Today more people are travelling than ever before Why is this the case? What are the benefits of travelling for the traveller?

Today more

people

are travelling than ever before. The reasons for

this

increase

are many and varied.  On a simplistic level, there is a larger

number

of means of transportation - there are more cars, buses and trains in operation.

However

, the sheer

number

of transportation means is not enough to explain

this

increase

. The cost of travelling; even though it is at present increasing due to an economic slowdown globally; is relatively affordable to many

people

.

This

affordability is

further

enhanced by the use of credit cards and loans in order to fund

travel

, especially for holiday purposes. An

increase

of

travel

companies in competition with each other has

also

helped bring package prices down, while an

increase

in the

number

of operating flights globally has

also

increased, giving rise to falling air-fare prices.

In addition

,

people

now have more leisure time and disposable incomes. The combination of these two variables with unrelenting advertising campaigns from

travel

companies and cruise ship operators arguably leads to an

increase

in the

number

of

people

travelling, in

this

case for holiday purposes. Another reason why

people

travel

is going to work. More than ever before,

people

are travelling greater distances to get to work. Large industrial sites for both service and production industries are tending to be located outside city areas.

This

invariably leads to increases in the

number

of

people

travelling locally.  In conclusion, there are many reasons why more

people

are travelling both internationally and locally, for business and for leisure. What is sure is that

this

increase

is likely to continue until travelling at current rates is no longer economically viable.