Am I a traveller?

Am I a traveller?

Am I a traveller or should I define myself a tourist? How does one term define me as opposed to another and do I in some way dissociate myself from one culture or another in doing so? 

The question has left me wondering if my intrigue is causing a lasting impression that socially, economically or culturally defines a people to the rest of those around me. Many I know define themselves as travellers, and they do so with a voice that appeals to them. Week, L (2012), defines travellers and tourists and recounts the experiences of some. In her depiction, Merilyn enjoysbeing amongst   people, Nuno moves with the energy of experience, Caryn wants to explore the more unchartered, Andy does not like material or fixed things and Alyssa takes all her dealings with individuals on face value and feels she needs to be open to the unique aspects of all. These are snapshots of the lives of a few, their statements are based on the actors in their environments but this is driven by the value they place in the experiences they want.

I wonder then, am I a traveller, or should I be defined as a tourist? A tourist has specific motivation, a tourist has a form of agenda. It seems an odd question but something I feel important to consider as my choices have impact on the global community, no matter how morally more correct I think I may be? Does my travel impact the communities I visit in a positive way, culturally, economically or socially?

What is your perspective? 

Kristy Waddell


Reference
Week L, 2012, I am not a tourist: aims and implications of travelling, Tourist Studies, Sage, www.facebook.com/planetperspectiveevents 12(2), pp.186-203.