Rick Steves Says This Is The One Reason Americans Should Travel More, Even In Uncertain Economic Times

It's hard to be immune to the current state of the world. Given international tensions, political instability, and a general economic slump, the will to travel seems to have lost its luster for many. Travel restrictions imposed by different countries aren't helping, either: the U.K., for example, issued warnings to its citizens about traveling to America, while political unrest and overtourism have turned certain European destinations into places to avoid altogether. But amidst all these uncertainties, renowned travel guru Rick Steves firmly believes that now, more than ever, is the time for Americans to embrace travel in order to combat the fear that hinders us from gaining understanding about the world.

Steves voiced this poignant sentiment when asked by BBC journalist Katty Kay what could possibly push Americans to travel given the global and economic issues today. After all, Kay herself had pondered the frivolousness and safety of traveling in this climate. Steves, however, believes that traveling is the best way to counter our fear of the unknown. "I know that the flip side of fear is understanding," he tells Kay in the BBC interview. "If everybody traveled before they voted, the United States would be in a much different situation right now."

Rick Steves has decades of travel experience to back this claim. In 1969, 14-year-old Steves visited Europe for the first time; by 1978, he was traipsing from Europe to South Asia following the Hippie Trail. His travels to countries like Palestine, Cuba, or Iran — destinations most Americans would never consider visiting — have made him see other people, places, and cultures in a different light. "If more people traveled, we'd understand that everybody's had their challenges and we can just realize the world's filled with good people," Steves muses in his BBC interview. While the world isn't perfect, he believes that building bridges instead of putting up barriers is a much more effective way to get to know others.

One doesn't have to match Steves' numerous years on the road to experience how travel shapes our global perspective and develops cultural awareness. When asked what it meant to them, 92% of 7,500 Lonely Planet survey participants saw travel as being "an opportunity for positive change." Steves may be an experienced traveler, but there are certain lines he'd prefer not to cross while abroad, such as sickness, violence, or stumbling into a war zone — suffice to say we won't be seeing Steves participating in the TikTok-approved danger tourism trend (which the U.S. State Department strongly suggests avoiding) in this lifetime. "I'm not a thrill-seeker in my travels," he says. "I just want to get out of my comfort zone. ... I just love the thought that when we get out of our comfort zones and travel, we have a broadening perspective. That's the beautiful thing about travel — and a lot of people miss it entirely."