What is a global traveller?

[Scarlett]

I see the term ‘Global Traveller’ bandied about occasionally in advertising or on blogs and articles and it got me wondering: what* exactly is a global traveller?

I turned over a few of the internets rocks and couldn’t find anything definitive, so am going to list what I think a global traveller is and also ask what the AFF community thinks. But first, according to the Airports Council International, who run an annual ‘Global Traveller Survey’, ASQ 2021 Global Traveller Survey - ACI World Store, they target respondents who travel by air at least once annually and intend to travel again in the future. That seems far too narrow for my liking because what if that person travels only domestically, or travels to the same place every year? Not very global.

A US report titled ‘The New Global Traveler’ developed by research group Phocuswright, also used a once a year traveller for the basis their study: The New Global Traveler: Discovering the Impact of Technology: Phocuswright.

Finally, the relatively well known ‘Global Traveler’ monthly periodical and website Travel Publications | Traveler Magazine | Luxury Travel Magazine describes their readers as having: “an average net worth of 2.8 million and 5 percent are CEOs and owners of companies. Our readers average 18 domestic flights per year and 96 percent travel internationally on a regular basis, mostly in first and business class. More than 83 percent stay in 4- and 5-star hotels, at an average 80 nights per year.” This seems a lot closer to what I imagine a global traveller to be, but doesn’t account for those backpacking slowly around Asia or Africa, or those who travel the world trying to visit every country.

So is a global traveller one who has visited some or many countries? Does a Contiki style tour count where participants might be hung over for the four hours they spent passing through Luxembourg? Is the person who flies into Algeria for four hours just to get a passport stamp really a global traveller? Is Lucky from OMAAT a global traveller if he goes from an airport direct to a five star hotel and then back direct to an airport the next day, without even speaking to a local in whatever country he might be passing though?

My opening gambit in this thread is that I think a global traveller has visited at least ten different countries AND has spent more than ten days in each of those countries (over one or more visits). This would seem to cover the ‘global’ nature of the travel; seeing and experiencing something different from a home country. It also covers the ‘traveller’ element because I think a person who only spends a day or two in a place can only ever scrape the surface of what is there; they may be better described as a visitor rather than a traveller, but I acknowledge that’s very much semantics. Plus, ten is a nice round number and just as valid as seven or twelve if there’s no specific criteria for choosing the number. Maybe spending two weeks in a foreign country might be better than ten days but I can’t quantify why or why not.

Am I a global traveller? I’ve spent more than ten days in: Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Austria. So just short. Although aside from a couple of those Asian countries, most are ‘Western’, so is a person who has only visited Western Europe and Aus, NZ and USA a global traveller? Maybe not. I’ve visited 82 countries total so maybe that counts for something as well?

How about, has visited a minimum of 25 countries; those 25 are spread over at least three different continents AND has spent at least ten days in at least ten of those countries? A little more complex but probably a little more representative of global travel?

That’s what I’m going with. So, global travellers of AFF, what is a global traveller to you?


*I’m sure the pedants will correct me if it is gooderer English to say ‘who’, or even ‘whom’ if you’re particularly posh! Also, is the word ‘traveller’ more correctly spelled with one or two Ls - the answer to that of course depends on whether you favour/favor the correct spelling or the American spelling.

 

[Forg]

It’s IMHO a non-phrase non-coined by nobody of importance …

 

[Hvr]

A 'Global Traveller' sounds like a beer you can drink anywhere in the world.

 

[leadman]

I thought it was a new line of luggage!!!!

I think the individual concept of g-t depends on your age, aspirations and, most important to me is attitude. And I split this into "tourist v traveller". The reference above to Contiki, to me, is in the tourist category, like those swilling bottled beers walking down Suhkumvit Road. The g-t are those people that absorb and appreciate their surroundings, whether on their first or fiftieth trip.

And these thoughts change and are changing as I get older, like the passport run. When you're younger, great to get those stamps in the passport, now, at $350 ++ for a new 40-odd pages you now plead with the European customs to try to straighten up their stamps and don't take a full page!!!! (Is that another sign of a g-t?)

 

[RooFlyer]

How about, has visited a minimum of 25 countries; those 25 are spread over at least three different continents AND has spent at least ten days in at least ten of those countries? A little more complex but probably a little more representative of global travel?

Pretty good. I think geographical spread and number of countries (as something of a proxy for geography; Europe excluded) is key. An annual pilgrimage to the Ritz-Carlton in London and New York isn't.

I had to think if I qualified for the 10 days in 10 counties bit, and then recalled my work trips, then tours . Canada, Russia, Morocco, Saudi, Egypt, NZ, Spain, Iran, France, Ghana, Egypt, India, Sth Africa, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, UK, USA,

 

[tdimdad]

Yeah, if you want to try to be a wanna-be-influencer, then using a label like this would sound cool. "Look at how awesome this view is! Blessed to be here. Hashtags globaltravel, globaltraveller, blessed, justmetravelling, Instacoolkids"

On a more serious note, I like the thinking about geographical coverage. The question of visitor vs traveller is a good one though I'd think it's a moot point. I would have shortened the "eligibility criteria" because you can get a feel for the local highlights in 2-3 days, however, to be able to immerse a bit and feel a place more properly, you'd need at least a week in a location.
I would suggest that perhaps you also want to add a hint of timespan so that a rush of travel in the 70's would perhaps not count that much any more but you need to be currently more or less active. I'd also add a criteria of going to new locations so that it's not always the same old, same old.

"Has visited a minimum of 15 countries across at least three different continents in the recent 10 years AND has spent at least a week on single visit in at least half of those countries (and min three days on a single visit in the rest), AND typically adds new locations to their travels over time."

Comparing myself against the criteria, I might not qualify. Need to travel more...

 

[Captain Halliday]

what* exactly is a global traveller?

Could be the name of a frequent flyer scheme.

Or fancy term for the business cabin.

 

[Lynda2475]

The 10 day duration is too arbitrary as it fails to consider the size of the destination. 10 days in Singapore is overkill for most, but 10 days in the USA and you haven't even scratched the surface. 2 days in Monaco and you could have covered every inch, 2 weeks travelling around Mexico feels rushed.

I also do not think traveller and tourist are mutually exclusive. I consider myself a traveller rather than a tourist as even if doing an organised tour I always add extra time to explore independently, opt to use local companies, eat where locals eat, try to learn a little local language.

Returning to a place to explore more in depth or to relive a favourite experience is fine. However if your only travel each year is to the exact same place or you only sit in a resort then that isn't really earning you any traveller kudos.

Im a big believer in exploring your own country as well as the world. It is not a successful travel year for me if i havent visited at least 1 new region/area in Australia and 1 new country internationally. And if returning to a previously visited country I need to visit a new region or tackle totally new experiences.

 

[tdimdad]

Im a big believer in exploring your own country as well as the world. It is not a successful travel year for me if i havent visited at least 1 new region/area in Australia and 1 new country internationally. And if returning to a previously visited country I need to visit a new region or tackle totally new experiences.

Yes to this! I've made a promise to myself that every time I go overseas to see family, I also visit a place that's new to me. Latest one was Taiwan, the next one will be the Christmas Markets in Germany (been to Germany a several times but this is the first time at the markets), after that probably Iceland, New York or somewhere in Canada. They are usually purposefully shorter visits to get the feel for the place so I know whether I'd like to go for a proper, longer trip to there.