11 Types of Travelers
Travel profiles that range from the 2-week vacationer to the wild adventurer
When you travel for a while, you start to see a pattern in the travel types. Below, I have created 11 travel profiles that try to encompass the types of travelers I’ve encountered.
The Vacationer
These are the travelers who go on a one to two-week annual vacation. These trips are usually to well-known beach locations with resorts that offer all-inclusive options. These travelers will usually limit their explorations to the resort they are in or to the few guided tours offered. This traveler's main reason for traveling is to disrupt their regular home routine. It's a break, not a change—a pause from real life.
Example: Travelers that go on vacation to a Jamaican all-inclusive beachside resort. You know the type.
The Adventurous Vacationer
This traveler is still limited to short trips due to work or family constraints but wants to explore a place beyond the norm. They opt for exciting vacations that offer a blend of activities and leisure. This traveler is excited about traveling to areas where their friend or work bubble usually doesn't travel.
Example: The traveler that goes to Nicaragua for a week instead of a beachside resort in Mexico. Or opt for a safari somewhere in east Africa
The Backpacker
These travelers are usually people in their early 20s, but not always, who travel well-known backpacker circuits and are adventurous and resilient travelers. Due to budget constraints, backpackers typically opt for long, uncomfortable bus rides to get from one location to another. While backpackers are the adventurous types, they will usually visit well-traveled roads and places where they will find many like-minded travelers.
Example: Travelers that stay in hostels and take the “Banana Pancake trail” to visit SE Asia.
The Explorer
This traveler looks to explore a location and usually does adventurous activities. These are the types that go on multi-day or multi-week trekking trips. They aren’t afraid of getting sweaty and dirty during their travels. They can both be a solo traveler or part of an organized group. Exploration is at the heart of their location choices.
Example: Travelers on a two-week trekking expedition on the Pacific Coast Trail or Nepalese Himalayas.
The Wanderer
This is travel that can comfortably shift from being a Backpacker to being an Explorer type of traveler. This traveler usually travels for long periods and oscillates from the slow travel of someone with no destination or timeline in mind to one who looks to pack in as many activities as possible in new countries. In other words, this is a traveler who can handle the deep travels of the person on the road but is okay with the amenities of civilization occasionally.
Example: A traveler you meet in a hostel who can quickly spark up a conversation and has plenty of wildly entertaining stories to share that straddle the bizarre and crazy line.
The Hardcore Backpacker
These travelers focus on extremely remote or challenging destinations, prioritizing self-sufficiency and minimalism. They go to locations rarely visited by foreigners, let alone people from the country. These travelers don't expect to meet fellow travelers but are happily surprised when they do. They travel for the sake of exploration. These are beast-mode travelers. I have no better way to explain these people.
Example: I met a Uruguayan traveler who had spent the past ten years living out of a tent in remote sections of South America. He spends 8 out of 12 months living out of his backpack, and his sheer love for exploration drives him deeper into the unknown.
The Digital Nomad
This traveler will live in a well-connected, usually highly cosmopolitan city. A Digital Nomad is, first and foremost, a full-time worker or entrepreneur, so strong Wi-Fi and community are essential to them. This traveler usually creates a solid connection to the local expat community and builds a strong foundation with fellow digital nomads. While it's not always the case, they typically don't won't have strong social ties with locals due to ease of access to the expat community. Digital Nomads will usually stay in locations for as long as their visas allow them to, so don't be surprised to meet one that has spent many months in their city of choice.
Example- Cities like Medellin, Colombia, and Budapest, Hungary, are becoming popular remote work destinations thanks to the increasing population of expats and dedicated improvements on WiFi infrastructure.
The Wellness Traveler
These travelers seek destinations and experiences that promote physical and mental well-being. They may focus on yoga retreats, spa getaways, healthy cuisine, and activities that rejuvenate the mind and body.
Example: These are becoming very popular in Thailand, Indonesia, and Costa Rica.
The Lifestyle Traveler
This traveler goes to new cities or towns intending to stay for an extended period, usually for as long as their visa allows. This traveler loves the nature of travel and moving to new places, but it's not about the exploration. They could live in a city for a month and never see the usual tourist hot spots in that location.
Example: Hostel workers looking to live and work in a particular city and specialized short-term contract workers are the types that I usually meet. Australia, for example, has eased work visas to help increase the amount of foreign workers who typically work in the mining or service industry for a year or more.
The Exotic Boozer
These are the types that usually pick an exotic location but with the intention of partying and drinking. The concern is finding cheap places to drink and not necessarily sightseeing or exploring.
Example: A lads' holiday is a group of usually young guys, although not always young or only guys, who travel together to drink and go wild. Popular places are Amsterdam, Bangkok, and Cancun. Or, as I like to call it, the Lads' ABCs.
The Sex Tourist
These are travlers with a very specific goal in mind. Not what I would call my favorite traveler type but they do exist.
Example: Usually older Western (but not exclusively) men or women looking for young foreign women or men to spend a night or multiple nights with.
The Insta Traveler
Those that travel superficially. The travel is almost exclusively for that perfect set of photos or videos. The culture and location only matter as long as they play a role in the "perfect" image or caption for the area.
Example: A major hotspot is Bali, Indonesia, where the beautiful landscapes and ease of travel make for an increasingly more popular destination every year.
What do you think about the profiles? Are there some that I have missed? I would love to hear about the types of travelers you have been and the types you’ve encountered!