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The other day, I saw this post on Miles to Memories. It contains a link to an interesting survey about how much (or how little) Americans travel.
A few statistics that jump out:
- 1 in 6 Americans have never left their home state (16.67%)
- More than half of Americans don’t have a passport
The article got me thinking about people I personally know who don’t travel much or at all. It’s hard for me to understand why people don’t like to travel since I love it so much. But, people have their reasons.
Money
Obviously, people who are struggling to put food on the table are not going to prioritize travel. In 2019, before the pandemic hit, the poverty rate was hovering around 10%. Even for people who are above the poverty line, finding money for travel can be challenging for sure.
When I first quit my corporate job and my family went down to one income, money was tight. Of course, playing the miles and points game helped us add travel back into our budget.
However, I know people with a lot of expendable income who still don’t travel.
Workaholics
Some people love to work and don’t want to take any vacation days. I can’t relate to this, but I know people who would rather work than do anything else.
Fear/Anxiety
For some people, travel represents fear of the unknown and anxiety of going to a new place. I certainly understand, as I struggle with anxiety myself. That’s one of the reasons I like to plan and research a lot before each trip. I also prefer to take Ubers when I travel by myself so that I know I won’t get lost.
Too Uncomfortable
I know a few folks who don’t like to travel because no hotel or vacation rental compares to home. They have their mattresses, TV, lazy boy chairs and entire home set up for the ultimate in comfort. Sleeping in another bed results in a night of tossing and turning.
Hassle
Things don’t always go smoothly during travel. Flights can be delayed, luggage lost, etc. Some people don’t think the hassle of travel is worth it.
Waste of Money
Travel can be expensive, and some people I know don’t think the cost is worth it. Why spend $3000 on a 1-week cruise when you could get a new patio for your backyard that lasts forever? I say, the memories are priceless and also last a lifetime. But, if you’re not used to spending money on experiences, it can be a hard pill to swallow.
Kids Too Young to Remember
I really dislike this excuse. No, kids won’t remember everywhere they go when they are 2. But if that’s how we lived life, we wouldn’t read to them or take them to the park either. Parents will remember the experience and the reactions of their kids when they travel together. Plus, you can take photos and videos.
Opportunity
Some people just don’t have the opportunity to travel. Maybe they want to travel but don’t have a travel buddy who is willing to go along.
Travel Not Ingrained into Lifestyle
If you didn’t grow up traveling as a family, it might be hard to incorporate travel into your lifestyle when you are older. That’s the case with my husband. Of course, now I have fixed that for him.
I know that many people are not going to love traveling as much as I do. And that’s ok. But, I do think that some of the reasons why people don’t travel can be overcome.
Do you know people who don’t like to travel? What are their reasons?
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Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
Our best friends a couple making over six digits, 1 child and low debt will not travel because they are saving for retirement. They will take maybe 1 out of state trip a year usually to visit family but their priority is to save. Being DVC I’ve treated them to a room they came to Disney with us and have treated them to hotel stays in the city just so they can join us.
@Boonie That’s nice that you invite them to enjoy your DVC with you. It’s great to save, but it’s also nice to splurge on travel every now and then.
I like to travel, thankfully this hobby allows me and my wife to do a lot of it. I don’t have fear or anxiety about traveling but I don’t like traveling to countries where English isn’t amongst the common spoken language.
I know there are apps and things that help navigate but I lack the desire to be bothered with them thus I know I’m missing out on a lot that the world has to offer…but I’ve made peace with it at this point…my wife, not so much as she doesn’t mind going anywhere regardless of the language spoken.
@2808 Heavy Language can definitely be a challenge! We opted for Australia/New Zealand for our first big international trip with our kids because we knew at least that part would be easier. In my experience, you only really have to learn a few key phrases to get by in another country.
“1 in 6 Americans have never left their home state (16.67%)”
That’s sobering. But it also makes sense, numbers wise. If you’re low income and don’t live near a state border, you’re probably not going anywhere.
As for the question at hand, I know people who won’t travel because they can’t handle the planning. Like, any of it. They start for a few minutes, throw their hands in the air and give up quickly. They have the means, but can’t get over the planning hump. I don’t get it but hey… they’re helping keep the demand down! 😉
@projectx Yes! I know a few people who get really overwhelmed at the planning part too.
Definitely the young kids.. It’s a pain to take them anywhere. Especially if you’re flying commercial. Also, the time change screws with them. Can’t put them in a separate room without supervision, and suites usually have uncomfortable sofa beds. Have to bring a stroller and car seat unless you want to use the disgusting ones that rentals/car service provide.
One reason is because it is far easier to drive than for people unfamiliar with the system to plan an airplane trip. If you didn’t do it often when a single adult, it is harder to pick up as a parent with kids. That is why Biden should start Aircaid, free travel for the poor along with free social workers that do all the bookings for hotel and rental car as well as enroll them in that special Hertz VIP program where the manager drives you to the terminal.
Passports are expensive if you use them only once or twice in 10 years. Again, all low income people should be ven free passports and charge the frequent flyer $10,000 for a passport. They can afford it.
@Derek Ii’m a frequent flyer but I can’t afford $10k X 5 for passports.
@Hal Oh yes, I do remember those days when my kids were younger and we had to lug all that equipment with us. That’s about the time we got hooked on cruising, since it made travel easy for us.