Let’s talk about a new term I decided to come up with (that probably already existed, but whatever…)
Millenial Travel.
About a month ago I was talking to another blogger I met and I used the word “budget”. She asked if I focus on budget travel and I said yes…that basically stopped the conversation in its tracks because she focuses on luxury travel. That’s fine I guess, I still love her work and will continue to follow her, but the sudden halt in conversation got me thinking. I realized that the word “budget” in travel doesn’t mean the same thing as “budget” in Corporate America.
Let’s break it down:
“Budget” in Corporate America: determining the maximum amount of money you can spend on something without going totally broke
“Budget” Travel: doing every single thing you possibly can to spend as little money as possible. You can do this by staying in hostels, backpacking, only eating street food (or cooking most of your meals), etc. A great example of a true budget traveler and budget travel book is Nomadic Matt’s How to Travel the World on $50 a Day.
All that being said, I am not a budget traveler. I have never stayed in a hostel and I easily spend at least $50 a day on food alone. I do, however, value a great deal.
Travel is easily the one thing that I splurge the most on in my life. It fuels the fire in my soul like nothing else and as someone who hardcore struggles to network, it gives me some incredible talking points and stories to fall back on.
First, let’s define what a millenial is. A millenial is anyone born between 1981 and 1996. This means that the majority of millenials are actually in their thirties and not still in college like most people believe.
Millenials travel more than any other generation. This is a fact. Because we travel so much and value it so much, we often get a really bad rap.
Yes, millenials travel a lot. However, that does not mean that we don’t value hard work or that we are trying to escape responsibility by traveling to far off lands. In fact, the opposite is true. Millenials value hard work, but they don’t just want to work to earn a paycheck. They want careers that they are proud to have. They want to make a difference in the world. And they value the freedom that remote careers can offer them. Not all millenials want to fly off to an island and party on a giant yacht MTV-style. A lot of millenials want to explore other cultures, learn from people in different parts of the world, and do their part to help make the world a better place.
As I reflect on my preferred ways to travel, I have come to realize that most of the other millenials I know travel in a similar fashion to myself. So I have decided that I am a Millenial Traveler.
What constitutes “millenial travel” according to Vagarious Wanderer?
I look for a good deal when I am booking my lodging, but I will never sleep in any kind of a communal space. A private room in a really nice hostel? Sure, maybe. But I would rather spend $70 a night on an AirBnB all to myself than $10 for a bunk bed or $200 for a hotel room where I won’t be spending much time anyway.
I will be bringing a suitcase with me. I like to look pretty and have options, sorry not sorry. But one thing that I think is different about my travel style than most is that I actually fly to my destination with a mostly empty suitcase because I love to fill it with local beer and wine to bring home with me.
I fill my bag with protein bars so I don’t need to spend money on breakfast or snacks, but then I will happily go spend $200 on a meal at one of the best restaurants in the world.
Millenial travel is about saving on some things so you can splurge on others. It is knowing that when you get home you may be living off ramen until you get your next paycheck, but also knowing that the experiences will 100% be worth it. It is about seeing the value in experiences over things.
My travels, especially my adventures as a solo female traveler, have helped me to learn so much about both the world and myself. We are often surrounded by terrifying and negative media in our own countries that make us fear what else is out there in this big, scary world of ours. But when you ignore those stories and choose to have your own adventure, you learn that people really are inherently good. Yes, there are bad people, but for every bad person trying to hurt you there are 20 good people that will help you in whatever way they can.
The next time a millenial you know blows their holiday bonus on a trip, instead of judging them for not investing the money or at least putting it into a savings account, ask them what they hope to gain from their trip. Ask them what inspired them to go to their destination of choice. Ask them what they’ll be doing and seeing while they are there.
Yes, traveling can be expensive, but what your bank account loses your soul will gain tenfold.
A lot can be learned from millenial travelers, and all travelers really, if you are just willing to put bias aside and listen.
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