As the COVID-19 virus continues to wreak havoc during 2021, it is time to consider what travel will be like this year with the restrictions on traveling.
We must embrace the fact that the virus will linger on. Our old travel habits like traveling on crowded planes or cruising around the world, will be different but not impossible. The fact is many nations will still have travel restrictions in place. Given that perspective, it is time for us to focus on domestic travel.
Rather than wishing for the good old days of unlimited travel, now is a perfect time to turn in. Go backpacking and travel in your own country as we would abroad. It will satisfy our wanderlust while also assisting the local economy, which would be grateful for all the help it can get after the pandemic has passed.
Here are some reasons why traveling locally is amazing and why you should start doing it as well.
1. Culture and Tradition
It took me 25 years of traveling and observing various cultures around the world to appreciate how beautiful and vibrant my culture is in Finland. I learned that when I look at old memories with the same curiosity as a frequent traveller does when we move somewhere new, they become anew.
Traditional music that sounded monotonous and uninteresting became suddenly enjoyable and intriguing. Instead of eating at well-known restaurants, I found myself going to food trucks and night markets to sample the wide range of food from Finland and around the world.
2. Interacting with Locals
I have travelled to several places and had many opportunities to communicate with people from different walks of life. The variety is nothing brings people together like speaking the same language.
Normally, when we travel, there is a language barrier that prevents us from connecting in a meaningful way, but this is not the case when we travel inside our own country.
As we move inside our own country, we will notice our fellow citizens are truly lovely and welcoming. This is something we might have taken for granted.
3. The History
Traveling within our own country allows us to connect with the land and learn more about who we are as a nation and where Finn’s came from. I had little interest in Finnish history until I visited museums here, which I probably would never have visited if it was not for the pandemic. I bought a book on Finland’s history and began travelling to these sites across the country to see them for myself.
4. Stress Free Travel
If you are the kind of traveller who finds planning trips abroad stressful. Now's your chance to relax a little and get in the habit of stress-free planning.
When travelling abroad, you must arrange for a mountain of items such as your passport, visa, currency exchange, but you do not have to think about all of that when travelling within your own country. All you must do now is turn up and have a good time.
5. Supporting Local Economy
Traveling within our own country is indeed a perfect way to improve the local tourism industry. It certainly needs all the help it can get once the restrictions are lifted.
After seeing firsthand how difficult it is for the tourism industry to live their lives and with the not knowing, particularly considering the pandemic's unparalleled effect.
6. Save Money
Traveling inside our own country is relatively economical than taking a roundtrip flight to another country. Use public transportation, as I did in Finland. If you do not feel safe using public transportation, take your own car or hire one.
Conclusion
To close, after the pandemic is over, people will continue traveling, but in a quite different way. It will take some time before returning to what it was prior to COVID-19. Don't give up on your dreams of traveling! There is a lot out there to explore & experience, and it may even be right in your backyard. Thus, evolve and start planning your next trip in your own country.