Let’s start by asking what is travel? The dictionary’s basically define it as “go from one place to another, typically over a distance of some length”.

So what is the purpose of travel? Travel takes us out of our comfort zones and inspires us to do new things. It challenges us to explore and adapt to new surroundings, to engage with different people, to embrace adventures as they come and to share new and meaningful experiences with others.

So what have prominent people said about traveling?

To Travel Is To Live

Hans Christian Andersen

Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life-and travel- leaves marks on you.

Anthony Bourdain

I meet a lot of people in Europe, I even encountered myself.

James Baldwin

It is better to travel than to arrive

Buddha

Don’t Follow Where The Path May Lead, Go Instead Where There Is No Path And Leave A Trail

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don’t Tell Me How Educated You Are, Tell Me How Much You Have Traveled

Mohammed

The World Is A Book And Those Who Do Not Travel Read Only One Page.

St. Augustine

The more I travelled, the more I realized fear makes strangers of people who should be friends.

Shirley MacLaine

Twenty Years From Now You Will Be More Disappointed By The Things You Didn’t Do Than The Ones You Did.

Mark Twain

There Are No Foreign Lands. It Is The Traveler Who Is Foreign

Robert Louis Stevenson

So Why Travel?…

Traveling is an experience everyone should have, even for those who do not want to leave their comfort zone. There are many benefits too traveling and those that do not will only shortchange themselves of a deeper understanding of our world and humanity. These are some of travels greater benefits;

To Learn and Experience New Things

When you travel you are taken out of your everyday comfort zone. You’ll see things you didn’t know existed, you’ll hear stories about events didn’t never knew happen, you’ll eat things you never tasted and you’ll experience things with a whole new feeling.

Widen Your Perspective

Traveling to another country and culture allows you to see how other people face everyday life in ways you never thought of. You’ll see the advantages and the dis-advantages in the way they approach the challenges to daily life.

Make You More Appreciative

This can be especially true when you arrive home. You’ll look at the privileges you have at home and in your personal life in a more positive light. The old saying that “You Don’t Know What You have Until You Lose It” applies here.

Meet People and make new friends

No matter where you go in Europe there are friendly people to talk to. They could be employee somewhere, other travelers in your tour group, fellow passengers on a train or plane, a guide who is an expat. Always greet people with a hello, preferably in their own language, and you’ll see how friendly they become.

You See incredible Sights 

You will see things that you didn’t think where possible or imaginable and yet some of these very things where done so long ago that it is hard to comprehend. To see and be in the very places that Julis Caesar, Mozart, Napoleon, and Vincent Van Gogh and to see the things they saw can be very exhilarating.

Leaving the Familiar Behind

Travel disconnects you from your every day life. It allows you to forget about your everyday responsibilities. It also puts you into a totally different environment and forces you to act and respond to your surroundings. This may be awkward at first but, afterwards it can be invigorating. 

Become More Confident 

It takes a leap of faith to board a plane for a far away destination with a different language and customs and other unknowns once you arrive. However, once you’ve done it you not only will feel confidence but, even some exhilaration.

Reflects the World in a Positive Light

You will see and experience incredible things that make you believe anything is possible. This reflects positively and reinforces hope in a world we sometimes only see and hear the negative.

Makes Happy Experiences and Memories

Long after your travels you will carry with you found memories of all you have seen and done for the rest of your life. So take that time to absorb the special places you visit. Look around, take in all that’s visual and audible and let in sink in. It will make for a more lasting memory.

Tourism in Europe…

Modern tourism as we know it, had its origins in the 17th century Europe. Young men of nobility would take two years to travel across Europe and study the culture, arts and history of countries, especially France, Germany, Italy and Greece. This became came called “The Grand Tour” and those that took it were considered to have a very completed education. The Industrial Revolution brought about the improvement of travel with the train with its networks across Europe enhancing travel. The economic growth from this age also made trvel more accessible to more people. In the 18th century travel agents first appeared and Thomas Cook pioneered the Holiday Package. Agents would arrange all inclusive travel with transportation, accommodations, food and attractions with vouchers. The development or the automobile and increased roads, as well as railroads crossing the Alps made more locations available for tourists to visit.

After World War II and the introduction of jet travel now open new opportunities for distant travelers, like those from the U.S. to visit Europe. Rather than taking days to reach Europe by ship, one could now be there within hours, devoting those days to sightseeing. With this growth of mass tourism Europe has developed an infrastructure to accommodate the increased growth of tourists that flock there each year. This makes travel in Europe very attractive on many levels and it is why so many, from all over the world come to visit.

The tourism industry for Europe is a significant part of the European economy as more and more people visit every year. What was once a trip experienced by few, is now something millions can financially enjoy. The cost of long distance overseas flights as well as the reduced time to get there, contributes to people of modest incomes being able to travel to Europe. 

The expanding middle class’s in China and India have increased the numbers of visitors from those countries adding to the growth. This continued growth has increased demand for the industry to have more accommodations, entertainment, transportation and miscellaneous travel services. This gives the traveler to Europe more choices and value. However, with more people come larger crowds, longer lines and more pre-planning than before. If you do not clearly know what you want to see and do, you may be unable to secure tickets for certain sites and events.

You need to make good use of the many services offered in order to travel in Europe. Go to the categories below and find information that will you to make the right choices.