avoid or don't pick up the phone as much anymore," she says. "That's where you get the high-touch service, tone of voice, excitement or concerns to manage." She advises to look for the following red flags:

• No fees: " Travel advisors are charging planning fees more now or increasing them, so the client knows more confidently than ever, we work for them, not the suppliers with the best commissions," Parker explains. "There are a lot of things that are non-commissionable and the advisor's time and expertise shouldn't be given away for free, either. That's the best way to show an advisor takes their business seriously."
• Limited options: If you work with someone who is inexperienced or has an incentive to book you with a certain supplier, they may not be prioritizing your best interests. "It's important to check if they are with a larger consortia, accreditations and network, typically listed on their website and signatures," says Parker. "That level of mindshare doesn't come with a lone advisor unless they have many, many years of experience."
• Slow response times: If communication is delayed, that's a sign they may be too busy to plan your trip – but again, this is something you can avoid by having the right conversations early on.

Edman suggestes starting your search with the American Society of Travel Advisors . "ASTA-verified travel advisors are committed to the highest industry standards and have verifiable industry knowledge so consumers can feel confident in working with them," she says.

You might also be interested in:

• Is Travel Insurance Worth It?
• First-Time Cruise Tips
• Carry-on Luggage Sizes by Airline
• What to Pack in Your Carry-on Bag
• The Best Luggage Brands

Tags: Travel , Travel Tips

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Advantages of Private Jet Ownership for Business Executives or Corporate Travel

May 29, 2024

In the fast-paced world of business, time is of the essence and efficiency is paramount. For business executives, the ability to travel swiftly and seamlessly can make all the difference in maintaining a competitive edge and seizing opportunities. This is where private jet ownersh ip emerges as a game-changer, offering a host of benefits that cater specifically to the needs of busy corporate leaders.

As business is now conducted anywhere, some executives may prefer to complement an extensive travel schedule with a private jet solution. No longer is it solely CEOs and presidents who can benefit from the private jet model of company travel.

In this article, learn about the distinct advantages of private jet travel for business executives and which program allows for the best investment while keeping your flight options flexible and convenient.

Unparalleled Flexibility and Time Savings

One of the most compelling advantages of private jet ownership for business executives is the unparalleled flexibility it provides. With a privately owned jet at their disposal, executives have the freedom to create customized travel itineraries that align with their demanding schedules. Gone are the days of adhering to rigid commercial flight timetables or dealing with the uncertainties of layovers and delays. Private jet owners can depart and arrive at their convenience, maximizing productivity, minimizing travel-related stress, hotel nights and ground travel from commercial airports that are often located far from their true destination.

At Flexjet, our efficiency translates into more time for crucial business endeavors, whether it’s sealing a high-stakes deal, attending multiple meetings in different cities, or simply returning home to be with family without delay. When you fly on Flexjet’s shared ownership fleet, you also benefit from the exceptional flexibility and service culture of one of the world’s leading private aviation groups. Having the freedom to fly spontaneously, conduct last-minute or location-sensitive business, or even split time between a few favorite destinations is a true travel advantage.

Enhanced Productivity and Privacy

For business executives, a private jet serves as a mobile office that fosters unparalleled productivity and discretion. With the ability to conduct confidential discussions, hold impromptu meetings and engage in focused work en route, private jet ownership enables executives and their teams to make the most of their travel time. This level of uninterrupted productivity can be ideal, allowing executives to stay ahead of the curve and make strategic decisions while in transit.

Furthermore, the privacy afforded by private jet travel is invaluable for business leaders who handle sensitive information and high-profile negotiations. Away from the public eye and the potential distractions of commercial flights, executives can strategize, brainstorm and collaborate with colleagues or clients in a secure and secluded environment.

A fractional fleet like Flexjet’s provides even more privacy than a corporate-owned aircraft as the tail number always ties back to Flexjet and not the company or individual that may own the aircraft.  This is particularly valuable in times leading up to mergers and acquisitions and in avoiding social-media flight trackers.

This level of confidentiality and exclusivity can significantly enhance the business outcomes of each trip, setting private jet owners apart in their ability to maintain a competitive edge.

Seamless Access to In-Demand Locations

In the realm of mergers and acquisitions, opportunities often arise in locales that are not efficiently serviced by commercial airlines. Private jet ownership equips business executives with the ability to swiftly reach remote or underserved destinations, opening up a world of possibilities for expanding business operations, pursuing investment prospects and cultivating valuable relationships.

Whether it’s a burgeoning market in a small town or a burgeoning industry in an isolated region, private jet owners have the advantage of seamless access to places that may be off the beaten path for commercial carriers.

Additionally, Flexjet’s fleet of private helicopters can provide easy, comfortable access to ultra-remote or hard-to-reach regional locations. Arrive in total comfort, while creating more time for yourself. Redefine how you see your next tedious or traffic-heavy commute as an opportunity for greater efficiency.

Currently, Flexjet offers several global flight facilities including our renowned Exclusive Private Terminal s are available in high-demand locations including New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport (ICAO: KTEB); Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York (ICAO: KHPN); Dallas Love Field in Dallas, Texas (ICAO: KDAL); Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, California (ICAO: KVNY) and Naples Airport in Florida (KAPF).

Private Jet Costs and Asset Management

While the upfront costs of private jet ownership are substantial, the financial considerations must be viewed in the context of the long-term advantages and potential savings. Business executives who frequently travel for corporate affairs can benefit from the cost-efficiency of owning a jet, particularly when compared to the cumulative expenses associated with commercial travel, such as last-minute ticket purchases, premium seating and overnight stays due to flight schedules.

Additionally, private jet ownership can be viewed as an asset management strategy, offering potential tax benefits and the ability to capitalize on the jet’s residual value. With proper planning and financial oversight, the acquisition and operation of a private jet can be a sound investment that aligns with the overall financial objectives of business executives.

By leasing a private jet, business fliers avoid the substantial premium and capital risk associated with outright ownership while still enjoying flexibility in terms of aircraft access and flight availability during high-traffic portions of the calendar. Additionally, when you lease from Flexjet, you will benefit from industry-leading inflight experiences, access to the latest fleet of aircraft and a dedicated team of experts to assist you with all of your private aviation needs.

Aircraft leasing requires an initial capital outlay that falls between that associated with fractional jet ownership and a jet card. Without having to take on the upfront costs of owning an asset, including depreciation risks, leasing with Flexjet is a smart choice for those who desire the benefits of fractional ownership but wish to avoid a large upfront investment.

By embracing the freedom and efficiency that private jet travel affords – executives can elevate their professional endeavors and propel their organizations to new heights in the global marketplace.

To discover more about Flexjet  fractional jet ownership , corporate private jet travel or jet lease programs and beyond, contact our team  via our website .

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