Here in Britain, we love to take a holiday. Maybe it’s because we are a small island nation, or possibly because we don’t enjoy the best weather in the world.
A timely trip abroad can often be a great tonic to the stresses and strains of modern life in the UK. Some people even travel to the same place year after year, this can help them to consider the region as second home in a lot of cases.
Whatever the reason, the majority of us have been abroad at least once. But are we the world’s most prolific travellers? If not, which nation holds the coveted title?
Germans are regularly ranked as the most prolific travellers, with 86.6 million Germans taking a trip abroad in 2006 alone.
This was closely followed by Britain, with 65.3 million trips to foreign lands. Surprisingly, it was Americans who came in third place, with 58.3 million, according to leading travel blog worldhum.com.
In terms of America’s population, this is a miniscule amount. Americans are notorious for staying at home, as the vast country offers pretty much everything you could wish for – from mountains to deserts, sprawling cities to sandy beaches.
Last year, just over 109 million Americans held a valid passport – around 37% of the population of the country. Despite the wealth of activities that the country offers, this is still a staggering statistic.
While it’s unlikely that we’ll change our travelling ways, it has been predicted that China and Japan will overtake us in the future.
The rise in a wealthy ‘travelling class’ in the Asian countries will see more and more Chinese and Japanese exploring the world.
If you are planning a trip abroad this year (and if you’re British you probably are) then consider getting Travel Money before you depart.
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