The 3 Biggest Barriers to Travel and How to Solve Them

Most people don't get to travel as much as they want. Only 17% of travelers said they went on as many trips as they wanted last year, according to The State of Travel 2024 by Going.

Going also asked travelers about the reasons they weren't able to travel as much as they wanted. They overwhelmingly mentioned three specific barriers to travel.

1. Not enough time off from work or school

The most common barrier to travel is a lack of time off. Nearly one-third (30%) of travelers said this was their issue in 2023. A similar amount (29%) expect it to keep them from traveling in 2024.

When you work or go to school full-time, you might feel like you can't take time off. But everyone needs time away from the responsibilities of daily life. Travel is a great way to do that and enjoy yourself in the process.

How to make time for travel: You can probably create more travel time than you think in 2024. Here are some ideas to make it happen.

• Plan a trip and request time off now. If you don't make firm travel plans for this year, you're more likely to postpone them until 2025, 2026, and beyond. When you commit to a trip by getting time off from work and making reservations, you're far more likely to go through with it.
• See if you can work remotely. Even if your employer doesn't let you work remotely full-time, you could ask to do it for a week or two. Then, you can continue working while you travel.
• Take shorter trips. Not every travel experience needs to involve an eight-hour flight. Check out places closer to home that you can visit over the weekend.

2. Lack of money

A lack of money is also a common issue, with 28% saying it was their barrier to travel in 2023. And 25% expect it to be an issue in 2024.

Travel can certainly be expensive. Flights and hotels can cost thousands of dollars, and you'll also be spending on food and activities wherever you go. On the bright side, there are plenty of ways to travel without running up balances on your credit cards.

How to have the money to travel: If you feel like you don't have enough money to travel like you want, here's what you can do.

• Set up a travel fund and add to it every month. If you love to travel, why not make it one of your savings goals? Open a savings account to serve as your travel fund. Many banks let you set up sub-savings accounts, so you could also see if your current account gives you this option. Make sure to use a high-yield savings account to earn as much interest as possible.
• Start using travel credit cards to pay your bills. These cards have lots of travel perks, including points that you can redeem for travel expenses. Many of them also have big sign-up bonuses that you earn by meeting a spend requirement, such as $3,000 in the first three months. Some sign-up bonuses can save you $500 or more on travel.
• Master budget-friendly ways to travel. Travel doesn't need to cost a ton of money. You can do it for less if you shop around for deals on flights and accommodations, visit affordable destinations, and look for free or low-cost activities when you travel.

3. Family and other commitments

It wasn't mentioned as often, but 16% of travelers said family and other commitments were their barrier to travel in 2023. Even more (20%) expect it to be a barrier to travel in 2024.

Spending time with family and friends is always nice, but it can make traveling more difficult. Even when you have the time off to travel, you may feel pressured to spend it with loved ones, especially if it's around the holidays or a special occasion.

How to fit in travel plans with family and other commitments: This is undoubtedly the hardest issue to solve. I've wrestled with it myself. It's difficult to spend as much time as you want with family and friends while also seeing the world. Fortunately, there are ways to make it work.

• Invite your loved ones on a group trip. A group trip can be the perfect way to get the best of both worlds. You can travel and spend time with the people you love. If you want to do this, get started early. It takes much more time and planning to set up a group trip, but it can be well worth it.
• Figure out a balance between travel and your other commitments. For example, you could choose to do one trip for yourself and one family get-together a year, with smaller trips in between.
• Stay connected no matter where you are. Even if you travel more and don't see your loved ones as much, you can still keep in touch. Regular texts, phone calls, and video chats are all easy ways to stay connected. It's not the same as being in the same room as someone, but it helps.

If you want to travel more in 2024, don't let any of those issues stop you. Whether it's lack of time off, lack of money, or family commitments, some solutions will allow you to travel as much as you want.