There are numerous reasons why everyone should put a trip on their list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2016. Although longer journeys remain a chief objective for most travelers, if a short excursion is all that your schedule will allow, you should seize the opportunity. These getaways can still be rewarding experiences because they will let you take a mental break from the demands of everyday life and see new things.
It goes without saying that traveling abroad is educational. Visiting new places exposes people to individuals from different cultures, religions, and socioeconomic statuses than they would normally encounter at home. This in turn leads to a greater awareness of how the world operates outside of one’s native land. In fact, people from developed countries that visit more impoverished regions often come back with a greater appreciation for the little luxuries that are present in their own lifestyle and a sense of awe regarding the people that they’ve met who manage to thrive with considerably less than they have themselves.
Meeting people from different backgrounds helps travelers gain at least a basic understanding of beliefs and practices that are different from the ones they normally see at home. This is partially because travel encourages conversation about many different things. Even if you don’t speak the language, it’s still not hard to communicate with the natives. Who knows, you might even learn a phrase or two in Japanese! Of course, if you are not obviously from a place, the locals might wonder why you are in their part of the world and ask questions. In any case, going somewhere new and different gives travelers something to talk about when they do return home.
Travel likewise assists people in facing their individual fears. Paranoid folks who go on a trip might be surprised to learn that the citizens of the world are much kinder and less frightening than they might have previously supposed. Taking trips, particularly solo journeys, helps people develop a sense of self-reliance that can be useful in other settings such as making a move away from home or even attempting a bigger step career wise. Going to a place that you have dreamed about seeing for years can also lead to a sense of accomplishment that lasts long after you have returned home.
Airfare to Europe is also predicated to drop in 2016 and visas to India are now available upon arrival so it is a good time to mark these two spots off your dream vacation list. Meanwhile, upscale hotels in places like Prague and Brussels are offering discounted rooms and affordably pleasant options on the lower end of the luxury scale have been spotted near Osaka and in Paris. Of course, many popular destinations are apparently getting the year started off right by improving their old attractions and adding new ones to entice visitors. Even the airports themselves are getting a makeover with improved activities and dining options for travelers that find themselves stuck on long layovers. However, we here at Gaba Travel wish you a happy journey in the upcoming New Year, even if the only trip you have planned at the moment is to go to the grocery store for more party food.
Sources: US News & World Report; Airtreks; Travel + Leisure