12 common personality traits of people who love traveling

Traveling is not just a hobby for some, but a way of life. It’s an unquenchable thirst for adventure, discovery, and personal growth that pushes people to pack their bags and explore the world.

And while each traveler’s journey is unique, there are some common traits that seem to unite these wanderlusters at their core.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the 10 common personality traits that define those who are truly bitten by the travel bug.

From their insatiable curiosity to their heightened cultural awareness, these traits make the traveling enthusiasts an eclectic and fascinating bunch.

As you read on, you’ll discover what sets these individuals apart, and how their love for travel shapes their personalities and enriches their lives, one trip at a time.

1) They’re Curious and Willing to Learn

When we go to new places and meet new people, we eventually find ourselves learning new things – whether we consciously choose to know about them or not.

The more a person travels, the more curious they become about everything.

They become more eager to satisfy their curiosity and learn new things, from something as simple as norms and customs to something more useful like a new skill to learn.

Even the act of planning a trip excites people who love traveling.

But they also like being spontaneous – finding challenges a part of their journey more than a potential problem.

When people travel, a part of each place they went to stays with them so they tend to make the most out of each trip.

2) They Have a Heightened Sense of Cultural Awareness

Most travelers love going to new places to understand the events and customs that take place there or to know what’s different about the people there.

They’re passionate about gaining new knowledge about other cultures’ beliefs, customs, and ways of life.

Traveling allows people to see and experience new cultures first-hand.

As they encounter new things, they also develop a heightened sense of cultural awareness and a deeper appreciation for other cultures.

For tireless travelers, participating in different cultural customs of a place is a great way to know the place and its people, as well as create great memories there.

3) They Have Higher Self-Esteem and Self-Awareness

People who love traveling constantly find themselves in situations that push them out of their comfort zones – they talk to random locals, mingle with people at hostels, and create travel plans as they go.

As they overcome many challenges that come with traveling, they become more confident in their abilities to conquer different obstacles thrown their way – which ultimately helps develop their self-esteem.

Traveling also enhances a person’s self-awareness by letting them experience a wide range of different situations.

When they reflect on the traveling experiences they had that are related to people and other cultures, they also get to know their personality and character better.

By being exposed to a diverse spectrum of experiences, travelers get to know the things they truly like and enjoy.

4) They’re More Empathetic and Observant

Travelers are exposed to different kinds of people and their circumstances so they eventually develop a strong sense of empathy.

They share stories with both locals and other tourists, all of which allow them to accept and appreciate differences among people.

Traveling lets people see the world, but it also shows us a different perspective of things through another person’s eyes.

With empathy also comes being observant – after all, you need to closely observe someone or something to feel empathetic towards them.

There’s so much to see and experience as travelers move from place to place that they become accustomed to taking in a lot of information.

They experience a sensory overload of sights, places, and people, so they train themselves to tune out some information and observe more of the things that matter to them.

5) They Crave Adventures and Embrace Changes

Traveling often involves venturing into the unknown – like going to new places, meeting new people, and trying new activities.

As a traveler, it’s important to take your adventurous spirit with you to make the most out of every trip.

Being adventurous is an innate part of travelers – the more they travel, the more their spirit feels fulfilled.

Changes are also constant when people travel, so travelers must know how to embrace them as they come.

They’re often surrounded by new people and new places waiting to be explored.

Even when travelers meet new people in one of their destinations, they know that their meeting is only fleeting. For travelers, change is a way of life that they have to accept.

6) They’re Highly Adaptable and Flexible

Traveling isn’t always about beautiful beaches and five-star hotel rooms.

Most of the time, it involves staying in local hostels or sleeping in a tent out in the wild.

This activity is enjoyable as it is challenging because people are required to be flexible and adaptable to any situation.

Waking up in a new place or country means having different food or speaking a different language.

It also requires travelers to adapt to new laws and customs to pay respect to the country and its locals.

Changes are constant when traveling so people should know how to embrace and adapt to their circumstances.

7) They’re Creative and Imaginative

Travelers tend to be great storytellers of the new places and cultures they encounter.

Traveling inspires creativity, so those who do it often have rich imaginations that they translate into amazing pieces of art.

They see the beauty in the world first-hand and express it through writing, painting, photography, and other forms of art.

One of my friends felt that her writings were repetitive, so she spent a year trying to know herself and experiencing new things that can spark her drive to write unique stories again.

She obviously made the right decision because it pushed her to write inspiring stories based on what she experienced during her year-long journey of seeing new places.

8) They Have Good Intuition in Most Situations

The more people travel, the more unusual experiences they encounter.

Roadmaps don’t always exist and itineraries don’t always go as planned, so it’s up to travelers to trust their gut and get out of the situation they’re in unscathed.

As you travel and face more unknown circumstances, you also learn to trust yourself to make the best decisions given the situation.

Intuition guides you away from dangerous people and situations, but it also pushes you to opportunities and situations that benefit you.

If your instincts tell you that you’ll be okay trying something new when traveling, then trust what it says – it may even lead you to the best trip of your life.

9) They’re Assertive But Not Aggressive

Regardless if you’re an introvert or extrovert, assertiveness is a trait that every traveler must possess.

There are times when you run into issues when traveling – you might even find yourself in the middle of the crowd asking for help or on a sidewalk asking to hitch a ride.

As you travel the world, it’s normal to let go of your hesitations, speak up, and ask what you need or want.

But do remember that there’s a fine line between being assertive and aggressive.

Assertiveness is about standing up for yourself while aggressiveness might involve threatening and attacking others.

The former can open up opportunities for you as you travel while the other can only bring you trouble in unknown places.

Always remember to be respectful when asking for help and assert yourself during your travels.

10) They’re Confident Yet Humble

Traveling and going on new adventures require some degree of courage and confidence because it means stepping out of your comfort zone.

People who love traveling are often confident and fearless because they know that every destination is a new opportunity to learn new things and gain new experiences.

While some people think that reaching new places only makes travelers conceited about their experiences – the opposite is actually true.

Passionate travelers lose their “traveler ego” as they visit more places because they don’t simply share their experiences to brag.

They share their love of travel with others because they want to motivate people to get out more and see the world beyond their windows.

11) They’re Independent and Comfortable in Their Own Company

Sometimes, traveling makes us realize that it’s just us dealing with the big world.

We’re responsible for every decision we make and every step we take – including where we go and what we do there.

As we travel alone to unfamiliar places, we learn to deal with challenges that come our way.

It also teaches us to be comfortable in our skin and have fun even by ourselves.

As a people person, I used to prefer traveling in groups and exploring new places with my friends.

But as we got busier over the years, planning big trips became even more difficult because of our schedules.

While the lack of company stopped me from traveling at first, I eventually learned to explore new places even by myself – and being alone never really made my travels any less enjoyable.

12) They’re More Appreciative of Little Things

Traveling also teaches people that you can’t sweat the small stuff – some of the most important things are found in the littlest artifacts.

Travelers tend to find beauty in the things that they previously took for granted.

As they experience new things, they become more grateful for simple things like the food on their plates, the hiking shoes they use, and most importantly, the friends and families they have back home.

People are often so busy in their everyday lives that they forget to slow down and appreciate the mundane things in life.

When they travel, people reflect on these little things and the importance they hold.

It’s not something that a lot of people notice, but traveling actually teaches us how much the little things count.