We’ve been travelling for fun for quite a while now – more specifically, since the railway system was developed, just before the mid-1800s.
Ever since, tourism has grown and for good reason. In 2019 alone, 1.5 billion people went on vacation.
We all have our own reasons for travelling – but here are 15 facts about travelling the world that’ll make you want to travel that may not be on your list just yet!
1. It can switch on your creativity
Music, art and literature have often emerged from travelling.
For instance:
Pyotr Tchaikovsky composed the famous ‘Capriccio Italien, Op. 45’ inspired by travelling to Italy
Vincent Van Gogh who is from the Netherlands painted ‘Café Terrace at Night’ in France
Jack Kerouac wrote ‘On the Road’ based on his travels around the US
Interestingly, a study by Bloom and colleagues found that cognitive flexibility (which is a key part of creativity) increased after a holiday.
So perhaps a little time away is ideal to get your creative juices flowing!
If you’re stuck in an uncreative rut, go ahead and pack your bags!
Read Also:
How To Plan A Trip Abroad: Top 15 Travel Tips
2. It’s good for your brain health
Have you ever been stuck in a routine, maybe overworking and experiencing stress? You’re certainly not alone. But travelling can come to the rescue!
Our brain likes to be kept active and experience new things, some experts report.
For example, Dr. Paul Nussbaum mentions that experiencing new things by travelling encourages new connections in the brain – this is known as neuroplasticity.
That’s one of the interesting facts about travelling, here’s another: research suggests that taking a holiday may even mitigate the development of depression.
It seems to be all about balance; work but ensure you take your holidays for your overall well being!
3. Simply planning a vacation can make you happy!
Travelling is great of course but have you ever thought that the planning itself might also make you happy?
Here’s more science: people who planned a trip reported being happier than the average person!
That’s no surprise because let’s face it, the anticipation of knowing you are going on a holiday can be exciting!
A recent poll led by the Institute for Applied Positive Research shared some of their results:
97% of respondents reported a planned trip made them happier
82% reported that they were “significantly” or “moderately” happier once booking a trip
71% felt more energised once they had planned a trip within the following six months
So a lot of people seem to be getting something out of planning a holiday.
4. The world is your oyster
When it comes to visiting places the world really is your oyster!
You’ll have no shortage of places to explore.
Already have some destinations on your bucket list like France (which is one of the most popular places to visit), Spain, Canada, Italy, China and more?
Well you certainly shouldn’t leave out the seven wonders of the world!
To see what humans are truly capable of creating you can add the seven wonders to your list! At present these are:
Great Wall of China
Chichén Itzá El Castillo in Mexico
Petra the Khaznah in Jordan
Machu Picchu in Peru
Christ the Redeemer in Brazil
Colosseum in Italy
Taj Mahal in India
There are so many places to visit and the quicker you start travelling, the more places you’ll cover in your lifetime – it’s certainly worth it!
5. There are so many cultures to explore
One of the fun facts about travelling is that there is so much diversity and thousands of cultures waiting to be explored!
If you want to learn about different cultures, there’s one unique way to do it – travel!
This will give you the opportunity to experience the local food, traditions and practices.
There are also festivals and celebrations that you can only truly experience if you travel, such as:
Holi festival of colours in India
Fuji Shibazakura Festival in Japan
Lantern Festival in China
Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico
La Tomatina in Spain
And many more!
Here’s a pro tip: do some research before travelling to any country, so that you can stay in line with their local customs and etiquettes!
6. See our world’s timeless architecture
Looking to fill your eyes with more beauty?
Architecture is a form of art that provides an insight into the history of a place – a fun fact to inspire your travel.
There are so many fascinating structures that should be on everyone’s must-see list, including:
The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
Acropolis of Athens in Greece
Mosque of Córdoba in Spain
Château Frontenac in Canada
The Colosseum in Italy
The Lotus Temple in India
St. Basil’s Cathedral in Russia
And many more!
Don’t forget that architecture is about shapes, colours and styles, so even if you’re just visiting different countries to see the different styles of houses it’ll be mesmerizing!
7. Art will fill your eyes with beauty
Have you thought about travelling for art?
Whether or not you love art, it’s all around us and it’s a form of self-expression for many people.
In fact, it brings a lot of beauty to the world!
If you’ve already visited places for art, there are certainly more and if you haven’t travelled for art just yet it’s never too late to start!
Here are some of the many popular museums to consider
The Louvre Museum in Paris, France
The Museum of Modern Art in New York, USA
Museo Nacional Del Prado in Madrid, Spain
The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy
Mauritshuis in The Hague, Netherlands
Museums are not the only way to see and experience art, you can also visit cities for street art!
Here are just a few of the cities with vibrant street art:
Berlin
New York
Buenous Aires
Valencia
Lisbon
And of course, you have cave paintings which give you the opportunity to discover more about past civilisations – people, their lives and animals around them.
Some fascinating destinations for cave paintings include:
Chauvet Cave in France
Cave of Altamira in Spain
Cueva De Las Manos in Argentina
Fumane Cave in Italy
Magura Cave in Bulgaria
As you can see there are so many places you can visit for art – another one of the travelling facts that’ll make you want to travel!
8. Nothing beats being there
Are you sitting in front of your TV watching the football match?
Or maybe you’re watching your favorite artist or band on YouTube?
These have one thing in common – you’re watching something you really enjoy on a screen.
The internet is great since you now have your favourite band at your fingertips!
But is this really the same as packing your bags and travelling to experience the real thing?
Going to see your beloved band or the upcoming football match is certainly a great reason to travel.
There is nothing better than experiencing the things you really enjoy in person!
9. Get to know yourself
Disconnect from your daily environment
Sometimes we become fixated on our daily lives, so influenced by our surroundings (relationships, work, family, friends and culture) that we forget who we are outside of that.
Another one of the facts about travelling is that it’s a great opportunity to take a step back and discover who you are!
It can also get you to discover what you like and dislike outside of what you’re used to.
Trace your family history
As well as going on a vacation to disconnect and get to know yourself, you can also connect with yourself by tracing your family history!
You can start off by researching and creating a family tree – you could talk to your elders.
Getting a DNA test may be something to also consider to get to know your ancestors.
Then the ultimate stop to truly experience your past is by visiting the places where your ancestors lived!
Now that’s a unique way to connect to your roots!
10. Challenging yourself will make you flourish
Familiarity is great but change will inevitably happen – it’s part of our lives!
An interesting fact about travelling is that it often allows for change to happen as it throws you into unknown environments.
This new territory can seem nerve-wracking because it’s not what you’re used to, but it’s where you’ll grow as a person!
The reason is that you’ll face challenges from which you’ll learn and become more resilient
You may also challenge yourself to try new things such as foods or activities which will also broaden your horizon.
You’ll also get to meet new people along the way who are all so different – this may be challenging, but guess what, it’s an opportunity to improve your social skills!
So yes, it may seem a little overwhelming at the beginning knowing that the road of travelling will bring on challenges, but remember challenges will give you the opportunity to flourish!
11. Continue a healthy relationship with your partner
Just the way you can fall into an ongoing routine with yourself, you can also do so with your partner where all you do is work, do house chores and binge-watch your favourite TV show.
Although this can be comforting, a getaway can add some spontaneity to your life!
Here’s the great thing, travelling together can actually be good for your relationship!
A survey by the US Travel Association reported that 68% of respondents agreed that travelling is important for maintaining a healthy relationship.
There are many reasons to travel and connecting with your partner should certainly be one of the reasons – so pack your bags together for a vacation!
12. Get away for your spiritual growth
Another great reason to travel is for spiritual reasons, whether that be for spiritual connection, a sense of peace or you want to experience the awe and wonder that come with seeing these spiritual places.
There are so many spiritual destinations around the world that hold great significance for people and are sacred to certain communities.
Here are some amazing places people visit for spiritual enlightenment:
Lourdes in France
The Dead Sea in Israel
Mecca in Saudi Arabia
Camino de Santiago in Spain
Spiritual travelling can certainly be a remarkable experience!
13. You’ll feel more satisfied than spending your money on material things
Buying material things certainly give us some joy and it’s also nice to treat yourself to nice things.
But interestingly, a study found that spending your money on experiences rather than material things brings you more enjoyment.
For one reason or another, there’s a distinction to be made between material things and experiences.
Maybe the writer Pennie Hunt was right in saying “experiences always feed the soul more than material things.”
There’s certainly only one way to find out – plan that long-awaited trip and secure it!
14. The benefits of travelling are often immediate
Planning for your trip can make you happier as you previously saw but the travelling facts don’t end there!
The Global Commission on Aging and Transamerica Centre for Retirement Studies revealed from a joint study that:
89% of participants saw a drop in stress after one or two days of travelling
That’s no surprise as many of you travel to take some time out and relax, but it’s great to know that this time we take for ourselves could actually be of great benefit.
A getaway may really go a long way!
15. You’ll learn to be present in the moment
If we were to only think about the next thing on our vacation, you wouldn’t really be living in the present moment.
Like nothing else, travelling often teaches us that in order to have a good time we must be present in the moment.
Once you are present on your vacation then you really learn to enjoy life.
As the saying goes: “it’s the little moments that make life big.”
So whether you’re having a cold beverage on a hot beach or walking through a street market full of handmade crafts, take it all in!
So there you have it, 15 fun and interesting facts about travelling to inspire you to travel!
We would love to hear what makes you want to travel! You can leave a comment below
Planning to travel but you need a visa?
That’s why Visa First is here!
We provide visas for numerous countries, some including Canada, Australia, India and more.
The process of registering or applying for a visa can be stressful, so why let the visa process take away from the fun of travelling?
Let Visa First take care of the boring paperwork!
Why apply with Visa First?
We’ll increase your change of a successful outcome
In the business for over 20 years preparing visas for people from many countries
You will have an account manager committed to answering any questions you may have
The post 15 Amazing Facts to Make You Want to Travel Today appeared first on Welcome to the official Visa First blog!.
