Domestic vs. International Travel: A Spanish Perspective
Nowadays, the number of Spaniards who travel abroad during holiday seasons has increased significantly. Surprisingly, statistics confirm that traveling within Spain during these periods has also increased. Hence, it is quite frequent for Spanish people to consider which option would be more suitable for them when planning their holidays. This essay aims to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between traveling abroad or within Spain.
Similarities Between Traveling Abroad and Within Spain
First of all, both possibilities must be considered with the fact that no matter what you choose, you will have an indescribable experience. In a certain sense, even if the two possibilities are not exactly similar, traveling abroad or within Spain allows one to discover new cultures. When traveling to a city as a tourist, you are interested in learning about the typical traditions, tasting each dish of the corresponding gastronomy, and, above all, finding every monumental and magical corner of the area. According to Murphy (2012), “When you…”
The second similarity is that both options offer an escape from reality for a few days. Raymond (2016) states that most of us are workaholics and that the only way of releasing our minds from social and work-related problems is by traveling, from the smallest and most endearing town to the most metropolitan and overpopulated city in the world. From this point, in both options, you can do activities outside of the norm, relax in a hotel, enjoy beautiful views, and meet people totally different from our day-to-day, allowing us to disconnect from our lives.
Differences Between Traveling Abroad and Within Spain
However, traveling to a country abroad or within any city of Spain differs on some points, which are also important to consider. The most important dissimilarities are the cost of each trip and also the differences between Spanish and foreign cultures.
Cost of Travel
One difference is the cost of the travel. The places most requested by tourists have increased the price of gastronomy, accommodation, products, tourist visits, and, in general, the entrances to monuments. While traveling within Spain will imply a lower cost because nationwide transport is much cheaper, traveling to foreign countries mainly involves an extra expense in air tickets, luggage check-in, and travel to or from the airport. From this point, it is clear that any travel abroad will be more expensive.
Cultural Differences
Moreover, the following is the difference between cultures. Some Spaniards have an inability or problems assimilating the forms and elements that define the culture of the destination country. It is clear that the Iberian Peninsula is a rich and varied country from a cultural point of view, full of festivities and flamenco performances. According to a study by Murphy, 20% of Spaniards internalize their culture so much that when they socialize with other customs and languages, they feel so lost that they prefer to enjoy discovering every corner of their country.
Conclusion
To conclude, in order to choose between traveling to a country abroad or within any city of Spain, we must have in mind how much the travel will cost and the cultural difference between countries since the experience and disconnection of traveling you will get will be quite similar. Consequently, the aim of this essay has been to compare and contrast both possibilities. Therefore, there could be advantages and disadvantages, and it is recommended for each person to decide what is best.