If you’ve got an endless bucket list (like us), you might feel like you should visit a different destination every time you travel. But new isn’t always better. Many of us also have a favourite travel destination that we love to visit over and over again. If you’re feeling drawn to explore the same place again, we say go for it! From finding greater pleasure in the familiar to taking the pressure off, we explore why it’s great to visit the same destination twice!
There’s less pressure on the second visit
When you first visit a travel destination, you often feel like you have to squeeze in as many things as you can into your visit. If you’ve got two weeks in Italy, you may try to see Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, the Amalfi Coast, the Italian Lakes, and more, but still feel like you missed out on other highlights like Sicily and Cinque Terre. If you’ve got a couple of weeks in Thailand, you’ll likely have to make the hard decision between visiting the Northern or Southern regions – or only skim the surface of both. This can lead to FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and a jam-packed itinerary which often leaves you more exhausted when you return home.
When you visit the same travel destination for the second time – the pressure is off. You’ve already ticked off all the major highlights, so you’ll feel free to go with the flow, explore at your whim, and get off the beaten track. Plus, since you won’t be visiting all the busiest tourist attractions, you’ll spend less time waiting in lines and battling with crowds – which means more time for fun!
There’s more pleasure in the familiar
Have you ever returned to a travel destination and felt a sense of comfort? Whether you seek out your favourite beach, confidently navigate your way around the local market, or head back to your favourite restaurant and savour that same delicious meal – there’s something so special about visiting your beloved spots. Turns out, there’s science behind that feeling. It’s called the “mere exposure effect” or the “familiarity principle”, where people develop a preference for something after it becomes familiar.
When you visit a destination for the second time, it will be psychologically more enjoyable, since you’ll have the comfort of familiarity, rather than the apprehension and uncertainty of a first-time visit. So if you want to have the most relaxing trip, you’re probably better off going somewhere you’ve been before.
We get more satisfaction from more frequent, smaller trips
Do you like to take one big trip every year? Or do you prefer to take many shorter trips throughout the year? Science says you’ll actually get more satisfaction from the latter. A 2012 study found that eight days was the ideal duration of a holiday before happiness and well-being began to diminish. A 2010 study found that travellers may feel greater satisfaction from several small trips a year rather than one long holiday, while a 2021 study found that people who travel frequently are happier with their lives.
What does that mean for you? If you’re looking to get the most out of your holiday, you could try visiting the same travel destination over several, shorter trips – rather than one big marathon trip that may leave you more exhausted than when you started!
You’ll get to explore beyond the surface
Even when you’ve lived somewhere for years, you never truly see and explore everything – especially since places are always changing over time. So when you take a trip – whether it’s a week or a month – you’re only scratching the surface of the destination. If you really want to get to know a place and culture on a deeper level, you’ve got to visit more than once. On your subsequent trips, you’ll find comfort in the familiar, but you’ll also be able to seek out endless new experiences and a fresh perspective every time.
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