Why does international travel matter?
We have such a wealth of great places to see here in the United States. Our country enjoys a diversity of cultures, histories and natural landscapes that is rivaled by few other places on earth. The old domestic tourism mantra “See America First” encourages us to spend our free time and travel dollars exploring our home country, and there are enough great experiences in America to keep even avid travelers occupied for years. So why is it important to travel abroad?
Pose those questions to 100 people who have traveled overseas, and you’re likely to get 100 different answers. Travel is inherently personal after all, and every traveler’s reaction to new places, people and experiences will be personal as well. This means that everyone will see the value of his or her own international travel experiences through a slightly different lens. One thing is certain, though: Nobody who has ever gone abroad will tell you that international travel isn’t worth doing.
Of course, I can’t speak for all of those people, but I can tell you about some of my personal motivations for traveling outside of the United States. Going abroad introduces me to the people of the world and reminds me that I am a citizen not just of my country, but of the entire globe. Meeting African tribesmen, Chinese housewives, Polish students, Mexican dancers and Jordanian nomads demonstrates how wide and diverse the human race and its cultures are. And yet, every one of those encounters underscores something deeper: Although many things differ between nations and races, many more things unite us in our common humanity.
Those kinds of personal encounters often help bridge gaps between nations and cultures that sometimes appear to be at odds. The more I travel, the more I come to understand the subtleties of our world and the more I value people who live in places far from my own home. Mark Twain observed this transforming power of international travel. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts,” he wrote in “The Innocents Abroad.” “Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
At The Group Travel Leader, we’re big believers in the power of international travel. Everyone on our staff has spent time abroad, either on work, study or vacation. Several of us have been fortunate to spend extended periods in foreign countries, giving us a love of travel that we carry into our daily work in the tourism publishing business.
With that in mind, we created an International Travel issue of the magazine with features on some of our favorite foreign destinations, as well as tips on taking your travelers to some of the world’s most famous festivals and events.
We hope you will consider planning an international trip for your travel group. There’s a big world out there full of adventures and unforgettable experiences waiting for you. Take a trip abroad, and you’ll find your own reason to treasure international travel.
