The Number Of Americans That Have Never Left Their Home State Has Been Revealed

While you’re busy planning your 2018 travel bucket list, pause to consider this sobering statistic: A recent study found that a shocking 11% of Americans have never traveled outside of the state they were born in.

The high cost of overseas plane tickets from American locations, besides major airline hubs like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, makes it easy to understand why not every American is able to rack up passport pages. And the same prohibitive cost may be what’s deterring some Americans from leaving their home.

According to the study, finances are the number one reason respondents gave for not traveling more. 63% of respondents said the cost of travel is what keeps them grounded, with a lack of vacation time coming in a distant second with 25% of respondents.

Another surprising statistic to emerge from the study was one showing that 13% of respondents have never actually been in an airplane (with a high correlation likely between these respondents and those who have never left their home states.)

Further illuminating Americans’ propensity to stay put, even domestically, the survey also found that 54% of Americans have been to 10 states or fewer. Only half of respondents said they owned a passport, and 32% say that they either don’t own or can’t remember buying luggage.

A bright spot for the travel and tourism industry? A whopping 76% of respondents said that they would like to travel more than they do. Almost 60% of respondents have gone so far as to make a list of places they’d like to travel to, and 56% say they enjoy trying new things – a sentiment that goes well with the travel bug. Only 10% of respondents expressed no desire to travel more than they already do.

Once costs have been accounted for, one condition that may need to exist before all Americans can avail themselves of their freedom to cross state lines is an increase in vacation time. Yes, it may be relatively easy and inexpensive to hop in the car for a road trip from California across the American Southwest, but if you only have 10 days of vacation time a year, you’d better be happy with that trip as the only one you take all year.

So for those Americans hoping to put more distance between themselves and home in 2018, here’s to hoping the country develops a bit more laissez-faire an attitude around vacation days.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.