Sjoerd

In another thread it was mentioned that George W. Bush has only been abroad 6 times in his life: twice to Canada for a baseball (?) match, he twice crossed the border from Texas into Mexico, he visited his dad in China once and he came with a business delegation to Germany (?) once. <BR>Now, considering he is very wealthy and until recently must have had lots of time, this is not a lot of international travel for a 50-something year old man. <BR>I have also noticed during my trips to the US that many people have never been abroad. I went to a few partes where I met "upper middle class" people of all ages and I was surprised that very few of them had ever been abroad. Many of these people also seemed to have little desire to travel. <BR>I live in the Netherlands. I (and my family and friends) are not extremely rich, but all of us have been abroad many times and most of us have travelled to other continents often. <BR>So what could be reason that Americans travel less than (North/western) Europeans? I know the US is a big place so to be fair we should only compare intercontinental travel, but I think Europeans travel a lot more than Americans, even if on average we are a bit poorer. Also, in relative terms Canadians travel a lot more than Americans. <BR>Does anyone have the statistics? And why don't Americans travel more? Just curious.

Exex

Some guesses: <BR> <BR>1. We do travel a lot, but just within the "lower 48," which provide enough variety and entertainment for many, particularly those who don't want to stray too far from a BurgerKing. <BR> <BR>2. We are too busy, with much shorter vacations than Europeans (see other threads on this point). Most can only get away for 1-2 weeks at a time, which doesn't get us very far from home, esp. if we're not on the coast. <BR> <BR>3. We're a lot poorer than you think -- you just see the top 10% -- among whom the truly wealthy have either been too busy or too narrow-focused to see any point to traveling outside the country -- UNLESS they are employed in international business, in which case international travel is no treat. And remember that many among that upper 10% have become wealthy only in recent times, have no tradition of culture or sophistication, just the "game" of making money. The oil-baron Bushes fit that definition, I'm afraid. <BR> <BR>4. To respond directly to what is probably your subtext and the answer you seem to want: Americans don't value travel as an absolute virtue for itself the way Europeans do. If you want, feel free to imagine us all as the equivalent of Europe's peasant-stock, dull of wit, thick of mind, and short of sight, whose horizons don't reach further than the nearest McDonald's. For such people, money is for power and acquisition, not self-improvement or exploration. <BR> <BR>As a downwardly mobile American raised to be a pointless snob -- I know what to do with money, just don't have any -- I'm inclined to think that way, but it's far too simplistic. Americans have embraced eco-tourism, which represents a new way of thinking about travel for broadening the mind. In some ways, having been to Paris is really not a big step away from having been to Houston. <BR> <BR>To turn the tables a bit on you, why don't you know more about Des Moines or Baton Rouge? You know about NY, Boston, Wash., maybe Chicago, Orlando, LA and San Francisco. But that's not knowing America. "Travel" is a relative term.

Meg

Hi, Sjoerd. We travel a lot but not many of our friends enjoy travel. I think the main reason more Americans don't travel abroad is time. Vacation time is limited here, and many people choose to spend their vacation time visiting relatives in other parts of the country - or taking a vacation in a nearby location to maximum their leisure time. I also have friends who have no desire to travel - they don't like flying, they're not comfortable with foreign languages, they want everything to be like it is at home. We are not wealthy, but we spend most of our disposable income on travel. We love going to new places, trying to new, meeting new people. My parents are shocked at the amount of time and money we spend traveling. They say most people wait until they retire to travel, but... I look at them. They waited until they retired to travel and now they have health problems and want to stay close to home. Our philosophy is to do it while we have the chance.

Ed

I'm afraid you'll have to justify your assumption that Americans travel less than Europeans. Let's see some statistics. <BR> <BR>I believe if you look at numbers on visitors from Europe to the US there are fewer than visitors from the US to Europe. I'd like to see the factual basis for the assertion that Canadians travel more than US citizens. I've never seen a study of that. <BR> <BR>Economics becaause Europeans are poorer? Another assertion that may be hard to justify? Standard of living in both Germany and Switzerland higher, I believe, than in the US by most any measure. Same may be true of other countries. <BR> <BR>While commenting on imagined "facts" may be fun, it's sort of inane. Let us have some real facts; then it would be even more enjoyable to try and understand what they mean ... if anything. <BR> <BR>Ed <BR> <BR>

Cindy

Exex and Meg gave great answers, but no one has explained why Mr. Bush doesn't travel much despite his wealth and opportunity. It's a good question. If my Dad were president, you couldn't pry me off of Air Force One. <BR> <BR>I've never met the man and don't know a great deal about him, but I'll answer as though I do. I think there is general agreement that Mr. Bush is not very intellectually curious. Remember, he admits he doesn't read, and he hasn't shown a lot of interest in world affairs. So I figure that all of that art, architecture and history might bore him to death, so why bother to go? Just my theory.

Ang

Travel truly depends on one's priorities. It seems as a whole Europeans, rank travel as a higher priority than many Americans do. Maybe not fair to make such a generalizations, but it does seem to lean that way. Many Americans rather live in huge houses, drive nice cars, raise a family, etc...putting travel as a much lower priority. For me personally, I'd travel any day of the week than live in a bigger house. Depends on your pririoties and your limitations (money, days off work, etc.).

Ang

Whats the big deal with statistics anyway?? <BR> <BR>Isn't the purpose of this board to give your opinions, suggestions, recommendations, experiences, etc?

Liz@work

I can't speak for all Americans, but I know having only two weeks (or less) a year for vacation can limit one's travel plans. As you already know, most Europeans have 4-5-6 weeks of vacation a year which allows them to travel a lot more. Of course, you have to put up with living under socialism to have the luxury of such extended vacations. I'd love to have the extended vacations; I'm just not willing to live under socialized medicine, exhorbitant taxes, intrusive government, etc. Anyhow, that's my theory.

Sjoerd

Hello Exex: <BR>Re: your point 4. I didn't "want an answer", this was an honest question. And you picked the wrong example: I have already been to Baton Rouge. <BR>Hello Ed: I agree we should have the statistics, but I am almost sure Canadians travel a lot more than Americans. Also: at current exchange rates, Americans are richer (GDP per capita) than all Europeans except Swiss. And: I have been to Asia, Africa and Latin America, and the ratio of Europeans vs. Americans that I have met is maybe 10:1. Not scientifically reliable, I know, but until someone finds the real statistics for us, I believe in my experience.

Mike Murphy

Sjoerd, <BR> <BR>From my conversations with friends and neighbors (Subject: travel to Europe) below are reasons they give for not going: <BR> <BR>- Vacation time is too short. Most Americans don't get the amount of vacation time that companies in other countries give to their employees. <BR> <BR>- The USA offers so much to see/do without the hassel of dealing with foreign currency/language. <BR> <BR>- Foreign travel is very expensive and a European vacation is 2 days shorter when travel time is accounted for. <BR> <BR>Found a statistics site - www.bts.gov/ats that has 1995 survey info. about where/how Americans travel. <BR>-- <BR>

Joanna

I'm not American, but I agree that the 1-2 weeks annual leave would preclude too much travelling. I also believe some companies over there don't allow employees to accumulate a few year's leave to use in one hit. <BR> <BR>In Sydney we seem to have loads of American tourists - always have had. I also come across lots of Americans in my travels to Europe, Asia and the Middle East. I am puzzled by Sjoerd's contention, as I have found the opposite.

gb

The real reason is #1 you don't know what you're missing till you've been there #2 Kids in activites #3 requires too much planning and research #4 Too long a flight #5 It's not tropical and the mouse is here #6 Too intellectual and #7 all the above (miscellaneous reasons) ----All I can say is more room for me!!!

alan

Hi! I have been following this thread and find it interesting. I am wondering what Sjoerds age and how he travels. If aperson wants to travel, even with 2 weeks vacation it can be done. My wife and I travel for 2 weeks a year in one block of time. I am curious about Sjoerd because my experience has been most other Americans I've met travel in groups rather than indivually. A tour group seems the most popular way in my experience. My wife and I rent a car and travel independently. We also come across few Americans and most frequently in groups. I think that the language difficulties for some, dealing with currency exchange, ordering meals etc. are some of the reasons that you don't meet many Americans.

alan

continuation <BR>Sometimes my fingers are faster thaan my mind. I just wanted to finish my thoughts. I think that Americans do travel but in groups and a few independently.. We were in Eastern Europe and when some people found out they were surprised that Americans would travel by car alone. <BR>alan [finished this time]

james

Mikes points are valid. In Europe we travel to more countries, but hey, each country is tiny - the uk is the size of England! We do have more vacation, but the average working hours of (UK) citizens is well ahead of most countries - we deserve the time off!! <BR>Incidentally, it has been reported in the UK press that dubya has been to the UK.... <BR>

james

I meant to say Florida is the size of England..........

JoAnn

Sjoerd, if you ever find the answer to your queston, try to get the answer to mine: Why Europeans seem so narrow minded and quick to buy into stereotypes?

Maira

Americans travel a lot. Every day I hear or read about a new route opening to another European destination; Philly to Madrid, Baltimore to Dublin, etc.... the number of flights with European destinations has increased exponentially in the last few years. Why is that? <BR> <BR>- AIRFARE PRICES have come down, <BR>- easier/better flights, <BR>- the Internet have made it easier to do independent arrangements, <BR>- the dollar is doing well. <BR> <BR>Almost every other person I come across have been to the Caribbean, Europe, Mexico, etc.... Almost everybody I know goes out of the state at least once a year. To say that Americans don't travel much is so grossly misinformed.

rand

Ed. Of course Canadians travel more than Americans. Our McDonalds are farther apart.

Sjoerd

Hi Alan: I am 39 and we travel individually - not in groups. <BR>Hi JoAnn: what a strange reaction. I based my assumption on my travel experience, not on stereotypes. Perhaps I am wrong - please show me the statistics. <BR>I found this page: http://www.tourismstatistics.com/Country/ <BR>If I find something useful there, I will report the findings!