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First of all, I don't think it's true that many Americans rarely travel outside of the U.S. So far, I've been to Canada, most countries in Europe, and a few Caribbean countries (incl. Bermuda here). I've encountered American tourists of all ages in all of these places. What I think some people mean when they say that Americans don't travel abroad is that they don't travel to far away countries. The threads I mentioned and a few other articles on this topic mention that only 30% of Americans currently have a passport. Still, out of a population of about 300 million it's a pretty big number. Obviously if you leave out people who are too young/old to travel, who can't travel for medical reasons, and who are in prisons and psychiatric hospitals, then the percentage of passport holders will be much higher. And don't forget that the U.S. has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world.
Now, besides such legitimate reasons as cost and little vacation time, why do people say that there's no need for an American to go abroad? Yes, they're right that the U.S. has various landscapes, climates, architecture, regional cultures and language dialects. However, you're still in the same country. For example, France has beaches (the Riviera, Corsica, the Atlantic, as well as overseas islands in the Caribbean, Pacific and the Indian Ocean), mountains, and forests. Still, many French travel to Greece, Spain, Florida, Hawaii, Thailand, etc. Maybe there are French who also say that there's no reason for them to leave France since they have a variety of landscapes plus overseas territories. I've yet to meet them.
Some people also say that distance is a factor in that it can take a long time for many to get to an international airport. Again, excluding the cost of the ticket from your regional airport to a hub airport, it can take from about 40 minutes to an hour and a half on a carrier like US Airways Express/Delta Connection to get to Atlanta, Philly, JFK, Dallas, LAX, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, etc., and from there transfer to an international flight. There are major airports offering direct flights to other countries in every region in the U.S., incl. seasonal direct flights from Alaska. It's just that Europeans I've met travel not only throughout Europe but many have been to other continents at least twice. Many frequently go to the Caribbean and Miami. Most of the Lesser Antilles are either British, French, Dutch, or British Commonwealth. They also go to Cuba and the DR. For them it's also a long flight.
P.S. I understand that not everyone is interested in foreign travel. I'm not trying to impose my view on anybody. I've been fortunate to live and travel abroad since childhood because of my parents' work.
Last edited by Marissa23; 07-22-2015 at 01:05 AM..
I haven't been to another country but I'm only 19. But there are several on my list including Canada, England, Australia, Poland, France... some of them just for the accents alone!
I've been to several European countries in my life (I'm 24) but honestly my biggest constraint is not even money, it is time. I get so little vacation time overall that it makes planning a non-rushed overseas trip very difficult. That's my personal issue with travelling more overseas.
Because every place is a wanna be America anyway...Just came from South Africa..literally adjusted within a week. Its kind of sad and disappointing. Most Americans prefer other countries in the Americas anyway.
I've been to several European countries in my life (I'm 24) but honestly my biggest constraint is not even money, it is time. I get so little vacation time overall that it makes planning a non-rushed overseas trip very difficult. That's my personal issue with travelling more overseas.
Thanks for the quick reply. But please read my op again. Like I wrote, aside from legitimate reasons not to travel, like cost and little vacation time, I don't understand why some people say that there's no need to do so since you can see everything you want in the U.S.
Because every place is a wanna be America anyway...Just came from South Africa..literally adjusted within a week. Its kind of sad and disappointing. Most Americans prefer other countries in the Americas anyway.
Not every place. I agree that many places around the world are "Americanized", mainly with U.S. fast-food, coffee and clothing chains. Also, American music, movies and TV shows are popular in many countries. Still, many places retain their culture.
If you want to visit a warm place with nice beaches, why go through the expense of traveling overseas to a country that doesn't speak English. We have FL and southern CA right here. And you can take your own car and sight sea along the way.
Some people want to go to a nicer climate with nice beaches and also experience different cultures. For them the mediteranium or the Carribean would be great. Others just want to go to the beach. For those people there are plenty of options here.
Also, a lot of these foreign places are right expensive. True, one can go to an all-inclusive resort and not pay much more then a visit to another state, but really? Staying in an all-inclusive resort, IMO, is strictly a way for a relaxing vacation that one can supposedly check off a country as visited. But to truly see another country, IMO, one should venture around. And that can get right pricey.
You probably don't want to hear it but we have plenty to see and do right here in this country. And you can take your own vehicle as well so there won't be any additional costs. Beaches? Check! Mountains? Check! White water rafting/canoeing? check! Skiing? Check! Deserts? Check! Tropics? Check! Arctic tundra? Check! Canyons? Check! Plenty of places with unmatched scenery? Check! Vibrant cities full of life? Check! Party spots? Check! Beautiful places for general relaxation? Check!
I can go on and on and on. Thing is, many people )(not just Americans) like to be in their comfort zones and have no interest to visit other cultures. Many, if they did visit other country's would just go ahead and do the same things they would be doing here for their vacation. So, why spend the extra money to go grab a drink at a beach bar in some other country when you can enjoy the same drink in a beach bar here in the US?
Now, besides such legitimate reasons as cost and little vacation time, why do people say that there's no need for an American to go abroad?
I really don't think people actually say that?
Some people just don't have the desire to travel abroad because they're brainwashed into thinking that most countries outside of Europe/East Asia (or other English-speaking countries) are dangerous. My mother is one of these people; she's absolutely convinced she'll be abducted, raped, and have her head sawed off if she goes pretty much anywhere undeveloped.
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