21st October 2019 by Dan Cross

The 10 Types of Traveller: Which One Are You?

Have you ever gone away with your family only to argue over whether to spend the afternoon on the beach or to take a local tour? Is your idea of the perfect holiday booking a stay in a 5-star hotel, or do you crave the raw, lively atmosphere of a hostel? Here are the 10 types of traveller: which one are you?

Do you already know if you’re a Planner or a Chilled One? Do you prefer jetting off for months at a time or do you desire the quick weekend escape? Find the perfect getaway to suit your travel personality by browsing our amazing holiday deals.

1. The Backpacker

Let’s kick things off with a classic and one we all know about: The Backpacker! These types of traveller are the ones that understand how to travel light. They stay in hostels and couch surf almost exclusively, not just to save money, but to meet new people. They keep their ear close to the ground, share stories with other travellers, and are always ready for the next adventure.

2. The Escapist

Of all the types of traveller, this is the most common, although they come in various extremes. They need to put their lives on hold and most of the time they just want to recharge their batteries by doing something new.

But now and then, the Escapist packs up and travels for a more drastic reason. Maybe there is a difficult choice waiting for them back home, or work has become too much. Not to be confused with an Explorer, the Escapist is using travel to avoid real life.

3. The Weekender

The Weekender is the person who rarely takes long holidays—and by long, we mean a week or two. Instead, they prefer to make the most of a bank holiday weekend by grabbing the nearest plane, train, or boat to paradise. Stays may be short, but accommodation tends to be luxurious, and they return to work each week with dozens of new stories.

4. The Volunteer

The Volunteer likes to contribute as they travel, be it to the environment, the local community, or some other worthy cause. They will often avoid popular tourists in favour of more out-of-the-way destinations. Usually, these types of traveller plan to stay for a while, which means they have to be careful with money. As a result, they will sometimes exchange long days working for food and board, but accept payment in the form of lifelong friendships and fulfilling experiences.

5. The Thrill-Seeker

The Thrill-Seeker has one mission: to keep the adrenaline pumping. Normally, this translates as doing extreme or daredevil sports and activities, like rock climbing, bungee jumping, or off-roading. But it can also be anything which keeps the excitement coming, from taking tours to unusual or dangerous places to teaming up with strangers to do some off-the-cuff activity.

6. The Pilgrim

The Pilgrim is the type of traveller who prioritises personal growth. Perhaps they want to visit ancient temples or book themselves into a yoga and spa resort, but it doesn’t have to be these. Sometimes the Pilgrim looks like the Thrill-Seeker, such as when they climb a mountain or dive to the bottom of the ocean. Other times they look appear similar to the Escapist, wandering from place to place without a goal. But the key difference is what is happening inside; they are discovering themselves or learning to look at the planet and other people in new ways.

7. The Explorer

She looks the same as The Pilgrim on the outside but is the exact opposite on the inside. The Explorer also wants to see all the wonderful natural, historical, and cultural sites that the world has to offer, but she does it for the love of seeing new places and indulging in new experiences. For the Explorer, the journey and its discoveries are enough.

8. The Planner

Planners are the types of traveller who plan every step of their journey before they’ve even left home. They know where they will sleep each night, have an itinerary planned for every day, and have the Google Maps and TripAdvisor apps downloaded on to their phones. Sometimes the Planner is the way they are because they are cautious and don’t want to get in any trouble.

But there is another type of Planner; one who cannot travel alone. They aren’t just a planner of their own activities, but get a kick out of planning for others, too. In fact, there are types of traveller perfectly suited to holiday with the Planner…

9. The Chilled One

The Chilled One goes with the flow. They are content wherever they go, so long as they have someone with them, usually the Planner, to tell them where to go, what to look at it, and what to bring. The Chilled One sees travelling as a chance not only to rest physically, but mentally, too. They leave all responsibility at home, including making decisions, and happily relinquish that role to someone else. It doesn’t mean they don’t want to explore interesting places, meet new people, or try new things…they just someone else to organise it for them.

10. The Functional

The Functional Traveller is usually one of the more unfortunate types of traveller. They travel far and wide, and frequently, but almost always for the wrong reason: work! They get off the plane, head straight to the hotel or conference centre, and then back home again with no time to see the local sites. The downside of this type of traveller is that all those work trips often prevent them from wanting to travel for leisure. But when they do get away for fun, they are the masters of relaxation; whether that be by sipping a cocktail on beach or adventuring into a jungle or desert somewhere.

So, which of these types of traveller are you? Are you ready to indulge your personality and enjoy your next holiday? Then check our all of our late deals for a bargain on flights and accommodation.