One Lucky Soul: Why Americans Don't Travel Much

Why Americans Don’t Travel Much by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul

Travelling is one great way to learn about the world as well as about oneself. Rumi said that it brings power and love back into your life. Yet, not many people seem motivated to venture and embark on international journeys. Why is that the case? How can we not be in love with travelling? And what are the reasons for Americans specifically?

Following three years in Canada during my U.S tour in 2014, I met lots of people who actually never left, not only their states, but also their towns and counties. A 20-something-year-old girl from a small Illinois town nearly 45 minutes away from Chicago who has never visited Chicago. Another 24-year-old whom I briefly shared the Venice bungalow with who has never been to N.Y; it was also her first time to California. I mean, for me this seem insane. International travelling, one might understand, but within your own country, and you’re in your mid-twenties already! Where is the curiosity? Where is the will to see, to know, to learn? So I began looking for answers.

I also met few Americans who had visited almost all 50 states, or say 46 at least. But those are a rare minority, and often the trips would be work-related. Even fewer have made the bold move and actually decided to tour the world or live outside of the U.S, even if for a little while.

I remember a chat with a cab driver in Michigan who took me to the train station at 7 am. He was a nice black man in his 50s. When I told him about my plan to roam around the U.S, he looked at me in the rear-view mirror and said something along these lines: “Ah, I’ve always wanted to do that... but work and kids.”

In case of Americans, as I came to find out, only about 30% of the population own a passport. This number excludes passport cards, which are identification cards that only allow sea and overland entry to the U.S from Canada, Mexico, and certain parts of the Caribbean, but not the rest of the world. It is estimated that only 13% have ever travelled abroad.

Percentage of valid passports by state - Why Americans Don’t Travel Much by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul

Being the powerful and dominant nation America is, this may appear strange. Compared to smaller countries like Canada where 60% own passports and the United Kingdom’s 75%, it sure is a significantly low figure. It is still, however, much higher than China, where only 20 million people hold passports — a meagre 1.5% of the population.

Well, there are few factors behind this reality as highlighted in the article, Why Americans Don’t Travel Overseas, which is written by an American traveller.

First, the sheer fact that America is a whole continent. Like Australia, you have beaches, forests, deserts, mountains. So with such size and diversity, the common American mentality doesn’t really see a need to go elsewhere.

Second, it’s fear. Due to lack of culture and the relentless work of mainstream media, many Americans regard the rest of the “outside” world as a scary place. They are made to believe that other countries are dirty and dangerous. Especially after 9/11 and its aftermath, a large portion of Americans actually believe that other nationalities do not like them. Consequently, they feel it’s safer to stay in their comfort zone within their own territories.

This sentiment may actually be true to some degree, especially, and understandably, in places where the American military had already bombed people not-so-long ago, like Iraq and Afghanistan. Which reminds me of the Mark Twain quote, “God created war so that Americans would learn geography.”

More quotes can be found on here, Some Soulful Travel Quotes.

Nevertheless, with the rise of the Internet, it seems that more people are becoming more conscious and aware. The younger generations specifically are maturing in the political sense. Unlike their parents’ generation, a small yet growing portion of the population had already stopped following, or even believing mainstream media. They are awakening, one could say, thinking for themselves.

Fortunately, more younger folks are interested in the world and what it has to offer. They are also starting to realise that people and governments are two very different entities. You can oppose or hate the policies of some countries all you want, even the decision makers of such policies, but what’s the rest of the population got to do with anything? To label an entire country or its citizens bad — or good — is just narrow-mindedness and a clear sign of lack of critical thinking. That’s pretty much it.

When we come to think about it, we find that most people who hold that childish kind of love for their country have never left it. Echoing with the sobering words of Henry Rollins “A great way to learn about your country is to leave it.”

That said, the current top destinations for American travellers remain: England (9% of all trips), France (7%), Italy (7%), Germany (5%). I guess these WW II relics are where they feel safer.

Fun stereotypes by state across the U.S by Brits (BuzzFeed) - Why Americans Don’t Travel Much by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul

Humorous American States stereotypes by the Brits (BuzzFeed)

A third reason why Americans do not travel abroad much is, apparently, their shrinking yearly vacation. According to another article, Why 64% Of Americans Have Never Left the U.S, in 2012 the average was 12 days, down from 14 in 2011. However, workers only used 10 days. Also, 43 million Americans don’t get paid sick-leave — that’s about one third of all American workers.

Adding to that, 68% of American vacationers admitted to checking in with the office either “regularly” or “sometimes” during their vacations, which suggests that most Americans are still prioritising work during their time off.

That is precisely the case of my American cousins who were born in the U.S and who visit their families in Egypt, either once a year or every few years. The plane trip to and fro is a day and a half each, leaving them merely 10 days for the entire holiday. Once done, they have a full year of work ahead, before being able to rest. And those are educated and hold decent jobs. They are still fortunate to be able to travel back home.

Now on the other hand, Europeans receive between 25 and 30 days of vacation a year, and they usually use all of them. They also get family leave and their sick-leaves are paid.

So that is obviously another factor which makes travelling a pain in the butt for most Americans.

One more reason why Americans don’t travel overseas is, again, geography. Because its remote location, which obviously reflects on the money issue, flights to and from the U.S are significantly more expensive. A trip abroad is usually beyond the means of the average American. Naturally, it makes travelling not a priority for most; some sort of luxury even.

This is true if we compare with Europeans who, lucky them, only need to hop on a train or a bus to visit a neighbouring country. The ease is also due to the establishment of the Schengen Area, which now comprises of 26 European nations that have abolished passport and any other type of border control at their common — internal — borders. Most of Europe today functions like the United States, as one big country with one currency.

A major problem is that many American students have to repay their college loans; thus are forced to stay home after graduation instead of travelling before they start working. As for the adults, a lot of them are bound by debts, mortgages, and taxes and simply cannot afford to travel.

However, if on the other hand we compare Americans to Canadians, Australians and Kiwis who are even further away from the rest of the world, we find that the latter travel much more. In fact, unlike Americans, those citizens are encouraged to travel and explore different countries. Perhaps because they do not “bomb brown people” as George Carlin would say, they feel more liked and/or welcomed around the world.

Also, perhaps because the sole role of the media there is not to scare the general population from the rest of the world, so here lies another difference.

Why NOT a Bidet? is another investigative worldly piece in the Why? series which you may enjoy.

Fun stereotypes by state across the U.S by Brits - Why Americans Don’t Travel Much by Omar Cherif, One Lucky SoulWhy Americans Don’t Travel Much by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul

Humorous American Stereotypes by Americans

As for finances, let us remember that the dollar is a major world currency. With some early creative planning, online research, and a sense of adventure, affordable tickets to pretty much anywhere can be found. If there’s a will there’s a way. If not, our clever brains will always find elaborate excuses to convince us otherwise.

Besides, the American status gets you into many countries with ease; obtaining visas and other paperwork is usually a piece of cake for holders of the blue passport. Truly, if you only knew what those of us who are neither American nor European have to go through ― even with proper paperwork and enough money. Again, it was a totally different reality pre 9/11, which some us remember quite well.

Language is another advantage; as English is the second language to so many people around the world. So those are major benefits for being an American traveller.

The thing is, like colour, race and religions, nationalities gave us the illusion that we are separated from each other. When that happened, all hell broke loose. Humans started killing each others, abusing animals, and destroying Nature. This only happened because man forgot his true essence. He forgot that he is everyone else and everyone else is himself; that everything connects to everything else. The reality is, man is Nature, yet he is destroying it and exploiting its resources like there is no tomorrow ― like he has somewhere else to go to. The sad truth though is that not only is he destroying himself but also ruining this Pale Blue Dot for our descendants.

What makes travelling magical, however, is that it shatters all such isms and schisms. It liberates you from the inherited beliefs and the exhausted bigotry, illusions, and delusions that no longer serve you. It shows you that we are all one; that essentially we are only separated by egos and fears; that we are in this together. Travel also teaches you that wherever you’re from is a tiny place compared to the rest of the world; even more so when we contemplate the matter cosmically as citizens of a single Planet Earth. This shows you the bigger picture while leaving you humble among other enriching traits.

A prime essence of the Human Condition lies in realising the significance of our insignificance. Being nothing and everything simultaneously then becomes the greatest poetry there is.

Travelling abroad and experiencing new cultures, languages, people, food is through which the mind is opened. Nothing actually teaches us so much about life or about ourselves. Perhaps psychedelics come close and that is why the inner journey is called a trip. The world is so vast, diverse, and full of beauties and wonders, it seems that it exists for us to explore it. Travelling locally can be likewise educational.

Sail away from that safe harbour. The whole magic awaits outside of our comfort zone.

— ☙ ❊ ❧ —— ☙ ❊ ❧ —— ☙ ❊ ❧ —— ☙ ❊ ❧ —

EDIT [2025]:

Since this 2015 piece has been slowly but surely garnering the attention of readers here on One Lucky Soul [with a humble several thousand views along with some interesting comments], I feel compelled to add the following ― 10 full years later...

After a decade spent in Canada then the U.S I returned to Egypt in 2018. The political climate made it increasingly challenging for a legal non-American to come in and out of the country, let alone stay in gentrified Venice Beach or L.A in general where the rents and prices were soaring even higher. Following my departure I noticed many friends leaving L.A and California to more affordable cities and states.

When in 2022 I moved yet again to another Bohemian hood that is Dahab in Sinai, I came to notice another phenomenon regarding Americans: A significant portion of those who can leave the country left to reside in other relatively distant places around the world. And Dahab turned out to be one of those spots. Speaking to them, you can instantly feel they needed to leave the toxic environment the Trump era had created and is still creating, sometimes coupled with a sense of shame or frustration. Well, good for them to abandon the “perceived safety” of the Mothership and to venture into the world, at least for a while. If it took that to inspire them, more growth to them. It’s funny how the universe balances itself, huh.

Interestingly, over a decade later in 2026, I revisited this 10-year trip and what came to being are the first two articles in the new Early Memories Never Worded series:

Early Memories Never Worded: The Subconscious Chronicles #1

Early Memories Never Worded: The Subconscious Chronicles #2

And then the analytical dissection ― where I finally spoke my naked truth: A Superpower on the Couch: Reflections from the Ten-Year North American Trip.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

― Mark Twain, Mark Twain: The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It