Do you love to travel? Of course! Everyone loves to travel. After all, we’re a nation of workaholics, putting in more hours than many of our peers elsewhere in the developed world. By and large, North Americans are kind of shy when it comes to taking time off work. And on those rare occasions when we do, we want to make it count — perhaps, vacation overseas.

So we load up the car or hop on a plane and go somewhere new. Somewhere where we can leave the stresses and troubles of our lives behind. Where we can relax, learn, have fun and experience new cultures & cuisines, new tastes & smells. When we have kids especially, travel can provide a vital component in their education.

Yet, despite the myriad benefits of travel, North Americans often prefer to keep it local. While they may yearn for relaxation or adventure, they tend not to look for it outside of the continent itself. Here we’ll look at why the vast majority of people don’t vacation overseas (or even own passports) as well as looking at why those stubborn masses should reconsider.

Why don’t more people vacation overseas?

If you’re one of the 42% of Americans who currently has a passport, you may marvel at why your fellow citizens seem to balk en-masse at the prospect of international travel. With so much to offer and so many benefits, why would so many people deny themselves such a richly rewarding experience? 

Well, the cost (or at least the perceived cost) may be one thing. While the cost of living in a range of destinations may be much cheaper than in many local vacation spots, the price of international flights may be prohibitive for many when compared to a domestic flight. This may not always be the case (more on that later) but it’s easy to see why a domestic vacation might at least seem like the most cost effective option.   

Some have argued that the prospect of travelling overseas is kind of scary for many people. We’ve been conditioned to see threat in the unfamiliar which may discourage many from leaving our comforting and familiar soil. Moreover, let’s not forget that it may appear to many that North America has everything you need for a great vacation. With such enormous variation in topography, climate, and even culture it’s hard to argue against what it has to offer.

Heck, California and Florida between them have enough beaches to last anyone a lifetime. And those seeking adventure will find it abundantly in Lake Tahoe, Banff or of course the Grand Canyon. Nonetheless, taking your vacation overseas does have some distinct benefits which are either much harder or impossible to come by on home turf. Let’s take a look at a few.

It can help you live longer

Travelling overseas exposes us to new cultures and experiences. It makes our brains light up with activity in ways that don’t quite get the same stimulation when travelling at home. This neural activity not only shakes us out of our comfort zone and helps us to redefine ourselves but it can also keep us young and help us to live longer.

It can reduce stress levels, make you happier than making purchases, can make us more attractive when we’re single and can make us more employable. All of these factors can help us to lead a longer and happier life with all of our critical faculties intact and dementia kept at bay.

You might just find your dream holiday home

Have you ever dreamed of owning a holiday home? This idyllic prospect is getting increasingly untenable as property prices continue to climb in North America. Overseas, however, it can be a much more realistic prospect. The prospect of an HDB Singapore apartment is far more affordable than an equivalent property in the US or Canada. A holiday home can also be an extremely lucrative source of revenue when it’s not in use.

It makes our kids better people

There isn’t a soul on the planet who couldn’t benefit from a better understanding of other cultures, different places and new people. Nonetheless, kids are among those who will reap the most benefit. Exposing kids to other cultures broadens their understanding and makes them more rounded and understanding adults. It’s only when we shut ourselves off from other peoples and cultures that ignorance and prejudice are allowed to propagate.

What’s more, the steep learning curve that takes place when we travel overseas makes kids inherently more aware and there’s even evidence that it can improve their academic capability!

It opens you up to a whole world of new flavours

North America is a huge cultural melting pot and one in which most of us actively celebrate multiculturalism through the diversity of the foods we eat. But let’s be real here, there’s a universe of difference between enjoying a pizza in there and enjoying a pizza in Florence. The Pad Thai you get from the little place around the corner is no substitute for the kind you’ll get from a street vendor in Phuket.

For those who love variety of flavours in their food and the idea of ordering the same thing on the menu twice is abhorrent, travelling overseas can open up entire new avenues of taste and open up a bold new world of flavour.

It gives us a much needed perspective on the environment

In his 2011 stand up show at the Beacon Theatre, comedian Louis CK recalls when a friend berated him for littering. They asked him why he didn’t care about the environment. His response? “This isn’t the environment. It’s New York City.” Whatever your views on Louis CK, especially in light of last year’s revelations, there’s a point to be made there. It’s really hard to get a perspective on the damage being done to the environment when living in Manhattan. Or L.A. where smog is the new oxygen. When we expose ourselves to some of the greatest natural wonders of the world, however, it’s much harder to be ambivalent about the environment.

It’s hard not to care about the endangered leatherback sea turtle when you’ve been to Malaysia to see one lay its eggs. It’s hard not to care about the rainforests when you’ve backpacked through them and seen the miracle of biodiversity that they represent. Travelling internationally gives us some much needed perspective on the delicate balance of nature and how we as a species have upset it. With an avowed climate change denier in the White House, this can only be a good thing.

It can actually be less expensive

As we discussed previously, international air fares may be more expensive than their domestic counterparts but you’d be astonished at the number of ways in which you can get great deals on international flights. What’s more, a strong dollar means that you’re far more likely to get more for your money when overseas than doing the exact same things at home. Whether you want to see wild animals on safari, splash around in a waterpark or do a skydive, you can save a small fortune doing these things overseas, enjoying all of the experience for a fraction of the price.

So, the next time you feel in the mood for a vacation, consider going abroad. You have so little to lose, yet so very much to gain!