It’s only halfway over, but 2020 has already given people plenty of reasons not to travel. But considering the challenges we are all facing — individually and collectively — I think staying home right now is exactly the wrong thing to do.
Here are 10 compelling reasons why you and your groups should be traveling in 2020 and beyond.
Travel helps your mental health.
Sometimes, your brain just needs a break from daily routines and familiar surroundings. If you’ve spent the past few months at home, that’s truer now than ever.
Travel breaks the news cycle.
When you’re in the middle of a great trip, it’s hard to keep up with the headlines. In a year full of negative press, we could all use a bit of distance from the news.
Travel supports communities.
Cities and towns all over the country depend on travel and tourism to provide jobs. Traveling is one of the best ways to help our economy recover.
Travel restores the soul.
Getting away to beautiful places helps center you and remind you that the world is full of good, especially when you’ve spent too much time surrounded by bad.
Travel creates memories.
Chances are the first part of this year has left you with a lot of bad memories. It’s time to start replacing them with better ones.
Travel fosters friendship.
After months of isolation, we’re all sorely in need of human interaction. FaceTime and Zoom don’t hold a candle to taking a trip with people you love.
Travel breaks down barriers.
As Mark Twain famously wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” It makes us all better people.
Travel builds bridges.
The more time you spend visiting unknown people and faraway places, the more you’ll come to realize there is far more uniting us than dividing us.
Travel makes you grateful.
Seeing how other people live will also help you see your life in a new light. At the end of any trip, you’ll realize that Dorothy was right — there really is no place like home.
Travel is worth the risk.
We all want to be safe and healthy. But safety is never a guarantee — on the road or at home. The best things in life always come with some amount of risk. And the risks of travel are far outweighed by its rewards.
