Five great things about travel

“I really want to get away”… “I need a change of scene”… how many times have you thought that in the past? Perhaps even more so than ever during 2020? This year it has been so much harder to plan a trip whilst navigating the seemingly constantly changing rules and regulations around travel, but even before then a staggering 40% of UK employees weren’t taking their full annual leave entitlement.

Of course there are a myriad of reasons behind that, but it’s important to remember why it is that you love travel, why it’s good for you and why.. once the world has settled into its new “new” .. that the world is still out there to explore.

Maybe its’s about day trips or staycations this year, or maybe it’s about planning for 2021, but knowing you might get away makes a huge difference. Don’t just take our word for it, here are five great reasons to get out and about backed up by a little bit of research.

1. The joy of planning ahead

With so much happening at the moment it can help to take a step back and think about something good and positive for the future. Maybe your holidays for 2020 had to change, but maybe think ahead to 2021 and check out some of our villas with pools for next year’s holiday inspiration. With flexible bookings with most airlines and Further Afield owners working to make travel as stress free as possible just knowing you have something to look forward to is a huge boost.

Backing up this idea: Cornell University stated their findings showed that researching and experiencing “experiential purchases (money spent on doing) tends to provide more enduring happiness than material purchases (money spent on having).”

2. A change is as good as a rest

Just getting away from the house – especially if you’re working from home – makes for a huge mental health boost. Seeing something new, whether it’s a cityscape, a country field or the inside of a museum, it’s taken you out of your usual zone and is something to stimulate your brain.

Backing up this idea: A Harvard report suggests that time outside of our day to day lives is “essential to our engagement, performance, and creativity”

3. The benefits of being outdoors

Just escaping the four walls of your office or home means that you’re on the way to a clearer, more productive mind. But being in nature and reconnecting to that side of your senses makes you more creative whilst at the same time helping you disconnect from some of the demands of our more technical world which can lead to increased stress.

Backing up this idea: A study on increased creativity and brain function following the decision to reconnect to nature and spend time outdoors was “emotionally positive”

4. The joy of experiencing new cultures

One of the simple joys of travel, especially when it’s overseas, is that it brings you into contact with a different way of living. It could be on a basic linguistic level, or seeing how people eat at different times or experiencing their cuisine or learning about their history. Whatever it is it can help increase your understanding of and connection to the wider world.

Backing up this idea: This blog sums up some of the reasons why experiencing new cultures is the best part of travel

5. Travel is physically good for you

There’s a myriad of ways in which the actual process of getting out and about and travelling somewhere is physically good for you. Whether it’s as simple as increased exercise whilst you explore the back streets of Florence or cycling the wine routes of The Loire Valley, you’re likely to be exercising more than you would in an average day at home.

Backing up this idea: This LA Times article summarises a study on the benefits of travel for stress and physical wellbeing.


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