You see several thousand faces in a day, some claiming to be travelers and some tourists. To some people both words have different implications but how would you identify them?
Here are a few differences I observed between a traveler and a tourist:
- Tourists squander while travelers wander. I read this somewhere and couldn’t agree more. Tourists experience new things and places, but travelers live in and for these experiences.
- Tourists carry luggage, travellers carry patience. Tourists haul their luggage and prefer living in luxury, whereas travelers carry light and choose to stay in the wilderness be it a street or a forest.
- Tourists follow the rules, travellers break the rules. Tourists abide by the rules and tick off the destinations one by one from their bucket lists while on the other hand, travelers don’t stick to a list because they’re spontaneous.
- Tourists get homesick; travelers make any foreign place their home. When tourists are dreaming of their houses and beds and crave their favorite food, travelers know the reality of what a true home is. They know that home isn’t a static place and feel comfortable anywhere.
- Tourists take pictures, travelers take memories. Tourists tend to take pictures “capturing memories” but travelers know where the real fun is. The memories are to be cherished and not displayed.
- Tourists are gregarious, travelers love being on their own. Point out any famous tourist spot, you’ll always find them in a crowd. Travelers more often than not love being alone; solo traveling is their jam.
- Tourists spend on luxuries, a traveler lives off them. Tourists will be found spending money on luxurious items and expensive restaurants; travelers live on the minimal budget they set.
Final Thoughts
Traveling is the complete opposite of sightseeing and travellers know the best when it comes to differentiation. So what are you, a traveler or a tourist?..