The psychology behind our addiction to travel – On the Green Fence

Описание: Why do we humans feel the need to explore the planet and visit faraway places? It’s a question that has fascinated Richard Sharpley ever since he took a backpacking trip in Asia in the 1980s. That was a different time. Today, there’s social media, detailed travel blogs and influencers peddling destinations.

There’s also growing awareness about tourism’s toll on the environment. But Sharpley, a professor of tourism in the UK, says that’s not leading to a shift in behavior.

Interviewees featured in this episode:

Richard Sharpley, Professor of Tourism and Development, University of Central Lancashire

Kevin Moore, Associate Professor in Psychology and Tourism at Lincoln University New Zealand

On the Green Fence is produced by DW studios in Bonn, Germany.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro
00:12 Which countries are on your bucket list?
01:19 Why do you like to travel?
03:12 Sociologist Richard Sharpley on why humans travel
04:08 Who is conditioning us to travel?
04:58 Peer pressure and the need to feel cosmopolitan
06:22 The role of social media and a bucket list mentality
07:33 The phenomenon of ‘nowstalgia’
08:10 Is awareness about the environment changing how we travel?
09:36 Regulation and pricing to change tourists’ behavior
11:13 What about critics of efforts to rein in tourism?
12:51 Resentment among younger people
14:38 How do we return to a sustainable model?
16:10 How guilty do people feel about traveling?
17:40 Psychologist Kevin Moore on whether travel behavior is changing
19:18 Ethical questions around travel
20:39 Do we need to travel to be happy?
23:17 Neil signs off