Is travel your best investment?

I remember when my sister went on her honeymoon to Tahiti in the late 90s lamenting she’d spent all the funds on their Club Med experience and never saw anything else apart from the “free” buffet and the pool. I promised myself right then I’d always consider travel as an investment and make the most of the experiences, do everything I could while I was there and worry about the money later, no matter the cost. The money (in my opinion) always takes care of itself (even the credit card debt) and the memories are always priceless. Of course, this is not advice.

This is against the grain (there is no marketing for an anti product) but I believe travel is just another form of consumption. Instead of material goods when we travel we consume experiences and culture. Yuval Noah Harari has an interesting perspective:

“Even what people take to be their most personal desires are usually programmed by the imagined order. Let’s consider, for example, the popular desire to take a holiday abroad. There is nothing natural or obvious about this. A chimpanzee alpha male would never think of using his power in order to go on holiday into the territory of a neighbouring chimpanzee band. The elite of ancient Egypt spent their fortunes building pyramids and having their corpses mummified, but none of them thought of going shopping in Babylon or taking a skiing holiday in Phoenicia. People today spend a great deal of money on holidays abroad because they are true believers in the myths of romantic consumerism.”

I see nothing wrong with travel (actually I think it’s pretty great when thoughtfully planned) but I feel uncomfortable with the notion that people who opt to spend their riches for travel are enlightened. In the end we are all trying to find happiness in this crazy capitalist world, travel is just one heavily promoted option with its consumers among it’s chief marketers.

I feel that here you are putting more emphasis on tourism than travel. It seems to me that Kaye is emphasising the amazing experiences and growth she has undergone from becoming a traveller as have Peter K and Michael in their comments.

Hi PaulB - yes, I agree on the split between tourism and travel - it's all about personal growth for sure - thanks for pointing this out

I think the distinction between travel and tourism is a bit artificial. At the end of the day, both involve consumption. Whether you’re exploring a new city for leisure or on a work trip, you’re still consuming resources—like transportation, food, and accommodations. Even so-called “authentic” or off-the-beaten-path experiences have been commodified and marketed just like traditional tourism. The same infrastructure—airports, hotels, transport—serves both “tourists” and “travelers,” making it hard to say one is more genuine than the other. Ultimately, whether you’re a traveler or a tourist, both involve engaging with the world in a way that consumes experiences, resources, and time.

Hi 'Bludger' - this is a really interesting and thought provoking response - I'm glad you shared Harari's words. But I am not sure this is an in/out discussion? Because the chimpanzees or Egyptian elites weren't inclined to do something doesn't make it good or bad or myth of romantic consumerism? It's surely just something that wasn't a priority? I hope I wasn't suggesting an 'enlightened elite' either? Nor support for heavily promoted tourism - more about finding moments that matter in an Uber or a tiny port town where we can simply appreciate what's in front of us? Maybe chimpanzees did/do this in their own way too? :-)

Thanks for reading my comment, and I appreciate your thoughtful reply! For some reason, I felt the need to provide a counter-argument and I’m trying to expand the topic and not start a flame war. ;)

Regarding Harari’s point, he suggests that travel isn’t a universal or obvious desire for humans. Travel itself is relatively new activity:
“The trip is not a reflection of some independent desire, but rather of an ardent belief in the myths of romantic consumerism.”

So, do we really think travel is inherently good, or do we simply believe that because it’s a widely repeated idea with little counter-argument?

The quote ties into a broader theory of fictional reality from Saipans, where our culture shapes our “fictional” realities, and travel is one of the ways we engage with these constructs:
“Like the elite of ancient Egypt, most people in most cultures dedicate their lives to building pyramids. Only the names, shapes and sizes of these pyramids change from one culture to the other. They may take the form, for example, of a suburban cottage with a swimming pool and an evergreen lawn, or a gleaming penthouse with an enviable view.”

I completely agree that finding meaningful moments—whether in a tiny port town or in an Uber ride—matters much more than the location.

Full quote:
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/3191500-most-cherished-desires-of-present-day-westerners-are-shaped-by-romantic

I love this article, Kaye (along with many you've written about Superannuation as well)
Early in my adult life, when most were considering career choices, etc. I contemplated the meaning of (my) life. I decided it would be to experience as much as possible before shuffling off. And it's travel that has provided the most intense experiences: Overland from UK to Australia in the 70's via Greece, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Burma and Thailand. I later became a travel agent and lived helping others enjoy their experiences.
Just returned from my 3rd trip to India and loved it all over again, especially the people, their cultures and religions but also the history, the World Heritage sites and sometimes like your Uber ride, the conversations you have with the most surprising people.
Now that we're retired we have the luxury of experience focused slow travel as opposed to bucket list whistle-stop trips. Love doing walking tours of historic cities, bush tracks, or spending a whole afternoon at just one winery or art gallery.
The cost? I've forgotten. The memories and experiences? Yes, priceless.

Hi Peter K, thank you for kind words - I'm glad these thoughts on travel struck a chord - it sounds as though we may have had a similar overland experience - mine was in '78 as the Shah was on the way out in Iran, and the Russians about to enter .. travelling through the Kybher Pass from Afghanistan to Pakistan also a big memory/moment .... places I doubt I will now return to - the message... go while you can?

Best thing I ever did was take off time from work (resign) in my early 40s and travel around Australia with my wife and our young children (under 10 years old). They learned far more about Australia and life in those months than school would have given them. And I learned heaps too (call me Sydney-centric and maybe ignorant, but I of course knew about the Great Barrier Reef but had never heard of the Ningaloo Reef, arguably better and certainly more accessible once there). Overseas is great and we will do more of that too, but I highly recommend travelling around Australia too. Memories stick with me 25 years on. I never worked out what it cost because the experience and fun with family was worth it. The cost-benefit analysis was not necessary!

Hi Michael - I think you lived the dream early with that Australian road trip - maybe too many of us wait for retirement to do this and yes, I think kids learn soooo much on the road, wherever that road may be.