Traveller vs. Tourist

Quoting MASSAGEUK

traveller prepares for the journey by reading about the culture, history, habits and planning it carefully.

tourist goes to the travel agent and buys all inclusive package tour

I agree with Massageuk. I dont like to be called a tourist and this is one of the reasons why I backpack in my trips. It allows me the freedom to enjoy the individuality that every place I visit can offer me.

When I think of a tourist, I think of a bunch of people sitting in a tour bus behind a glass observing everything from a distance and not getting the full travel experience one can have by just becoming part of the culture.

A traveller wants an experience, a tourist wants a holiday.

I've been both a traveller and a tourist, and there is something to be said for both of them.

It's the snobbish attitude from travellers to tourists that I don't like.

Quoting james

It's the snobbish attitude from travellers to tourists that I don't like.

I am actually guilty of that...right in my own home. My husband is a tourist, I am a traveler which makes vacation planning absolutely impossible. I am backpacking in SE Asia in May, he is taking a luxury cruise to Alaska in August. I will be climbing Kilimanjaro in 2006, he will be taking a catamaran cruise to the US Virgin Islands.

Our idea of traveling together is to find a happy medium regarding comfort and adventure travel. I usually have to "sacrifice" myself and go in his comfortable touristy vacations...

Wow, both holidays sound nice.

How about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, then going on a luxury cruise? Sounds perfect!

Quoting james

Wow, both holidays sound nice.

How about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, then going on a luxury cruise? Sounds perfect!

I think so too but he says my way of traveling is not for him at all. He says..."have fun, pay the life insurance policy and send me a postcard". A cruise after the hike sounds good but I would be fired by the time I come back from all of that traveling Remember? In the US, you get 2-3 weeks tops for vacation a year.

Last time I went on a cruise I slept for 23 hours straight on my first day (never done that in my life but that was after 4 brutal months of prep time for my acct license exam) and I ate so much (cause there is nothing else to do) that I gained almost 7 lbs in one week. And I am a small person...it was VERY noticeable. I said NO MORE CRUISES FOR ME!! I dont like to sleep too much and I dont like to spend my vacation eating...

Quoting areinstein

he will be taking a catamaran cruise to the US Virgin Islands.

Tell you husband he will be having company on the cruise. Love pix of Kilimanjaro but rather be on the cruise - guess we're "tourists" and proud of it!

We do adventure around and plan out trips as travelers do - not all vacations are spent at a resort. But, the cruise sounds cool and we're not a hiking crowd.

Just let your husband know to expect 2 more!

I am backpacking in SE Asia in May, he is taking a luxury cruise to Alaska in August. I will be climbing Kilimanjaro in 2006, he will be taking a catamaran cruise to the US Virgin Islands.

It must be difficult to have a holiday with your husband being he is the opposite to you when it comes to travel. Do you often travel together..?

a tourist waits for things to happen to them... a traveller makes it happen!

traveller prepares for the journey by reading about the culture, history, habits and planning it carefully.

tourist goes to the travel agent and buys all inclusive package tour

So what does that make me

I've never used a travel agent or been on a package tour in my life, so can't be a tourist, but i also don't plan at all, let alone carefully, which rules me out as a traveller. Does that mean i'm a vagrant? asylum seeker? wanderer? or...?

I'm the same Gelli. I book my flight, read about a place before i go, but never decide what to do until i get there. Obviously i'm loaded up with ideas of things i want to do, but everything just seems to have a nice habit of falling into place. I don't fit into the tourist or traveller descriptions that have been mentioned so far.