IS TRAVEL A HOBBY? The Answer COULD Surprise You!

It is a debate that has raged for a long time. Years, decades, centuries probably. Even recently, people are STILL asking the same question. Is Travel a Hobby?

If you Google the answer, you will come up with a LOT of differing opinions. Many people are very much against the thought of travel being a hobby. There are just as many that claim the total opposite. For mine, I prefer to look at the question of “Is Travel a Hobby?” more logically.

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Table of Contents

• Let’s check the definition
• Travel MIGHT be your Hobby IF…
• Travel might NOT be your Hobby IF…
• Is Travel a Hobby? The Benefits
• Is Travel a Hobby? The Downside
• Travel is definitely NOT my Hobby!
• Final Thoughts

Let’s check the definition

The best place to begin with a debate such as this is to look at the official definition. So for that, I have gone to the trusty source of Google, and checked the dictionary. The result is this.

Hobby – “an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.”

To me, this seems cut and dried. Is travel a hobby? By the official definition, it certainly seems so.

On the surface.

There are many reasons, though, that it MAY not be. And therein, I believe, lay the conflicting opinions.

Travel MIGHT be your Hobby IF…

There are many reasons that I believe travel would fall into the “hobby” category for many people. Basically, I think that if you regularly plan and book holidays simply for leisure, then travel is a hobby for you. It may not be your MAIN hobby, but it would definitely fit under the category.

Why?

Because you are doing it regularly away from your normal place of employment for reasons of pleasure.

Let’s look at it a bit further though. Do you constantly scan travel websites? Do you follow travel blogs? Is your social media crammed with travel photos? Then I have news for you.

Travel is DEFINITELY your hobby!

I know that before I became a full time travel blogger, that was the exact life I was living. I was constantly on Instagram scrolling through amazing travel photos. I was always googling the best places to visit in remote countries on the other side of the world. Every spare minute, travel and travel related topics filled my head.

If this is YOU, then yes, travel IS your hobby.

Travel might NOT be your Hobby IF…

There is plenty to this side of the debate. For example, I believe that I personally fall squarely into this department.

You see, travel is my profession. I am a travel blogger. Back when I worked full time in an office, received monthly paychecks and travel was only available to me on weekends and holidays, then it was different. Back then, travel was my hobby. Now, it is my profession, and even though I LOVE it and and don’t really see it as a job, the fact remains that it actually is.

I am not the only one in this situation though. So let’s look at a few of the reasons travel might NOT be your hobby.

• Travel is your profession – IE – travel blogger, airline pilot, flight attendant, bus driver, tour guide.
• You Travel for work – Do you fly in fly out to your workplace? Do you work remote? Then THAT travel is definetely NOT a hobby.
• You regularly move around as part of your job – IE – You are an athlete, international businessman, politician. These professions see you on a plane traveling around the world. It is travel for business, not for fun.
• You live a nomadic lifestyle – This one depends upon WHY you live that lifestyle. If you chose it because you love travel, then it could be that travel IS a hobby for you. But in most circumstances, travel has simply become a lifestyle choice.
• You travel as part of another hobby – Are you a stamp collector that travels to conferences and exhibitions? Or another type of collector, and you visit museums as a part of that past time? A hiker that travels to remote regions to climb mountains?

There is no question as to why the question “Is travel a hobby?” causes so much debate. Think about THIS for a minute.

IF you travel as a profession, then what do you do in your spare time? Do you go on holiday? If so, then travel moves from profession INTO a hobby for that period.

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Is Travel a Hobby? The Benefits

If you do travel as a hobby, then what are the benefits? Certainly there would be a lot of them, as there are many benefits to traveling. Let’s take a look.

• Travel would be an easy Hobby to get into – Think about hobbies, and how hard it is to get started. You can work at many hobbies for years before you see results. With travel, you just book and go!
• You learn a lot – How many hobbies can teach you about other cultures? Other languages?
• You can disconnect – Many people travel on their annual vacations, just so they can get away. Sometimes it is hard to disconnect from your busy lives by staying at home.
• Travel is a great stress reliever – Similar to disconnecting, travel is great for destressing. Get away, leave your problems at home, and lay on a tropical beach drinking cocktails. Your problems can wait!
• Meeting likeminded people – Traveling allows you to meet other people and share experiences like nothing else can.

I could talk all day about how wonderful travel is. Since I left my full time job and began travel blogging, the stress has fallen off me. I am relaxed, and even though travel itself (especially now) is tough and can have its own stress, it is nothing like the stress of a nine to five working for a big, soul sucking corporation.

Is Travel a Hobby? The Downside

A downside to Travel? Well, in this day and age, if you can’t think of a downside to travel as a hobby, then you must be living under a rock. But, for your benefit, here are a few.

• Pandemics – Yes, we start with the obvious. With the period that the world has just experienced, there IS a downside to going overseas and being exposed to a virus. Not to mention a possibly expensive quarantine when you return!
• The Price – There are not too many hobbies that would be more expensive than travel. A simple weekend away can cost several hundred dollars. A week long holiday is usually up in the thousands!
• The Time Factor – You can only really actively pursue your hobby when you have annual holidays, or on weekends. Compare this to other hobbies that you can do in your spare time around home.

Travel is definitely NOT my Hobby!

I travel by choice, but I am also a travel blogger. THAT is the main reason that I travel. Even if I go somewhere for my own personal reasons, I will STILL blog about it. I am still working.

Travel was once my hobby. It is no longer my hobby, which is sad, in a way. I no longer think of traveling, or organize trips just because I want to relax and have fun. Now, everywhere I go and every decision that I make is made with the intention of blogging about that place. If I am going somewhere that I don’t need to blog about, then there must be some other major factor to WHY I am going there.

Final Thoughts

Travel IS a hobby!

I am certain that it is. But every person would have their own individual ways, means, and intentions when they travel. Weigh these up to assess whether you travel as a hobby, lifestyle, or as your career.

What do YOU think? Let me know in the comments below.

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