Travel is always better with friends or family in tow – but in recent years, it’s unavoidably become something of a solitary affair. Many of us see travel as an opportunity to rediscover ourselves, to develop our instincts, to grow as people – and many of us embrace solo travel accordingly. But to do this is to miss out on some of the true magic hidden in a good getaway.
This is because it’s the experiences we share with others that can often leave the biggest impressions. There’s something potent to exploring, discovering and sharing with friends and family in tow, something ineffable that makes it richer, more meaningful, more of a memory. Here, let’s explore some of the key reasons that shared travel experiences are more important than ever.
Shared Adventures Create Lasting Memories
Firstly, it’s worth exploring the concept that experiences tend to be more memorable when enjoyed with others, as opposed to when enjoyed alone. There’s science behind this, too; a 2014 study found that even simple experiences like eating chocolate were emotionally amplified when shared with another person. This implies a bouncing of feelings and intentions off one another, and a positive reception of good feelings from other people. We feed off each other’s enjoyment, and it feeds our enjoyment too; this follows with holidaymaking, and with taking friends or family abroad with you.
Group Travel Brings People Closer Together
That sharing of positive experiences can have a more upfront result for us, too, in that it can help us feel closer with the people we’re sharing said experiences with. Travelling with friends and family means co-operating on the logistics of travel and accommodation, planning events and itineraries together, and ultimately being great with and to one another. Group holidays also encourage connection and quality time, away from daily routines that might rob us of mindful connection.
Shared Experiences Make Activities More Enjoyable
This gets all the more potent when it comes to matters of activity – in the most literal sense. Active undertakings like skiing, hiking, sightseeing and sharing new cuisines can feel much more rewarding when shared with others; you share in successes, commiserate failures, and create stories from it all. Group ski holidays with friends are opportunities to laugh together, as much as they are opportunities to race one another!
Group Travel Encourages People to Try New Things
Finally, there’s something strong about a group trip; something reassuring about the strength in numbers, that empowers us to try new things we might not have been brave enough to try alone. Travelling in a group creates confidence, enables us to step outside our respective comfort zones and participate in activities we never would have at home, or on a smaller, less convivial trip. In this way, the shared encouragement of our loved ones ultimately leads to a richer and more varied travel experience.