15 Reasons Why People Think Twice Before Making Travel Their Hobby
Understandably, many people do not take on Travel as a hobby. Some factors hinder most from taking this step including finances, jobs, family, and more. As fulfilling and eye-opening as the experience of seeing new places and immersing yourself in new cultures is, it can be difficult to turn travel into a hobby.
For many, it is a matter of guilt tied to the belief that traveling can only be seen as a luxury, while for others other reasons restrict them, and we will explore some of these below.
The Cost Factor
Travel expenses can accumulate on a trip. A recent Value Penguin survey reveals that the amount of money spent on international travel per person is $1,979. As much as there are cheap solutions, not everyone is willing to invest a significant portion of their income in regular traveling.
Work and Career Commitments
Some individuals cannot afford to quit their jobs to travel as often as they want. As much as the availability of remote work has increased over the years, most careers need stability. Managing a career ladder while switching between time zones now and then, is easier said than done.
Family Responsibilities
Family responsibilities can make travel daunting and more expensive, especially for people with children, aging parents, and pets. Not everyone can pack up and leave at the drop of a hat. Shorter trips can be arranged while lengthy travels can be difficult for people with family responsibilities.
Fear of the Unknown
Traveling in general, especially when done alone, can be quite daunting. Some people get anxious rather than excited whenever they are in unfamiliar territory. The fear of the unknown could stem from unfamiliarity with the local language, cultural differences, unfamiliar surroundings, and even a lack of prior experience with travel.
Health Concerns
Health difficulties can deter people from traveling. Sitting in a plane or other transport system for long periods is not easy or doable for everyone. The CDC estimates that 60% of the adult population in the United States has a chronic disease that may make it difficult for them to travel safely or comfortably. Even if there are no serious health issues, the physical demands of traveling can be a source of hesitation for travelers.
The Stress of Planning
Planning a trip can feel like a second Job. It requires booking flights and hotels, making reservations, and packing the right items, having backup plans for when things don’t go as planned. There are so many things to do and consider. For those who do not like the process, the thought of making travel a hobby is one they shudder at.
Jet Lag and Fatigue
As much as travel may look fun, moving from one place to another can be exhausting. Jet lag, irregular sleeping patterns, and the rigors of packing and unpacking day in and out can take their toll on a person. To some people, sleeping the weekend away is more enticing than losing sleep on a red-eye flight.
Environmental Concerns
Amid heightened global climate change consciousness, most of us feel uncomfortable with the effects of frequent traveling on the environment. Among all modes of transport, air transport has the greatest impact on the environment. IATA estimates that commercial aircraft account for approximately 2% of total CO2 emissions in the world. This concern makes more people think twice before they embark on any journey.
Personal Safety Concerns
Security is a huge factor when visiting new places, especially when visiting alone. Not everyone is comfortable enough to venture into new areas without a local contact or prior information. Tales of fraud, thefts, and other mishaps can keep people from turning travel into a hobby.
Homesickness
Travel can be exciting, but nothing rivals the feeling of being at home. Some frequent travelers experience the ‘travel blues’, a kind of homesickness and yearning for a familiar face and environment. Anxiety over missing home may make traveling as a hobby unappealing to some.
Fear of Missing Out on Important Events
Most people are afraid of missing out on important family events and milestones of their loved ones. Missing out on Birthdays, weddings, baby showers, and other important life events can make you feel out of the loop. It also works the other way around as you won’t have close family and friends to celebrate your milestones while on the fly.
Language Barriers as a Challenge
Learning new phrases and communicating in a different language is fun but language barriers and even different accents can cause miscommunication, and make the travel experience much harder. For some people, simple things like trying to order a meal or asking for directions in a language other than their own can become a frustrating part of their day.
The Right Travel Companions
The choice of travel partner can make or mar your experience and arguments can arise over dissimilar budgets, interests, and ways of traveling. Some individuals do not travel often because they are yet to find the right companion to share their experience with.
Packing and Repacking
Loading, offloading, and then loading again is not a joyous activity. It is always a task to prepare for the next trip, this may be stressful for people who prefer to have a normal routine life. The idea of packing for another trip can be tiring and uninspiring.
The Social Media Pressure
Travel is portrayed on social media platforms as a very easy and glamorous affair. This can place pressure on travelers to perform to those expectations which are often unrealistic. The long lines, a canceled flight, or a missed connection, do not get captured in pictures. This may help explain why some people never take up travel as a serious passion.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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But first, what is a photo safari? The phrase “photo safari” is not a common sentence structure but its meaning can be deduced easily. An African photo safari in general context means going on an adventure with the sole purpose of taking high-quality pictures.
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