We all can’t deny the fact that travel has drastically changed from one generation to the next. If you look back a hundred years back, a lot has changed from the way people travel now, why they travelled then and how they travelled.
To learn more, read till the end.
Means of transport
In the past, a lot of time was spent on the journey even though the journeys were kept short. International trips were left for the elite because it meant you only travel by planes or ships which were both damn expensive. It was not for the faint-hearted! You could only embark on such a journey if you hard means to pay for the trip or someone else was sponsoring the trip. Thus, international trips were left for the wealthy folks.
The privileged families also used buggies especially for shorter distances but the most used means of transport were horse-driven carriages or foot. People could walk for days, spending nights in the huts which were built along the paths.
But all that is history now. People can now travel to various destinations within a few hours or even minutes. Now, many people own cars which they use to travel short distances for vacations or picnics. In addition to road trips, cheap flights are now available and booking for one isn’t a difficult task. There are also affordable flights too. They are comfortable, convenient and can take you to almost any part of the world. As of now, no one can argue that they are unable to travel due to lack of means of transport while there are various ways to reach your destination regardless of the distance. Whilst, you have no reason to postpone that family outing.
Accommodation
Long before the establishment of hotels, travellers were being hosted in local inns, manors or even family homes. They may have lacked a number of modern facilities, but they were specially designed to make the travellers feel at home away from home. As the travel industry continued to grow and expand, the number of hotel chains mushroomed at a tremendous rate.
As of now, there are enough hotels to accommodate travellers 100 per cent. There could be a few issues particularly during peak season but still, you can’t fail to get a nice hotel to stay for as long as you want. Back in the day, the amenities were fewer and travellers were forced to use what’s available. However, things have taken a turn of events. Thanks to the competition around, hotels are striving to ensure they make their guests comfortable and provide all the essentials. The costs may have gone up, but the level of hospitality hasn’t be left behind either.
In addition to more hotels coming up, other types of accommodation are on the rise. Among the types of accommodations you couldn’t come across in the accommodation sector include:
Airbnb
Airbnb which stands for Air Bed and Breakfast is an online platform that links property owners with travellers who would like to rent out their spaces when they are travelling to that particular destination. This is something that was unheard of about 100 years back but technology has made it possible. Travellers who don’t want to check into a hotel now have the choice to stay in someone’s home at a fee.
Hostels
This is a type of accommodation that is mostly preferred by young people who are travelling on a budget. Unlike a hotel where you get a room all by yourself, in a hostel, you have to share the room with other travellers. While anyone can enjoy their stay in a hostel, they are usually more suitable for solo or young travellers.
Couch surfing
Couch surfing is a form of accommodation that wasn’t available a few centuries back. The platform connects you to a global community of other travellers around the world as well as people who are willing to share their homes with travellers. If you want to host travellers coming to your hometown or you are looking for a better way to interact with the locals when travelling, then register with couch surfing.
Reasons why people travel now
Interestingly, necessary migration due to war, hunger, poverty, the search for employment and greener pastures and fleeing from political or religious conflicts back in the 1900s was a form of travel. In fact, some people only travelled due to such reasons. Except for just a few individuals who travelled to explore and see what’s beyond their localities, a majority travelled out of necessity.
Today, people travel for good reasons. They travel for leisure, fun, new experiences, interactions and connections. It’s not a wonder for someone to book a month-long vacation in a beautiful destination just to relax, unwind and rejuvenate.
Attractions
Of course, there weren’t many attractions in the past and the few that were available weren’t taken good care of neither were they advertised. Meaning, you could travel to a destination and never get an opportunity to see the attractions available.
Thanks to technology, this is not the case anymore. Whether you are travelling to a place for the first time, you still have ways to search for the attractions available. With just a smartphone and internet connection, you can search for anything concerning your preferred destination. Besides, you can still get this information from your tour company.
Availability of travel essentials
Travelling has been made more convenient and comfortable through many things. The market is flooded with travel essentials such as comfortable wear, suitcases, water bottles, gear for different outdoor adventures, etc. This makes modern travel more effective and fun too.
Young travellers haven’t been left out either. As long as the mother and the baby are healthy, nothing can stop them from travelling the world. From packing items, food to means of transport, these days it isn’t difficult to find child-friendly amenities. Thus, don’t postpone your family outings because of a toddler. Just ensure you book a child-friendly means of transport and accommodation.
We’ve come a long way
Though travel has been there as early as human life, we can’t deny the fact that travel has experienced many changes over the last hundred years. Travel experiences now cannot be compared to a hundred years back. Back then, people didn’t have choices to make in matters regarding where to stay, means of transport to use, the company to travel with and the amount of money to spend on the trip among many other things. Therefore, now that you have the freedom, use it wisely. More so, everything has improved for the better. Take advantage of the comfort technology has introduced in the travel industry to travel the world, see incredible sceneries and meet new people. You won’t be around forever; so, why not experience the best for the years you’ll live under the sun? Explore the world worry-free and smoothly.
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