Why Is Travel Writing Important?

Some people think traveling is a hobby, others believe it’s a calling. Traveling has the ability to be completely overwhelming while other times it is exactly what you need to take time off from the mundane tasks of everyday. Recently, I read an article about dromomania, which is the official term for having the urge to travel to the point where it makes you physically anxious if you do not travel. Throughout modern history, there have been accounts of people wandering around the world because they are unable to stop. It makes for a psychologically interesting case; however, I do believe it is based on our biological pasts as nomads. Our hunger for new environments and ways of life give us the ability to adapt to bigger things along the way.

In the 21st century, travel is used for work or luxury. It is held at a different standard now, but people still hunger for the change and immersion into different cultures. I think people should embrace it. For people who suffer from severe forms of dromomania, it is important for them to find some benefit in the traveling they do. Finding jobs that accommodate their travel needs or working on projects that allow them access to travel may work beneficially for them. I believe everyone has a little bit of wanderlust inside them and for the people who cannot live without travel, I would encourage them to look at it as a strength not a weakness.

Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash

During World War II, British spy Patrick Leigh Fermor was stationed in Greece and fell in love with the environment of the Mediterranean. Since then, he built a home for himself there and explored the neighboring peninsula for adventure and fun. He documented his travels throughout the 1930s and published it. His book became the guidelines for travel writing. After reading the journal entries, readers were inspired to write down their own traveling experiences and share them with others who wanted to travel, as well.

I believe travel writers share their thoughts, advice, and experiences with audiences to ease the all-too-familiar urge to travel. People can escape through reading about adventure, too. People who have dromomania may find travel writing as a helpful tool for when they cannot escape their everyday life to travel.

Travel writers/bloggers/vloggers and any other source of media have found their niche by sharing their own experience with an audience who wishes to have similar travels. Not for the sake of making them jealous, but for the sheer enjoyment of storytelling. Interestingly, travel writing is important in that it has grown more popular over the years because of people who follow the Instagram and Twitter travellers, who attract viewers with their appealing pictures and selfies. These people are only acting as half the travellers they could be if they would focus on seeing what is right in front of them instead of taking the perfect picture.

Personally, this is what I strive for in my time as any type of writer. I would never want to pose as someone who has the best travel experiences, but instead have realistic ones and be able to share my raw and true encounters with traveling. The idea of blogging my traveling has always been interesting and exciting to me. I cannot promise I’ll be as good as Patrick Leigh Fermor, but I will sure as hell try!