Why do people travel?

“Why do we travel the world?” – a question pretty much no-one asks, but many travellers romantically dwell on, whether they share their musings on their blogs and vlogs, have it emblazoned on their chests with some cliché quote or write it down in their personal diary. But for a lot of travellers the answer is pretty much simple and uniform – because we can.

For some, travelling is not that easy – there are barriers to entry, whether that’s a weak passport, an accessibility issue or anxiety of some form – just a handful of many reasons. But for those who can, there are multiple reasons for doing so, whether that’s a burning desire to see the world, for work purposes, to get that perfect Instagram shot (yes, there are people that travel solely for that reason) or maybe it’s just for a little respite from their day-to-day lives.

Whatever the reason, all of them are great because they lead us to discover a little bit more about our planet.

Sometimes, the opportunity to travel is merely a bonus. International superstars, musicians, professional athletes, social media personalities, flight attendants, journalists and business people are just a few examples of those who get to enjoy discovering the planet as a work perk.

However, you don’t need a specific career path to be able to take pleasure in the interest of exploring different locations. Travelling for a hobby, for example, can be a great reason to take a flight or to hit the road, especially if it’s something you already know you enjoy doing, and maybe taking it to the next level by trying it in exotic destinations will make it all the more fun.

Sightseeing, looking for historical monuments or gazing at a characteristic regional attraction are examples of hobby travel, but you can enjoy various other activities on holiday as well such as skiing in the Alps, jetting off to the Caribbean and using its islands’ crystal-clear waters for diving and snorkelling or visiting the global party capital of Ibiza and so on.

There could be several other reasons or incentives that influence the decision to head abroad, whether that’s visiting friends and family who live in another country, upping sticks and moving for your career or travelling to learn new languages and immerse yourself in a different culture.

Those who travel, whether frequently or not, may have their specific reasons for wanting to do so, but there is something that they all have in common – they do so to give themselves a better life.