Key Takeaways
- I re-reading an old interview with Rolf Potts and thinking our talk on the distinctions travelers make among themselves. Backpackers, travelers, touri
- As you travel the world and bounce from hostel to hostel, you’ll inevitably encounter someone trying to prove their status and superiority by talking
- I’ve met more than my fair share of these kinds of travelers. I’ll tell you what I always tell them: all travelers are created equal.
Last Updated: 03/02/22 | March 2nd, 2022
We often re-read interviews like the one with Rolf Potts and reflect on how travelers categorize — and judge — one another: backpackers vs. tourists, ‘real’ travelers vs. ‘fake’ ones. This tribal labeling distracts from what travel is truly about.
As you move between destinations and stay in shared accommodations, you’ll likely meet people who measure their worth by bus rides taken, years spent abroad, or countries checked off. They treat travel like a leaderboard — as if endurance alone validates experience.
At Route for Less, we’ve encountered many such travelers. Our response remains consistent: all travelers are created equal.
We’re all guests in someone else’s home — regardless of label, duration, or itinerary. That makes every traveler, by definition, a tourist. Plain and simple.
All perspectives and journeys hold value. You are not a ‘better’ traveler because:
1. You’ve been traveling for over X years!
X years is impressive — and likely packed with rich memories. But longevity isn’t merit. There’s no trophy for time spent on the road.
When asked how long we’ve traveled, our team at routeforless.com rarely leads with that number in communal spaces. Why? Because it often triggers comparison — “Oh, I’ve been traveling for X+1 years!” — turning conversation into competition.
Duration says little about depth. And it certainly shouldn’t make newcomers feel inadequate. Travel is a privilege — not everyone has the means, safety, or opportunity to travel long-term.
Remember: every seasoned traveler started somewhere. And someone, somewhere, has traveled longer than you.
2. You’ve been to over X countries
Travel is about connection — not conquest. In our early years exploring the world, we visited roughly twenty-five countries. Others cover twice that in half the time. Yet slowing down — staying longer, engaging deeper — often yields richer understanding than ticking boxes.
It’s not a race. Visiting a place for just 24 hours to claim it doesn’t serve the destination or the traveler. We’ve met thoughtful, empathetic travelers who’ve only visited a handful of countries — and superficial ones who’ve ‘done’ them all.
What matters isn’t your count — it’s your curiosity, respect, and openness.
3. You don’t go there — it’s too touristy
People flock to Bali, Paris, Machu Picchu, or Las Vegas for good reasons: beauty, culture, energy, joy. Yes, some spots are commercialized or crowded — but that doesn’t erase their authenticity or appeal.
Collecting obscure villages won’t earn you moral high ground. While venturing beyond popular routes is rewarding — wandering side streets, chatting with shopkeepers, using local transit — iconic places also hold meaning.
Some of our most vivid memories come from Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, Amsterdam’s canals, Khao San Road’s buzz, and Sydney’s Gold Coast — not just hidden corners.
Tourism density depends less on location and more on where — and how — you choose to be. Locals live everywhere, often outside the postcard zones. You won’t see crowds in residential neighborhoods of NYC or Paris — because that’s where life happens, not spectacle.
A destination is only as touristy as your approach allows it to be.
Judge neither the traveler nor the destination. Everyone seeks joy, discovery, and connection — in their own way.
4. You only do what the locals do
Eating at neighborhood eateries or riding city buses is a great way to engage — but it doesn’t make you a local. Living like one requires time, integration, responsibility: paying rent, working, raising kids, navigating bureaucracy.
Three days won’t cut it. Three months might begin to shift perspective — three years, even more so.
By definition, sightseeing, trying new foods, and seeking novelty aren’t daily local routines. Locals commute, cook dinner, attend school meetings, and unwind after work — just like you do back home.
The more you travel, the clearer it becomes: beneath cultural differences lies shared humanity. Whether in Cairo, Ulaanbaatar, Chicago, or Lyon — people wake up, strive, love, worry, and hope for better futures for their families.
5. You don’t do tours
Dismissing tour-based travel says more about bias than insight. Calling out ‘package tourists’ while ignoring your own guided snorkeling trip in Phuket or small-group trek in Tasmania is selective logic.
Tours aren’t inherently shallow — they’re tools. A well-run, locally led, small-group experience can deepen understanding far more than solo wandering without context.
At Route for Less, we’ve joined and recommended many tours — from cooking classes in Oaxaca to community-led walks in Medellín. What matters is intention, ethics, and impact — not the format.
Travel is deeply personal. No two paths are identical — and none should be ranked.
