Something to consider – you just received a small but significant bonus at work or you inherited a small sum of money. The question now, what’s the smartest way to spend it? Buy a car, put it toward a house, put it toward a debt? The options are endless but we’re continuing to see reports that suggest putting at least some of that extra money towards travel and experiences may be a wise investment. Studies continue to advocate that experiential investment is an investment in your emotional, physical and cognitive wellbeing.
A University of Massachusetts study concluded that there are many lasting benefits from vacations. Those benefits occur as a result of detachment from work, relaxation during time away and from experiences gained during vacation. Stress relief benefits are most effective for those who take short, frequent getaways or those who take longer vacations. Employers can reap positive outcomes when they encourage workers to take more frequent or longer holidays.
Should I buy stuff?
Travel experiences make us happier than stuff. Why? Because after the initial euphoria of buying stuff, the pleasure fades. We start to take the stuff for granted. Even your dream house by the bay or the new and best iPhone or the top-of-the-line cycle you splurged on – after awhile we grow used to them and don’t appreciate them as we did at first. But the memory of that trip to Cambodia or Vietnam and the people and experiences you had there – those are the memories we treasure forever and for some, after an elapsed time, those memories can take on even greater, more enhanced meaning!
Travel advantages
Those who travel generally have more respect for other cultures. Sure, traveling from NYC to Las Vegas won’t offer the best cultural experience, but heading to Thailand or Africa or India ensures we will see the world through a different lens. It can also keep our North American egos in check learning that the foods and history of these places are different and maybe even better than ours.
Travel offers zen time. That time away from an over-scheduled, monotonous routine offers us mind-space to consider the larger questions of life. It gives time to consider where and how to live, career aspirations, and personal goals.
Travel as we Age
Some of the most compelling research that advocates travel is included in a white paper written by The Global Coalition on Aging. The “Destination Health Aging” paper says, “In a nine-year study, men who did not take an annual vacation were shown to have a 20 percent higher risk of death and about a 30 percent greater risk of death from heart disease.”
Seniors who travel regularly experience increased physical, mental and social stimulation. This travel investment is shown to improve quality of life as we age.
The white paper also maintains that societies see a spin-off benefit from seniors who travel: lower health care costs. By 2020, the over-60 population will grow to 1 billion+ so health care savings is a real and significant benefit and a reason for societies to encourage travel.
Yes, paying off that debt or buying your first house is financially responsible, but by making a travel investment, you’re also investing in better health, better well-being, and increased happiness!
To find best deals on flights, hotels and car rentals, download OppteeTM Travel Search. Opptee speeds up your searches and the more you search, the better prices you’ll find.
Opptee Travel Search: One Place. All Travel.
