The Traveler vs. Tourist Debate and Why I Don’t Give a Crap
“I am not a tourist.”
This is the tagline for a tour company's latest campaign, where they are trying to inspire people to begin traveling differently.
Now, I’m all for inspiring people to travel. I’m also all for trying to convince people to travel outside of their comfort zones in order to experience places more deeply. It’s good to get “off the beaten path” sometimes.
But I have to be honest – I kind of take issue with the whole “I am not a tourist” campaign.
The traveler vs. tourist debate is certainly not a new one. For years, travelers and tourists have been defined and delineated, being separated from one another and placed at two ends of an invisible travel spectrum.
“Tourists“ are the ones who wear fanny packs and Aloha shirts. They’re the ones piling out of big buses to strike stupid poses in front of all the tourist sites. They are the ones eating at McDonalds because they’re afraid of “weird” food. They are the close-minded ones worthy of ridicule.
“Travelers“ are the ones who tote backpacks and only 3 pairs of underwear around the world. They use local transportation and thrive on living in hostel dorm rooms. They eat at street stalls and interact with locals as much as possible. They are the adventurous ones worthy of envy.
At least, these are the definitions we’ve been presented with – that tourists are “bad” and travelers are “good.”
But you know what? Those definitions are a bunch of crap. They’re nothing more than narrow stereotypes, and it bothers me when they are pitted against one another, as if one is more desirable than the other. When a big tour company tells people to “take travel back from the socks-and-sandals tourist crowd,” it makes it sound as though the evil tourists are ruing travel for everybody.
Which isn't true, of course.
I don’t care how you travel. I don’t judge where you go. I don’t label the “tourists” and the “travelers,” because, at the end of the day, those are stupid labels anyway. Not all “tourists” are buffoons, and not all “travelers” are saints. People are people, regardless of their travel style. I'm just glad they're traveling at all.
And yet, we are still confronted with the tourist vs. traveler debate time and time again.
My main question is: why does it have to be one or the other? Can’t a tourist also be a traveler, and vice versa?
What would you call a person who books a spot on a guided tour, but who spends their free time chatting with locals and getting lost in new cities? What would you call a person who backpacks around Europe, but only stays in places with Western amenities? Is one of these people “better” than the other? Of course not.
The truth is, there are some travel styles that just do not fit into either the “tourist” or “traveler” category. And there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, I am proudly a little bit of both.
If I stuck my nose up at “touristy” things, I would have never…
…climbed the Great Wall of China…
…visited the Grand Canyon…
…watched a sunset on Waikiki Beach…
…cruised through Milford Sound…
…or climbed to the top of the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Some of these “touristy” experiences have been some of my favorites. I have great memories from all around the world of being a tourist, taking lots of photos, and just enjoying the sites that everyone comes to see.
At the same time, if I refused to be a “traveler,” I would have never…
…went hiking on a glacier…
…road tripped across the United States…
…climbed sea cliffs in New Zealand…
…seen one of the world’s rarest birds up close…
…or traveled solo.
These, too, are some of my favorite travel experiences. And I never would have had any of them if I’d been too afraid to leave the guided tour behind.
But, looking back on all of the amazing travel experiences I’ve been lucky enough to have, it becomes clear to me that it’s not about being a “traveler” as opposed to a “tourist.” It’s more about taking advantage of opportunities and doing the things that appeal to me.
I don’t travel for anybody else, so why should I let somebody else tell me “the right way” to travel?
Because here’s a not-so-secret secret: there is no “right way.” There's no “wrong way,” either. There’s only the way that works best for you. And sure, maybe your style is different than the next person’s, but that doesn’t make it okay to apply those “tourist” and “traveler” labels.
Screw those labels. And screw the people who use them in a derogatory way.
I’m going to keep traveling the way I want to travel, no matter what you call me. And I hope you'll do the same.
READ NEXT: Am I a Lame Traveler?
What do you think of these labels? Do you have to be one or the other? How do you feel about the “I am not a tourist” campaign?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
Great article and subject. Most people would comsider me a traveler. I am very independent, a solo traveler, backpacker, I eat “weird” food, and the only thing better than a Hostel is tent!
But that doesn’t mean I’m going to pass on well known attractions. If I have a chance to get a pic of myself in front of a well known attratction, hey, I’m giving my camera to the dude wearing sandals and socks to take that picture. Did I pass on Ziplining above the Monteverde Cloud Forest just because I had to ride in a bus with people wearing bright flowery shirts? Hell no. As a matter of fact I stood out among them and they struck up conversations with me.
Just go be yourself and forget how other people travel, you’re ruining your own experience. That’s one reason we travel, To get away from all the bullshit back in the rat race.
Thanks, Kevin! It’s good that you don’t see yourself as “above” those people in flowery shirts and socks and sandals. 🙂 Because they’re travelers, too! Just a different sort.
Totally agree with you. It pisses me off that this distinction still goes on. People have no right to judge others for how they choose to travel, as long as they are respectful of the people and culture in which they are travelling. Travel should ideally break down barriers, not create new ones. And for G Adventures to stir up this old crappy debate is pure madness.
I love that you said “Travel should ideally break down barriers, not create new ones.” I could not have said it better myself.
And, to be fair, I don’t necessarily think that G Adventures intended to stir up this debate with their campaign. But I think perhaps they did anyway! They got me thinking about it, at least…
My view is that anyone who travels is a “traveller”.
Tourists are a subset of that, namely travellers that are prone to going on tours.
Other categories of travellers are “family travellers”, “backpackers”, “business travellers”. Unfortunately the “backpackers” have claimed the word “traveller” as if all the other ones don’t exist.
And if you bought into all the things a traveller has to be to be considered a “traveller”, well, no-one would actually be able to achieve it.
So yeah, the whole debate is crap. 🙂
Glad you agree, Peter! Thanks for reading.
Great post that gets to the real point of travelling how YOU want to travel. Nobody is bor na tourist or traveller….everyone has their own interests and passions.
My sister loves Europe for it’s museums, cafes and galleries…the most popular, ‘touristy’ things…but she will travel solo and stay in odd, unique places, take local buses…so then is she a traveller or a tourist? Neither.
Myself, I like wildlife and nature…I’ve gone camping in remote Sri Lanka and been shot at in Cambodia, but taken group tours to the Serengeti and Galapagos. So what am I a tourist or traveller? Neither.
Sometimes I want to eat McDonalds in another country and sometimes I want to eat fried insects. Sometimes I want to hang out with locals and sometimes I want some quiet time alone.
So I totally agree, there are places that are popular for good reason, even if you have to become part of the crowd to see them. Travel when, where and how you want…
As for G Adventures, they’re a solid tour company. I worked for them for almost 8 years. If you read between the lines of what Neil said, they goofed up with the way they presented this campaign. They try to be edgy and different from other tour companies, sometimes it works well…sometimes it doesn’t.
You’ve taken a lot of the words right out of my mouth, Red! I agree that many people (most, even) don’t fit into one definition or the other. There’s a LOT of crossover, and it’s because everybody travels differently. I’m a “tourist” a lot of the time, but I also like to be able to tell stories of the locals and take photos of things that are perhaps further off the beaten path. So how would you define me? And does that definition really even matter? I don’t think so.
I know that G Adventures is a really great tour company, and I really support what they do — I just don’t support the message they’re sending out with this new campaign. And, clearly, I’m not alone…
I have to disagree with the extreme definitions of tourist and traveler. I tend to lean more towards traveler and admit I am a bit disappointed with those who just do more of the tourist things. It’s not that there isn’t anything wrong with McDonald’s, tour groups, or touristy places. The real problem I have is the mindset of people. That’s how I define the difference between the two. I don’t just stay in hostels or pack three pair of underwear (although I do like cheap places to stay and only carry a backpack). I tend to fall in between in the definition of the two with a strong lean towards the traveler.
However, the key is the mindset. A traveler is one who wants to explore the world and see whatever it is he or she wants to see while understanding that people are different. It’s OK to see touristy places and take a tour bus as long as you understand it’s not about always catering to you and your tastes and making everything you do feel like it is back home. As long as people understand that, you can travel however you want. It’s those that talk too loud, talk down about other cultures, and complain about everything when it’s not like it is back home that embarrass me.
Thanks for making these great points, Jeremy! I know those “definitions” are extreme, but I wrote them that way because I feel like sometimes that’s the way this debate turns out — with two extreme ends of a spectrum. I do agree that the mindset is key, and that those who consider themselves “travelers” are usually less demanding and critical of destinations and cultures than their less-adventurous counterparts. But there are plenty of whiny, elitist “travelers,” too!
I like your message. I consider myself a traveler and a tourist. I mean, I can’t imagine NOT going to see things like the Great Wall and the Eiffel Tower. Shouldn’t a traveler see the tourist sights, too?
I certainly think so! I’m glad you enjoyed this post.
Oh thank you for addressing this! I really don’t like labels and this one especially. Is it really necessary to separate the two and call someone names? Of course we all travel for different reasons and in different ways but we all are looking for the same things – experiences. Of course I have done all the touristy things and wouldn’t have done it any other way but I do enjoy getting “off the beaten path” to explore the city or area more. You bet I have eaten at McDonalds while traveling but I much prefer to experience local food and I do have my limits to the ‘strange’ food I will eat!
Well said, Debbie! You’re so right that we’re all looking for experiences — no matter what they are. And, at the end of the day, I don’t see how I could judge anyone for that!
Love all the comments you have gotten regarding this post. I am glad to see that most of us feel the same way:-). We all travel differently, we all have our quarks and really, that is what makes us all unique! If we were just one or the other, how boring would that be?
Great post, as always:-)
Thanks, Rebecca! I’m really glad to see the great discussion that’s going on here. THIS is why I love travel blogging. 🙂
I ‘ve been thinking about this a lot lately and, like you, get so annoyed when there appears to be a pretentious element to travel. I think that, despite people choosing different styles of travel, we are all tourists – whether it’s climbing the Eiffel tower or trekking solo through the Amazon Rainforest naked on a pogo stick (okay, that’s a random and slightly weird idea which I haven’t done by the way :-)) I love visiting the ‘touristy’ attractions, but always like to look out for something unique and different as well. I think there seems to be a bit of an aversion to the ‘tourist’ label. It can often be associated with unadventurous travel, following the trodden trail, blah blah. People should just do what they want, without there being any labels.
Yes, the “tourist” label is often associated with travel devoid of any novelty. And there are definitely people who don’t want a lot of novelty when they travel. But I don’t see why we’re supposed to “look down” on them. It’s not like you can force someone to want to be more adventurous…
Also, I had to laugh out loud at the “trekking solo through the Amazon Rainforest naked on a pogo stick.” Haha! I wonder who’s going to try it now.
You have it exactly right. Most people staying in a hostel, in room with10 people would take a room of there own if it’s the same price. Travel is about seeing the world however you can. If you get tired of hostels and need to stay someplace nice then go for it. On my trip around the works I used everything from a tent to a 5 star hotel. Sometimes a few days of luxury can help you recover and get you ready for more hostels and camping. It’s all about the magical moments and not trying to feel more significant or better than everyone else. Justin
Trip around the world I mean. Stupid iPhone spell checker.
Well it’s great that you just traveled the way you wanted to, Justin. That’s definitely the way to do it! And I agree that sometimes a day or two of luxury is just what the doctor ordered.
Without tourists alot of travellers wouldn’t have jobs. I work in a ski town, up the hill, and without the tourists coming in and spending their dollar I wouldn’t have a job in a town I love.
Very true, Mike! Without the “tourists,” a lot of people and places would suffer.
Hey Amanda,
First off all, thank you for your passion for travel. Believe me, G Adventures couldn’t agree with you more.
For us, it’s not about calling ourselves “travelers” in order to feel superior over less-informed “tourists”. As you’ve mentioned, we’ve all been tourists on plenty of occasions. After all, hitting a resort really doesn’t allow you to absorb the local culture. It’s about hanging out in the sun and tipping a few back. The difference, however, is a state of mind. It’s about recognizing that not being a ‘stereotypical tourist’ entails an attempt to absorb the culture a bit more. That’s what’s really at the hear of the ‘You’ll Never Forget It’ campaign. It’s meant to encourage people to look beyond the sites and monuments of a place—in hopes of revealing the more enduring beauty in the lives in the cultures and people that are local to the areas.
No doubt that our tours still include famous sites that “tourists” would visit (as your responses highlight, for good reason), and they also include unforgettable experiences that only a “traveller” would uncover.
In the recent past, people who may have only ever seen a country from behind a resort wall (or as you said, piling out of a big bus and snapping a few shots and then piling back on) have experienced trepidation when looking beyond those limits. There is a fear of the unknown that keeps them from truly knowing a place. Our goal is to show these people that they too can experience those things that were typically reserved for only the most avid backpackers. They too can see the world through new eyes.
We are all travellers in this life, and we all travel for different reasons. In our experience, we find that the most unforgettable experiences are never part of an itinerary, they happen if you let them. With ‘You’ll Never Forget It’, our hope is that we open that conversation. That tourists and travellers take the time to interact with local people, try a traditional restaurant, and as you said “get off the beaten path” from time to time.
If we can get more travellers doing this, we can support more local economies, open more minds and hearts to the beauty of our differences, and generally make the world a better place.
Thank you for your heartfelt response. If you’re interested, we would welcome a chance for a member of our Brand Team to have a one-on-one conversation with you for a deeper look at the design and goals for the campaign. If so, please call our office at 1 888 800 4100 and ask for me.
Cheers,
Neil
Hey Neil, thanks so much for your response. I really appreciate it, and I hope you understand that this is in no way an attack on G Adventures or anything like that. I actually think what you guys do is great, and that your tours probably are some of the least “touristy” ones out there. I also appreciate that you focus on supporting local economies, because that’s so important in making tourism sustainable all around the world.
However, the whole “I am not a tourist” mantra still does rub me the wrong way. I understand that you’re not rallying against tourists or anything like that. But by having dialogue about how “I do not get competitive about shuffleboard,” etc., it almost does come off with an air of superiority. I understand the message, but I guess I’m just not a fan of how it’s being presented.
But thank you so much for weighing in on this post and adding to the conversation!
Such a well written post, it’s refreshing for a traveller/tourist to not care whether they are a tourist/traveller! I have to admit, I’ve been guilty of sneering at ‘tourists’, but I really am not one to judge, as my personal formula of travelling/touring is, as you say, a mix of both. I’ve eaten McDonald’s once or twice whilst abroad. I’ve also tried some amazing local cuisine (sushi for breakfast, anyone?!). I’ve booked on bus tours, and I’ve taken public transport. I’ve stayed in hostels, used Air BnB, slept in a car on a mountain and booked lovely hotels. And I’ve loved it all. So…I’m with you…who cares?! Thanks for opening the floor to such a great topic!!
Thank YOU, Elle, for adding to the great discussion. I really try my hardest not to judge others when I travel (unless, of course, they are being really obnoxious or disrespectful) because I know everyone travels differently, and no one shouldnever be made to feel badly about their travel choices!
Totally agree! I am neither a tourist nor a traveller but a little bit of both and more! I love to see and get my picture at all the tourist hot spots and yet I want to see more, to hear more to touch more. I like to experience the authentic experience but every now and again indulge in some Western home comforts – and why not?
Great blog – I can sense your anger!
Thanks Fiona, glad you enjoyed this post! It’s not anger so much as annoyance. I mean, we’re ALL traveling, no matter what labels are given to us. So shouldn’t we all be getting along and supporting each other?
Sometimes I am tourist, sometimes – traveler, but who cares how somebody calls you?
I think we definitely shouldn’t care! But, unfortunately, plenty of people do.