40+ Benefits of Travel Statistics (2023)

Several studies have shown that traveling can have positive health benefits, in fact, 73% of people get at least one form of health benefit from taking a vacation. Not only can traveling positively impact your health but it can change your outlook on work as it allows you to recharge. So, what are the different benefits of traveling? Our benefits of travel statistics article explore the psychological and physical benefits of traveling as well as its impact on productivity and the economic benefits of people taking a holiday.

Read on below for our editor’s top statistics…

• Research shows that 73% of people get some form of health benefit when taking a leisure holiday.
• Traveling is good for relationships, 52% of people stated that their connection with their loved one improved during a vacation.
• People are 30% more likely to have a heart attack if they go 5 years without a vacation.
• 80% of U.S. citizens agree that after they have traveled they noticed a significant drop in stress.
• Women who go on vacation twice a year are less likely to get depression and chronic stress.
• Men are 30% more at risk of contracting heart disease and have a 20% higher sudden death risk if they do not take a yearly vacation.
• Just 2-3 days of vacation can improve reaction time by 80% and have significant improvements in sleep.
• Vacations can improve performance by 80% which shows the importance of taking a break.
• 68% of people stated that they were more positive after returning from a vacation.
• When taking a vacation, you are exposed to different environments which in turn boosts your immune system and creates stronger antibodies.

Vacations have proven to have excellent effects on productivity and can improve performance by 80% as well as reduce symptoms of chronic stress and depression. Traveling is incredibly important as it gives us the chance to gain a better outlook on life, recharge, lower stress, and improve our confidence. It is also a fantastic way to improve your relationship with your loved one as 52% of people found their connection improved after a vacation.

Our everyday lives are often filled with stress, whether this is due to deadlines, commuting, or a hectic home life. Travelling can help lower your stress levels as you are escaping from normality and giving yourself a chance to de-stress and explore new locations.

• There are many health benefits of traveling, 21% of people stated that before, during, and after their trip, they experienced a variety of benefits.
• 80% of U.S. citizens agree that after they have traveled they noticed a significant drop in stress.
• Research shows that a four-day weekend can have positive effects on the brain. Stress and overall well-being, this positivity can last up to 45 days.
• Women who go on vacation twice a year are less likely to get depression and chronic stress.
• There are psychological benefits of travel, 72% of Boomers stated that they find vacations fun, and relaxation and 67% state their health benefits come from spending time with their loved ones.
• The most common health benefits of travel are improved emotional wellbeing (54%), spending time with loved ones (52%), improved energy (35%), intellectual curiosity (34%), and mental clearness (30%).
• What trips make us happier and what type has the most health benefits?
  • Vacations that are 8-13 days are ideal, happiness increase on day 2 and remains high for the rest of the trip.
  • Vacations that are 7 days or less often start happy, but they slowly decline through the end of the trip.
  • Research shows that those who take trips for 14 days or more have a slow decline of happiness from the beginning and this steadily climbs at the beginning of the second week.
• The variety of health benefits of travel is endless, but the longest-lasting is improved relationships with their loved ones as this can last up to 6 weeks.
• Different smells, languages, sensations, sounds, and sights spark a range of synapses in the brain which has the potential to revitalize the mind.
• Vacations to mountain environments or calm forests can lower the rate of psychologically stress-related diseases.

Stress reduction from traveling is the most well-known and most important type of physical health benefit. We are exposed to new surroundings and taken out of our typical routine, allowing us to recharge and develop.

• Women who travel twice a year less likely to have a heart attack compared to those who only travel once every six years.
• Men are 30% more at risk of contracting heart disease and have a 20% higher sudden death risk if they do not take a yearly vacation.
• Being exposed to different environments can help to boost your immune system and create stronger antibodies.
• Another health benefit of traveling is just 2-3 days of vacation can improve reaction time by 80% and have significant improvements in sleep.
• A physical benefit of travel is that it can improve energy, as 66% of people found this was improved.
• We often spend our day sitting at a desk, however, travel gets us moving which in turn improves energy, muscles, bones, and good for cardiovascular health.
• Taking a vacation can improve bone health, warm climates stimulate vitamin D. This helps absorbs calcium and phosphorus in the digestive tract which activates bone calcium.

Research shows that normal vacations do not significantly improve happiness or energy levels when people return to work. Smart vacations, on the other hand, lead to more energy and happiness which results in greater productivity and resilience.

• The impact of travel on productivity is notable, as vacations can increase performance by 80%.
• 64% stated that after vacation they feel excited and refreshed, ready for work.
• There is a correlation between productivity and travel as 68% of people said they were more positive when returning from a vacation.
• People are often less stressed and more motivated to return to work after a vacation (57% of respondents).
• Unused vacations can cost businesses in the U.S. $224 billion annually.
• Vacations can help boost productivity as a recent study found that hiking in nature for four days led to a 50% increase in creativity. (see hiking statistics)
• Planning ahead, traveling far from work, connecting with others as well as feel safe, these vacations have a 94% ROI in terms of outlook and energy when returning to work.
• Employees who took less than 10 of their vacation days a year were 34.6% more likely to receive a bonus or raise over three years.
• Whereas those who took more than 10 of their vacation days were 65.4% more likely to receive a raise or bonus.
• In 2015, 55% of U.S. citizens did not use all their vacation days.
• 41% of people check into work when they are on vacation and therefore not fully unplugging.
• Productivity and travel go hand in hand, one business increased their staff vacation time by 7 days and staff retention problems dropped from 360% to 60% in two months. Sales also increased by 15%.

There are many economic benefits of travel, as tourism helps create business opportunities and jobs. This includes jobs that are directly linked to tourism such as tour services and hotels, as well as indirectly, through food production and housing construction.

There are many positives of tourism and in 2022 Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect, and encouraging impact accounted for:

• 8.9 trillion contributions (U.S.) to the world’s GDP.
• An overall global GDP of 10.3%
• 330 million jobs (10% of jobs in the world).
• $1.7 trillion visitor exports (U.S.) – 28.3% of global exports and 6.8% of total exports.
• $948 billion capital investment (U.S.) – 4.3% of total investment.
• The UK contribution in 2019 was 9% of the total GDP.
• Over the past 5 years in the UK, 25% of jobs were due to travel and tourism.
• Domestic travel contributes to most of the global travel & tourism expenditure (71.3% of global spending the remaining 28.7% comes from international visitors).

Traveling helps to take us outside of our comfort zone, it also improves creativity, reduces stress, boosts confidence, improves communication skills, helps you find inner peace, and broadens your horizons. A nice trip away will have wonderful positive effects on your mental health.

• There are many benefits of traveling but one of the main ones is that it can help strengthen relationships with your loved ones as well as allowing you to meet others.
• Travelling can help to deepen your understanding of different backgrounds and cultures.
• Traveling disconnects us from our daily routine and helps us achieve peace of mind.
• Travelling can significantly boost your confidence as you are continuously taken outside of your comfort zone.
• Communication skills are drastically improved when traveling as you are trying to communicate with locals or trying to speak a second language.
• You are continuously trying to navigate around an unknown location helping to boost your confidence and deal with challenges.
• Vacations will provide you with some of the best memories of your life.
• Traveling helps with personal growth, you can adapt to change and learn more about yourself as a person.

One of the most significant benefits of traveling is its psychological benefit, it gives us the chance to escape from reality, even if it is just a short break away the positive effects are endless. A shocking 80% of people agreed that traveling helped significantly reduce stress levels.

It was also incredible to discover the impact taking a vacation can have in the workplace like those who took more than 10 vacation days were 64.4% more likely to receive a raise/bonus compared to the 34.6% who took less than 10 days.