People have many reasons for not traveling. While some of these reasons may be legit, the majority are minor excuses and can easily be dissected. Many people want to travel more, but they let small fears and concerns get in their way. A survey done by OnePoll showed that 76% of people questioned wanted more travel in their lives than they currently had!
That same survey showed that 11% of people have never left the state they were born in and 32% of people don’t own or can’t remember ever buying luggage!
So why do people not travel?
Here are 5 reasons that people don’t travel:
Too busy to travel
It’s easy to feel busy and overwhelmed. We have jobs and school, hobbies and extracurriculars, friends and families, and the list goes on and on. There’s no shortage of busyness in the lives we live. The craziness of life can deplete us, and a break or vacation is just the thing to rejuvenate and refresh ourselves. No one is too busy. Big or small, a little preparation is all it takes to overcome this hurdle. Tell people “no, I can’t.”, take a week or weekend off, put aside the busyness and excuses, and plan that next trip.
Fear
Fear controls everything we do and it’s no exception when traveling. Maybe you’re worried about getting lost, or missing a connection. It could be that you’re afraid of being in unfamiliar areas or countries. It might even be the fear of language barriers and cultural differences. Whatever it may be, it’s easy to let fear control your thoughts and actions. In the beginning, we were worried about different languages and our inability to communicate and get from one place to another. It ended up being much easier than we anticipated and it actually became fun to learn phrases in different languages.
Even with a lack of communication, there are ways to connect and get around. After your first experience, you’ll realize it’s not as scary as you may have thought. You’ll come to understand that travel is exciting and adventurous and that fears can be overcome. A new world opens up as you step outside of your comfort zone.
Traveling is too expensive
This concern or excuse can mostly be attributed to the false glamour we see on social media. So-called “influencers” show themselves traveling in elaborate ways and doing crazy luxurious things all over the world. This false advertising is exactly that, false. There are travel options that fit everyone’s budget. With a little extra planning and research, travel can be extremely affordable. I’ve discussed using credit cards to fly for free and this can extend into all travel expenses. Everything can be done affordably and it’s unfortunate that high price tags are always associated with travel. We spent a four-day weekend in Puerto Rico and we only paid for food. Soon we’re headed to Japan and it’s going to be extremely affordable. We often shop at grocery stores, bring our own water bottles, and make our own meals to keep costs down. As budget travel becomes more common and popular, anyone can do it.
Limitations
There are indeed limitations that make it harder to travel. We are extremely grateful that we don’t have serious limitations that prevent us from doing what we love. In our case, however, we do have allergy limitations. Laynie has Celiac and it has certainly changed the way we travel. I use change because it has in no way slowed or stopped our ability to see the world. We’ve found that countries outside of the US have tons of gluten-free options and in many cases, they’re more knowledgeable than restaurant workers here.
With limitations such as allergies, it takes a little more effort to overcome the concerns, but it can be done. We plan ahead by bringing additional snacks, we use more caution when buying food, and we walk an extra 100 feet to celiac-friendly restaurants. Whatever your limitation may be, do a little research and prove to yourself and others that travel is still possible and available for anyone.
You don’t want to
It’s true that some people just don’t want to travel. I used to get confused when people would tell me they don’t like to travel, or that they like to travel in different ways from us. Everyone is passionate about different things, and that’s ok. Find what you love and do it! If you change your mind, you can always come back to our site and learn more about traveling! Or, we hope this blog has inspired you to want to travel!
Conclusion:
There are many reasons why people don’t travel. Some are valid, but many are simple rationalizations that can and should be overcome. No more excuses. Traveling is an incredible experience. Your mindset will change and you’re life will be filled with a deeper understanding of the world. Whatever the reason may be, find your reason to travel. You’ll be glad you packed your bags and took a trip.