TRAVEL | TOURISM

What Sets Seasoned Travelers Apart from Regular Tourists

An attempt to explain this distinction at possibly the best time

Photo by Mesut Kaya on Unsplash

The number of people not interested in embarking upon a journey to an unknown land in their lifetime is limited, I believe. Most of us tend to have a deep desire within to venture out and remain keen to explore a world other than the one we are used to. That being said, what most of us tend to confuse is the fact that travel and tourism are two different things. The desire to travel is not the same as opting for a touristy outing.

The difference is not subtle, but apparent. While this is something that needs to be understood, the reality is that most of those who travel have to take the blame for ignoring this obvious distinction. On the contrary, most tend to mix the two, and any related discussion may lead to a never-ending argument, at times with dire consequences.

The fact is, being a tourist is following a similar trajectory as many others, while travel is about contemplating a different approach altogether. Most tourists like to believe they are travelers, and are happy to call themselves one, but that is not true. The fact is, it takes considerable time and effort before an ordinary tourist is able to make a transition into a…