Short-Term And Long-Term Travelers Differences
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Who doesn’t like to travel? Visiting new and unusual places is among the best things we can do for ourselves. Traveling broadens our horizons and teaches us valuable lessons. By traveling we get the chance to discover new and exciting cultures, meet new people and make unforgettable memories.
But as many as there are ways of traveling, as there are travelers. We decided to check what’s the difference between short-term and long-term travelers, but without tackling the mind-boggling (and quite frankly annoying) debate about what is the difference between a tourist and a „real“ traveler. Just FYI, if you are considering taking a vacation now, take a look at our suggestions here.
Planning
And first difference hides in the way they plan their travels. Short-term travelers tend to spend too much time searching for the best accommodation, they put a lot of effort into finding the best places to eat, and they have mapped everything they need to see weeks before they actually go on a vacation. Those people are most likely to be found on TripAdvisor reviewing and searching for top choices.
Long-term travelers, on the other side, tend to be more spontaneous. They are able to get the best deals and being fancy and luxurious is not their priority. They know they shouldn’t spend too much money on expensive hotel rooms, because, in fact, they will not be in their place for the whole day! Long-term travelers can spot the usual tourist scams almost instantly and have their own resources when it comes to discovering what to see and where to eat.
Packing
The second difference lies in the way they pack. If you are among those who take the biggest suitcase ever on their travels and take a lot of time into picking the outfit for any possible occasion then, we’re sorry to tell you, but you are a short-term traveler.
Long-term travelers usually bring the bare minimum with them. And they can pack their things as fast as saying „plane ticket“. They enjoy being „on the go“, and they don’t like to be restricted by their baggage.
Vacation activities
If attending a club or beach party is a must while you’re on vacation, then we’re sorry we have to break it to you – there are all the chances you’re a short-term traveler.
Long-term travelers are not so keen to indulge in such activities. They know that when you see one beach party – you’ve seen it all. Long-term travelers know that the real thing is not in a fancy city club or in a crowded beach bar. Real gems of every journey hide in the ordinary, everyday things, so they prefer to spend their time in a city center or exploring the environment to „breathe in“ the spirit of the place they are visiting.
Dining
If you tend to eat in the city center once you’ve reached your destination, then we’re sorry we have to tell you-you fell into the most common type of tourist trap out there. And that it is pretty obvious you’re not a traveling expert.
Those who travel often know the most delicious food hides in the secret corners of the place they are in, far away from the inviting posters advertising local delicacies. Long-term travelers will tell you that in most cases you will find the best food in a shabby-looking venue with poor service. And in most of these cases, this food is way cheaper than the one in the city center.
Taking photographs
It’s a shame to go on a trip and not make a single photo. If you don’t do this and put it on Instagram, then how will people know how you actually spent your vacation? If you agree with this statement, then you’re most probably a short-term traveler.
Long-term travelers tend to have little to no pictures of the places they just visited. They like to keep their memories for themselves and usually are so busy having fun that they don’t even have time to snap that „instagramable“ photo.
We hope we have shown you the difference between long-term and short-term travelers. And all we want to say to you after all of this is to have fun, see as many things as you can, and eat well! After all, all every traveler wants is to enjoy the ride and come back to work refreshed.
Ana Mladenovic
A cat enthusiast and a cupcake maniac, Ana is a freelance Content Writer passionate about HR, productivity, and team management topics. When she’s not at her keyboard, you can find Ana in the kitchen, trying to make delicious cookies.
