© Carolyn Coles
Vagabondish is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read our disclosure.
Despite worldwide economic troubles, young people are apparently traveling more than ever! The Telegraph reports on a study conducted by the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation (WYSE) which included 34,000 people from 137 different countries. The numbers are impressive: young travelers spent an average of $4,000 on travel last year, with a collective total of over $221.3 billion, 20 percent of total worldwide travel spending. This number is up 40 percent from the average travel spending in 2007.
In contrast with travelers going abroad to “find themselves” in the past, travelers now say they’re more concerned with building their resumes. Young people explained that they choose to go abroad for international work experience and to learn languages and cultures different from their own. Western travelers have broken the backpacking trend, choosing volunteer abroad programs or cultural immersion instead. Pour yourselves a drink (or three), vagabonds! We’re proud of you … even if your “cultural immersion” just means partying until 8 am.