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By Becky Mahan, Editor
But why do people who travel have to be polarized? Why is anyone a better traveler than another? We’re not picking sides here. We’re all about the love, man. But we think tourists are unfairly lumped together, and we want to clear the air on some of it.
Let’s take some of the “bad” habits for which tourists are known:
They travel in guided groups
Not everyone is comfortable traveling solo, and not everyone has the time, energy, or know-how to plan a trip in a foreign country from scratch. (Kudos to those who do!) But an efficient guide and a preset itinerary is the best way for some people, particularly older travelers, to see a new place because it allows them to stay stress-free and enjoy the experience.
They see the popular sights, then move on
While we always condone getting off the commercial track and exploring side roads, what’s wrong with climbing the Eiffel Tower? Or gawking at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree? Or viewing the Grand Canyon from the visitor center? How about walking the Hollywood Walk of Fame, kissing the Blarney Stone (although, ew), or ? Granted, some of these sound like overdone, overhyped experiences to those who have already experienced them – but for many others, these are exotic, exciting, pilgrimage-worthy sights they may never get the chance to see again.
They stay in name brand hotels
Some people need the “comforts of home” when they travel – whether because they’re anxious or so set in their routines that a total change of scenery would throw off their immune systems and make them sick, spiraling into near-death illnesses and forever altering life as they know it. (Okay, really, if it’s that bad, don’t leave home.) While those who know better stay in more local options (B&Bs, hostels, privately-owned inns), sometimes the benefits of a hot breakfast, TV, and the option for room-service are just comforting.
They buy kitschy souvenirs
So what. For some people, that $5 snowglobe is going to trigger memories of a great trip for years to come. If you prefer something more authentic, go for it.
They use…*shudder*…selfie sticks
We’re not touching this one with a 5-foot selfie stick. But just think about it: whomever invented this contraption is a millionaire, and with good reason. The device is ingenious – particularly for solo travelers (or tourists, whatever.)
We’re not saying this is how everyone should travel. But it’s important to keep an open mind about others, just like with everything in life, and remember there are likely good reasons for how and why they do things the way they do. Tried and true, devoted-to-the-art travelers (the ones who wear backpacks, shop the markets, stay with locals, hoof the forgotten back streets of a city, etc.) strongly feel that’s the only way to travel, and it is. For them.
That being said, we’d love to encourage those on the “tourist path” to branch out – try something new on your next trip. Summon some courage to try something new and step out of your comfort zone: eat a local, regional dish. Try speaking the native language. Stay in a B&B instead of a corporate hotel. Add one of these quirky places to your bucket list. Get closer to the culture and its people, and you’ll almost always find that your trip is much more meaningful and fulfilling. Besides, some behavior – like not even trying to speak the local language and demanding people understand you in yours, or taking flash photography in a sacred place when you were told not to – is not okay, and is in fact rude.
But in the end, our main takeaway is just to travel. Because travel makes you smarter, kinder, more accepting, well-rounded, and generally, a better person than those who don’t travel. (Hey now, another debate!)
Source: gogobot.com