Beyond the beach and why you should be going

When I first started promoting Mongolia as a destination one of the very clear messages that resonated very strongly with people was. “Are you really going to go on yet another beach holiday?”

That message is even clearer and resonates with people even more strongly today. Over 90% of the UK public (yougov) have been on an international holiday and considering that twice annual holidays have become quite commonplace, the beaches, particularly around Europe have probably been frequented quite a lot of times; and let’s face it once you’ve laid out on one really nice, white sand, quiet beach, it becomes quite difficult to replicate that experience.

No matter how hard or how far we look, the beach just won’t live up to the expectations we first gave it. So why subject ourselves to doom scrolling in searching out that better resort with that ever so slightly better-quality beach? Why not experience a holiday that utilizes a huge host of amazing possibilities? Why not go beyond the beach?

Beyond the beach we can experience thousands of cultures that live together with us on earth, we can experience truly spectacular natural wonders, from endless, rolling grassland steppes to magnificent mountain ranges and ice fjords. We can experience culinary wonders and music we never knew existed. We can find new meaning through solitary travelling and equally through the awesome power of joining with a group of strangers who have the potential to become your lifelong friends.

By seeking to go beyond the beach we are giving ourselves the opportunity to learn more about ourselves as well as the world in which we call home. If that hasn’t influenced you, here are two more compelling reasons.

Going to a new destination can sometimes feel scary. When you arrive at the airport you have no idea which way to go, people are speaking a language you don’t understand, eating food you have never seen before.

Travelling can be a little bit like public speaking; before standing up in front of a crowd we tend to think of all the possible things that could go wrong, but what do we do to quell that fear? We prepare before we go on stage. Travelling somewhere new and completely different can bring up a whole host of potential problems that might happen, but with the right preparation (often with a travel consultant), those potential problems needn’t become real problems. Better still, the more we travel and the more successful trips we have, the more confident we are to step outside our comfort zone. Scuba diving in the Arabian sea, trekking up mount Everest and taking a safari in Botswana become real possibilities.

Technology has allowed the world to become closer but not entirely in a good way. Children see the amazing things that the world has to offer through programmes such as Planet Earth III but also some of the horrors going on in the world through constant news streaming. Its understandable that children can be sceptical about experiencing a world that they may see as unsafe.

I personally believe that it is our duty to open our children’s eyes to the world, to allow them to be open minded to other cultures, countries and ways of living, as well as appreciating the country that they call home. A world in which children are open minded with each other can only be a good thing and a great way for them to gain that perspective is to experience the world first hand through active travel. This does not mean to fly into a country, sit at a beach resort for a week and then fly out, but instead allowing our children to actively engage with local communities and learn about the place in which they are travelling. There are many suppliers that place this as a priority and indeed us as agents are running travel classes to help engage children in learning more about their destination before they travel. A more travel educated youth will surely create a better future for all of us.

So there you have it – Beyond the beach. If you aren’t already travelling beyond the beach, why not try it this year. The possible experiences and benefits associated with this kind of trip are endless and if you are lacking for inspiration, simply get in touch today and we will be more than happy to set you up on your next inspiring trip for 2024 and beyond.

James Johnson
james@designertravel.co.uk
07312085766