In the late 16th century, it became a trend among young European aristocrats and wealthy upper-class men to embark on journeys to prominent European cities as part of their education in arts and literature. This tradition, known as the Grand Tour, typically included visits to cities like London, Paris, Venice, Florence, and Rome. However, the French Revolution marked the end of this cultural practice.
Travel can be local, regional, national (domestic), or international. In some countries, even non-local travel within the country may require an internal passport, while international travel typically necessitates a passport and visa. A journey may also be part of a round-trip, where a person travels from one location to another and returns to the starting point.
Travel refers to the movement of people between distant geographical locations. It can be done by various means, such as by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, or ship, with or without luggage, and can be either one-way or round-trip. Travel can also involve relatively short stays between successive movements, as seen in tourism.
The New Norm: Working from Home
People travel for various reasons, including leisure, escaping conflict, or simply for the pleasure of the journey itself. Travelers may use human-powered transportation like walking or cycling, or opt for vehicles such as public transport, cars, trains, and airplanes.
In the United States, where there are no federal regulations for minimum annual leave, many large companies have vacation policies. Some allow employees to take extended breaks, and others even offer unlimited vacation. However, unlimited vacation policies often come with unspoken expectations, such as not exceeding the average number of days taken by other employees. These policies also mean that employees who leave the company receive no monetary compensation for unused leave days.
According to the U.S. Travel Association, Americans collectively left 662 million vacation days unused in 2016. Over half of the U.S. workforce forfeited their paid time off at the end of the year.
Family vacations and vacations, in general, have become a common theme in books, films, and movies. Writers often explore themes like bonding and mishaps that occur during these trips.
Countries and territories around the world observe holidays based on significant events in their history. For instance, Americans celebrate Independence Day, which commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Another prominent secular holiday is the Lunar New Year, celebrated across East and Southeast Asia. Many other days are marked to celebrate events or people, but they are not strictly holidays, as time off from work is rarely granted.
If a holiday coincides with another holiday or a weekend, a substitute holiday may be recognized. For example, in the United Kingdom, if a bank holiday falls on a weekend, a ‘substitute’ weekday becomes a bank holiday, usually the following Monday. The list of bank holidays for 2020 included Monday, December 28th, as the “Boxing Day (substitute day)” because December 26th fell on a Saturday.
