You Can’t Time Travel, but You Can Spend Time Traveling!
Publishing Solutions Group
Full-service development, production, translation and audio for print & digital products. K-16. SOWMBA certified.
By Lucy Rime
Spring 2024 Intern
Introduction: The Impact of Travel
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Traveling: planes, trains, and automobiles! There are multiple ways to do it. Traveling could be hopping on a plane to another country for a month, taking a train to visit a relative for a couple of days, or driving across Europe or through multiple states. I wasn’t much of a traveler for most of my life, not understanding the appeal and preferring to spend my breaks and holidays doing local activities with friends and family. However, once I spent four months studying abroad, I realized what I had been missing out on for so many years: the chance to see the world, to experience other cultures, to meet new people, and to try new things. Your next trip could end up being exactly what you’re looking for. Let me explain why!
Travel Insight: How people travel in the United States
What is travel? Travel is a journey, especially to a distant or unfamiliar place. In the United States, there are people constantly traveling domestically and internationally, for work or for a vacation. According to Statista, a third of Americans enjoy two to three vacations per year, while over one quarter have only traveled for business in the past year and a fifth have traveled only once. In terms of international trips, the number of outbound tourists is continually rising. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been desperate to see the world and go to new places. (I get it, I was one of them!) Passports, necessary for any travel outside of the country, are in higher demand than ever. According to ABC News, “The State Department received a record 22 million requests last year and is on track to shatter that mark with an estimated 25 million more this year.” By the end of 2022, almost 14 million people had traveled to Europe, making it the top destination for outbound tourism outside of the Americas. Inside the United States, total domestic travel spending is a leading source of economic wealth, with the total direct spending of domestic leisure travelers amounting to $751 billion. Depending on the destination and the purpose of the journey, the mode of transportation is different for all travelers. For the quickest way to faraway places, planes are the most popular option, while trains and buses such as the Amtrak or Greyhound are more common for shorter journeys or if you have a bit more time. Cars still “dominate” the morning commute, but are not as popular for traveling over large distances, except of course for the fans of the “road trip.” So, now that you know more about how people are traveling in the United States, you might be wondering why you should travel?
The Benefits of Travel
According to TravelPort, “travel is ranked as the most enjoyable activity globally.” However, traveling isn’t just enjoyable for people who engage with it. In fact, it has been directly linked to improvements in mental health. According to a 2013 survey, adults have credited travel with their enhanced energy, attention, and focus, and traveling may even facilitate creativity. Even just the act of planning a trip and having something to look forward to can improve wellbeing, according to Cornell University. Another study from the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin claims that “women who vacation at least twice a year are less likely to suffer from depression and chronic stress.” Beyond mental health benefits, there are also direct physical health benefits to travel. A joint study from the Global Commission on Aging and Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies proves that “women who vacation at least twice a year show a significantly lower risk of suffering a heart attack in comparison with those who only travel every six years or so.” For men, those who do not take an annual vacation, “show a 20 percent higher risk of death and 30 percent greater risk of heart disease.” For myself, while I was studying abroad, I found my mental health and happiness significantly improving every day. I was filled with the excitement and inspiration of being in a new location and having the opportunity to travel to different places throughout my semester. Taking a vacation and increasing your travel time may just be exactly what the doctor ordered, whether it’s for your mental or physical health.
Drawbacks of Traveling: Can They be Avoided/Limited?
The number one complaint about traveling is how much it costs. With inflation, it has become more and more difficult to justify the cost of a more elaborate or international vacation. A study by the Bureau of Economic Analysis claims that, “prices for travel and tourism goods and services increased 7.7 percent in 2021 after decreasing 5.0 percent in 2020. The largest contributors to the increase were gasoline, traveler accommodations, and automotive rental and leasing.” Even food services have become increasingly expensive, with the U.S. Travel Association claiming food services are the highest cost for domestic travel. Along with the high cost of travel, is the time commitment. Depending on mode of transportation or distance to destination, travelers may spend more time than they have/want to get to where they need or want to go. And, if they want to save time, they may sacrifice money in the process. Last year, a round-trip domestic flight cost about $378. Gas prices, while lower than 2022 and 2023, are still “a bargain,” with the national price of unleaded gas being $3.57 as of June 2023 and $3.309 as of February 2024. Outside of the United States, prices are still quite high, with the average 7-day vacation in Europe costing close to $1,800.
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However, it is important when planning a trip to understand budgeting techniques and how to find ways to save time and money. For example, while abroad one of my biggest life hacks was taking overnight buses and trains to different countries. In fact, I took a bus from Florence, Italy to Barcelona, Spain and from Venice, Italy to Vienna, Austria. I also took an overnight train from Munich, Germany to Florence, Italy. Even though this meant sacrificing sleep, I saved lots of money by taking the bus or the train, and I saved my daylight time by traveling overnight, meaning I could be ready to go and explore when I reached my destination. I also saved lots of money on my travels by staying in hostels or splitting Airbnb costs with friends, going to the grocery store rather than eating out for every meal, and finding free activities to do in the places I traveled to. One of the best parts of a trip is planning it, and with a little research and motivation it can be easier than you might think to make a trip more affordable.
Looking for some more motivation or a place to start? Check out blogs such as Lonely Planet or Instagram social media accounts @beautifuldestinations and @natgeotravel for inspiration or just simply to see what’s out there! Also, if you are crunched for time or curious, try products such as Roam Around, which use AI to create travel itineraries that match your time and budget.
Did You Know?
According to Zippia, 84% of travelers from the United States are over the age of 40 and 57.1% of all travelers are women.
I'm convinced!