The FloQ

Travel Insights Blog

The FloQ

Travel Insights Blog

Can Travel Really Make You A Better Person?

Apr 1, 2023

Katya Lopatko

Self-development

Read:

5 min

Over the past three years, Google searches for “digital nomad” have tripled in the US, which points to our collective fascination with travel as a lifestyle.

Unsplash / Alayna Tam

Travel as lifestyle

Maybe it’s human nature, maybe it’s “Eat, Pray, Love”, but there’s a common idea floating around: traveling makes you a better person. The image of the young solo backpacker setting off on a life-changing adventure, or the mid-career professional who gives it all up to circle the world and rediscover themselves, has captured our cultural imagination. Over the past three years, Google searches for “digital nomad” have tripled in the US, which points to our collective fascination with travel as a lifestyle.


For the majority of us who can’t — or don’t want to — uproot our lives in the name of full-time adventure, this image still shapes our vision of what travel can and should look like. Instead of spending a week tanning at a resort, more and more Millennial and Gen Z travelers are seeking out experiences that teach us something new about other cultures and other people, about the environment, and about ourselves. Popular reality shows like Netflix’s “Down to Earth”, starring High School Musical heartthrob Zac Efron, emphasize the transformation that comes with learning about the best environmental practices of people all around the world; and we, the viewers, get to benefit vicariously from our living rooms.


Travel and transformation: a history

Colosseum, Rome

Traveling for self-improvement is hardly a new idea. Humans have linked the idea of travel with personal transformation for millennia. As far back as ancient Greek and Roman times, religious pilgrims have set off on long journeys to challenge, heal, and push themselves forward on their spiritual paths. Long before today’s college study abroad programs and backpacking through Europe, upper-class European men from the late 1500s to the French Revolution took a Grand Tour of major cultural capitals like London, Paris, Venice, Florence and Rome for a first-hand experience of Western art, music and culture. Traveling for an average of three years, these men capped off their classical education before returning home and beginning careers in politics, law or business. In both of these cases, like today, traveling long and far was seen as a major milestone that marked a permanent transformation for the next stage of life, spiritual or professional.

Travel and personal growth: the research

© Tommy Corey

Modern research supports claims that travel can make you a better person, or at least inspire lasting change. In today’s busy world, most people don’t have the time or resources to spend years on the road. But some decide to make it happen anyway, packing their bags and quitting their jobs for self-discovery. In the 2019 book Learning by Going: Transformative Learning Through Long-Term Independent Travel, Dr. Birgit Phillips interviewed more than 40 people who left their homes to travel for at least 6 months at a time. Most participants came from middle-class backgrounds in wealthy Western countries, had undergraduate-level education or higher, and were anywhere from their 20s to their 40s. In the interviews, travelers reported many lasting changes in their beliefs and personalities.

Most of these reflect a higher level of awareness of their personal values and an increased understanding and appreciation of the world around them:

• Increased appreciationfor the natural environment, and more eco-conscious behavior

• Increased awareness ofsocioeconomic inequalities around the world

• Increased appreciationfor living standards at home (food, healthcare, education, etc.)

• A desire to simplifytheir life

• A desire for morefulfillment and flexibility out of work

• Enhanced understanding oftheir own values, which led them to carefully evaluate their activities andcommitments at home

• Enhanced confidence andself-efficacy (the belief that they have the ability to reach their goals)

• Increased mentalflexibility, empathy, and communication skills.

While these changes are overwhelmingly positive, there are some potential downsides to the change in perspective that travel inspires, including:

• A more critical attitudetowards materialistic attitudes and the breakdown of community and socialrelationships at home

• Feelings of alienationfrom their social circle at home.


Not necessarily. Other research examines the effects of short-term travel on personality development. In a 2020 study, psychology researchers Ahrisue Choi, Kristin Bongcaras and Edward Hoffman polled more than 200 people aged 18 to 39 about their travel-related “peak experiences,” most of which happened on vacation. More than 80% reported that travel helped them improve their problem solving and decision making. Traveling took them out of their daily routines, and as a result, participants said they found time and space for deeper reflection, inspiring broader perspectives on life and positive feelings like optimism, calm, gratitude, self-discovery and self-empowerment.

Other studies go even further, taking an existential approach to travel. A 2016 article by Ksenia Kirillova, Xinran Y. Letho, and Liping Cai, “Existential Authenticity and Anxiety as Outcomes: The Tourist in the Experience Economy,” analyzes the effects of different kinds of travel on tourists in terms of “existential authenticity” (the feeling of knowing and being aligned with your true self) and “existential anxiety” (the feeling of angst about the meaning and purpose of life). They found that travel increases both: “Offering a liminal space, tourism experience distances individuals from the everydayness and removes the protective shield to expose angst. Anxiety makes one face existential predicaments and initiate actions toward reclaiming one’s personal value system.” In other words, travel can push us to live more authentic lives by taking us out of the familiar routines that keep us from exploring our deeper values. Most importantly, the study found that people who perceived their trips as more meaningful reported higher existential effects afterwards. So it might not be the travel experience itself, but how we interpret it, that inspires transformation and growth.

Maybe travel doesn’t make you a better person

© Tommy Corey

So, has the science spoken? Does traveling really make you a better person? Should you book a plane ticket instead of a therapy appointment? Not necessarily, digital nomad Anthony J. Yeung argues in a provocatively titled Medium article, “Why Travel Doesn’t Make You a Better Person.” If you’re traveling mostly for external motivations like Instagram likes and stories to tell at parties, you probably won’t get far in terms of self-improvement, Yeung writes. You might learn new skills through new experiences, but this doesn’t automatically make you “better.” And if you want to work on improving your personality, you have everything you need at home. As the saying goes, “wherever you go, there you are.”

In short, traveling might make you a better person — depending on what that means to you. We’ll save that philosophical discussion for another day; in the meantime, traveling still seems like a safe bet. You might not come back as a totally new person, but if you’re open to a little existential angst, you can learn a lot about yourself and the world.

Related Articles

Three Easy Ways to Travel Like a Local

Feeling out of your element when you visit a new city? Never fear, with these simple tricks, you’ll be traveling like a local in no time. Goodbye tourist traps, hello hidden gems.

Here’s how to tune into your environment this spring

Whether you’re heading on spring break or staying home, paying attention to your environment can help you get into the spring spirit, giving your brain a boost of good vibes.

Chart Your Course: Prime Digital Nomad Visas of 2024

As digital nomads, something we encounter often is how to stay in other countries for extended periods of time. From a US perspective, this can be tricky to find visas you qualify for.

5 Ways Travel Can Help You Connect

Modern life can make us feel lonely and disconnected, but there’s a lot we can do to change that. Here’s how travel can help you connect with yourself, with others, and with the world.

A Digital Nomad's Guide: Going Off The Grid

In a world of digital nomads, full time travelers, and endless places to visit, how do you go “off grid” for a period of time? How do some of these travelers go to places without internet for weeks at a time, and how can you do it too?

Travel to Asia in America: Part 1, West Coast

Want to travel to Asia without leaving the country? In honor of Lunar New Year, discover some of these top spots to experience Asian culture on the West Coast.

Why Do We Travel?

Amidst the holiday bustle of lights and festivities, a deeper tradition takes center stage — New Year's resolutions. Explore the obsession with self-improvement and the pursuit of personal transformation in the midst of the holiday season.

The Inside Scoop On 12 Top Ski Resorts In North America

Not sure which slopes to hit this winter? We’ve got you. Read on for an exclusive peek into some of the top resorts in North America, from one seasoned (and obsessed) skier to you.

A Digital Nomad's Guide: Embracing the World While Working Remotely

With the increase of online work after 2020, the lure of the digital nomad life is hard to deny for anyone now. But, what does that really mean?

Pop Culture Pilgrimages To Take This Fall

When you hear “pilgrimage”, you might think of religious travelers visiting holy sites, or the American pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower. But today, anyone can be a pilgrim.

The Ultimate Foodie Guide to Maui, Hawaii

So you have a trip booked to Maui. Congrats, you’re about to be in one of the best spots for food in the US, and maybe even the world!

Is Fall Really The Best Time To Travel?

This travel season, fall is the new summer. Why? Why now? Has summer always been overrated? Read on to find out.

How To Travel (A Little) More Sustainably

Sustainability can feel overwhelming, but here are some simple steps you can take to make your next trip a little more eco-friendly.

Packing For Your Personality

Want to make packing a little less stressful? Whether you’re an overpacker, a procrastinator, a minimalist, or somewhere in between, discover the psychology behind each type so you can make it work for you.

In 10 Years, Will You Look Back And Be Happy You Stayed Home?

On April 15th, 2018, I started on a 2,650-mile journey along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which spans from the Mexican border to the Canadian border, traversing six eco-zones and seven national parks.

Seven Top Outdoor Weekend Activities in the US for Fall 2023

Floqsta has some top picks for your next Fall group outing! As the crisp autumn air rolls in and leaves turn vibrant shades of red and gold, it's the perfect time to venture outdoors and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature.

The Best United States Road Trips For Summer

When it comes to traveling the US, there’s nothing more iconic than a summer road trip. And for good reason.

How To Make A Workcation Work For You

After settling into the comfort of working from home — or couch, or even bed — it’s no surprise that young workers aren’t exactly clamoring to get back in the office.

Five US Destinations For A Coastal European Vacation

Soft sunlight dancing on turquoise water, pastel architecture artfully eroded in the wind, and deeply rooted customs shaping the slow rhythms of daily life give us something we can’t find in the States. Or can we?

Eight Under-the-radar Music Festivals To Check Out

Music festival season is gearing up for its second post-pandemic year, with Coachella officially kicking it off in April. After being deprived of live events for two seasons, music lovers can’t wait to commune with their favorite artists and fellow fans irl again.

Seven Beach Vacations With Amazing Culture In NA

Choosing where to spend your precious vacation time is never easy, especially when you only have a week or two to spare.

Feeling Lonely? Travel Can Help

During the pandemic, conversations about social isolation and its effect on mental health became a hot topic, and for good reason. But actually, the loneliness many of us felt only heightens a decades-long trend.

Planning The Perfect Outdoor Weekend Getaway

You can do something good for yourself, your community and the environment. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. Read on to learn how to plan the perfect outdoor weekend getaway — no experience needed.

Introducing “The FloQ”

When was the last time you did something for the first time? It’s easy to get caught up in theday-to-day and lose sight of the things that make life worth living: discovery, growth, connection.