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"Too obsessed with traveling?" I think the title is already wrong. I think traveling in order to experience other cultures and places is a wonderful enriching life experience for anyone who can afford it.
Ok, explain this - people are having more travel and experiences than ever before in history, but mental health statistics are going in the wrong direction in a lot of different metrics. Social isolation and anxiety is at an all time high.
If travel is a panacea of wonderful benefits to an individual and more people than ever are doing it, there should be improvements in wellbeing and satisfaction. I know travel is only a small piece of the pie of a person's life, but it should be registering on the radar somewhere. I think we're seeing the diminishing returns where more travel is yielding less and less enrichment.
You are grasping at straws. Most of the fires are in the homes and businesses of people who live here locally. Utah experiences a lot of tourism, but the roads that are being built here are largely the result of large families and a high birth rate resulting in annual population increases.
Tourists don't have yards that require lots of watering every summer. That hits home to me because Utah is a desert and we are looking at a future looming water crisis.
You say "their dollars go into just a few businesses". What a superficial statement. Every business pays taxes. The sales and income taxes from businesses fund much public education here (tourists don't need public schools). The tax revenue from tourism here is large.
Tourist dollars are important source of jobs and tax revenue in many states.
More tourism is not necessarily better, it needs to be a balanced part of the economic portfolio of an area. People need services regardless of where they are. They are watering their lawn, regardless of whether they are sitting on the porch in Texas or visiting Utah, it's just accounting of what's being used in my local vs another.
Here's the problems with being overly dependent on tourism. 1. Real estate - wages are low in tourist towns but COL gets jacked from housing, especially vacant 2nd homes. 2. Seasonality, those tourist occupied residences and roads and restaurants go on a boom bust cycle, where it's very crowded, then quite dead. That's more inefficient than a place that has more steady year round traffic and year round occupancy. 3. Long term cycles. Tourism booms when times are good and is one of the first things to go when pocketbooks tighten. That means heavily dependent tourist towns get amplified business cycles compared to other locations, again inefficient and difficult for people to adjust to.
Economic diversification is good, and tourism is no exception to the rule.
Just came back from a trip to a major US city and nearby resort area. Overall it was a good experience, but I dislike air travel more than ever. Airports and planes have gotten very crowded and unpleasant. Short staffing is evident, leading to a lot of delayed flights. Had to go in summer this time, but hoping that travel during the rest of the year will be easier and less crowded.
The planes were old (Jetblue). The staff told us this; not sure why. Not confidence inspiring.
but mental health statistics are going in the wrong direction in a lot of different metrics. Social isolation and anxiety is at an all time high.
The people who have anxiety and isolate themselves aren't the ones doing the traveling.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mgkeith
Airports and planes have gotten very crowded and unpleasant. Had to go in summer this time, but hoping that travel during the rest of the year will be easier and less crowded.
...
The planes were old (Jetblue).
We only travel when kids are in school. Going in the summer or on holidays, of course you are going to have more crowds, because that's the only time many families can travel together.
We only fly Delta or American because we are knowledgable about their maintenance policies since I'm in the business and have friends who are maintainers and pilots of those airlines.
Last edited by Mike from back east; 08-22-2023 at 06:40 PM..
Reason: Merged 2:1
I have some relatives and friends who travel frivolously. They travel far and wide just to go eat American grille fare and drink and return home to brag about having "been away". They never seem satisfied with how their time was spent and never have any recommendations. If that's how they want to spend their time and money, it's certainly their right. But it seems pointless to me.
We're grateful for the traveling we did in our 20s-40s. It helped us build a list of favorites, must repeats, and "never agains" For our 50s and beyond, we have a few places that are on our list that will be new, but overall we know exactly where and how we want to spend our time and money.
There is a sense of discovery and wonder that can only be filled by getting out of one's neighborhood. I don't think a ton of money or lots of time is necessary to do that either. Just some strategic exploration as close to home and as far away as you can afford will do the trick. No matter where you go, you're still on earth among humans who are pretty much the same the world over. But we don't know that unless and until we've been a few places outside of home and paid attention.
Expensive travel saves wear and tear on the body and ensures that you get to those novel locations worth soaking in. Inexpensive travel usually keeps you close to the earth and the locals and that's where the real experience is, imo.
There’s a real benefit to getting out there and soaking up a different vibe, etc. I believe that more than ever now that I live in a somewhat parochial part of the country; it’s good to see how things are done in other places, try new foods, soak up the imaginations of different people in different settings, etc.
That said, a lot of people do it kinda wrong, IMHO. You won’t get that if you’re tucked away in a Four Seasons all day or just go eat McDonald’s. Luxury travel often misses the point, and that’s the razzmatazz junk you see a lot of online. I prefer a modest hotel and to spend the day(s) getting out to not only see a place’s greatest hits, but seeking out the stuff you don’t necessarily see on TripAdvisor.
Even grampa had struggles. Two things made a huge difference for him:
1. Travel was more expensive now, and he likely earned less than you, relatively.
2. Zero internet.
Pre - internet - let's just say 25 years ago - you did not make your own travel arrangements, unless you wanted to live On Hold after waiting out The Busy Signal. No. You used a "travel agent" - and this person made sure you weren't paying the least on the cheapest flight
You flew on what was presented - you did not have 100 options, with all local airports and 25 airlines at your fingertips, each with a dozen flights - no - you told the agent what you had in mind, and a few DAYS later they sent you an itinerary and a bill.
Then they got you a hotel. You going to call France or Spain or Germany on your own in 1995? Maybe - but probably not. You'll use an agent who "knows a guy." And the best you can hope for is that your 1993 Fodors soft back is somewhat accurate with regard to your chosen hotel. Sometimes yep, others...nope.
Car? Taxi? Train? Bus? Good luck. Read a book and wing it. Then hope it's going where you want, as you will not be looking at your MAPS app to babysit. Don't speak the lingo? Suffer.
Need a nice restaurant "FOOD NEAR ME?" That's called "walk around and find something you can afford...I'll let ya know if it's any good."
Trouble in paradise? Lost passport? Out of money? Health problems? Find a phone...then find someone to use it for you. Then - maybe a few DAYS later - you will have a resolution.
I am absolutely NOT complaining about travel - then or now - I LOVE travel - then AND now - and that sense of "flying without a net" will never be duplicated. It was an adventure from the word GO - and there was no forum on which to whine afterwards.
THAT is why Grampa waited to travel - because it was dang difficult, not because he was a workaholic (tho he was).
Folks are "obsessed" with travel now for one simple reason: They Can Be. It was simply not possible before the year 2000.
In 1977 and again in 1991 and 1995 we visited Europe and the US without the aid of the internet.
Yes, we did use travel agents but here in Australia, many people still do. Flight Centre is a very profitable company, as an example. Before the internet we used travel brochures and the pricing for hotels and flights was not dynamic. It was much easier to choose. We also used travel guides, but I took two out of the library yesterday to do some research on Portugal, which I have been using in conjunction with the internet. Some things are just more clear.
We were delayed a week in leaving Australia in 1977 by an air traffic controllers strike, our travel agent contacted out hotels overseas by fax. It really wasn’t that hard.
Most older people I know here think that travel is more tedious now than it was then. But the reason I like to travel is to experience places that I have never been. I find it exciting being somewhere new. We are going to Portugal, Spain, Morocco and Malta shortly and other than having had a day in Lisbon on a cruise, it is all new to us.
Ok, explain this - people are having more travel and experiences than ever before in history, but mental health statistics are going in the wrong direction in a lot of different metrics. Social isolation and anxiety is at an all time high.
If travel is a panacea of wonderful benefits to an individual and more people than ever are doing it, there should be improvements in wellbeing and satisfaction. I know travel is only a small piece of the pie of a person's life, but it should be registering on the radar somewhere. I think we're seeing the diminishing returns where more travel is yielding less and less enrichment.
Social isolation and anxiety being at all time high has NOTHING to do with travel. It has to do with social media/texting, etc. causing people not to interact face to face with others.
Due to my father's job, I have been traveling since childhood. This isn't & wasn't a cause for social isolation or anxiety for me or my 2 younger siblings (although I did have to make new friends more often than most but that wasn't isolating rather forced me to develop to my social skills).
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For our 50s and beyond, we have a few places that are on our list that will be new, but overall we know exactly where and how we want to spend our time and money.
