What Kind of Traveller Are You? | Unpacking the 10 Types of Traveller
It’s a funny thing, travel. You can send two people to the exact same spot, say, a sun-drenched piazza in Rome, and they’ll come back with completely different tales. One will be raving about the history, the texture of the ancient stone under their fingers. The other? They’ll be talking about the life-changing carbonara they found in a back alley and the old man who taught them how to order coffee like a proper local.
It’s because travel isn’t a one-size-fits-all t-shirt you pick up at the airport. It’s a mirror. It reflects our quirks, our passions, and what we’re truly searching for. Figuring out your personal travel style is more than just a bit of fun; it’s the secret sauce to planning trips that actually fill your cup, instead of just filling your camera roll. We’re about to explore the 10 main types of traveller. See if you can spot yourself in the line-up! 😉
So, What Are the Main Types of Traveller?
Before we dive in, let’s get to the nitty-gritty. What really separates one globetrotter from another? I reckon it all boils down to one simple thing: motivation. What’s the spark that makes you say, “Right, I’m booking the flight”? Is it a burning desire to relax? To learn something new? To feel your heart hammer in your chest? Or just to find a quiet corner of the world to think? That “why” is your travel DNA. Let’s unravel it.
Which are you? Try our "Bit of Fun" quiz before seeing the BIG 10!
What Kind of Traveller Are You?
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1. The Collector
Right, I’ll hold my hands up, my younger self was a total Collector. You know the type. Their mission is simple: to go everywhere. Their passport is a beautiful, chaotic mess of stamps, and their biggest thrill is adding a new pin to their world map. For The Collector, the joy is in the chase and the tangible proof of their adventures.
They’re the ones who will smash out five countries in a week and come back absolutely chuffed to bits. It’s a whirlwind, really. A blur of airports and train stations, all in the glorious pursuit of more. It’s less about the deep, soul-searching dive and more about building an incredible library of places they’ve been. And you know what? Fair dos. It’s an impressive feat.
🔹 A little tip: If this is you, try, just once, to linger. Spend three days in one neighbourhood instead of three cities. You might find a story that’s worth more than a dozen passport stamps.
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2. The Conformist
The Conformist travels by the book and I mean that in the best way possible. They’ve highlighted the Lonely Planet guide, bookmarked the top 10 lists, and have their tickets for the main attractions printed out and organised in a neat little folder. They stick to the beaten path because, let’s be honest, it’s beaten for a reason! It’s where the good stuff is.
This traveller isn’t looking for unpredictable chaos; they’re after the iconic, postcard-perfect holiday. They want to see the Mona Lisa’s enigmatic smile, feel the spray of Niagara Falls, and snap a selfie at the top of the Rock. Let’s not knock it! These experiences are famous because they are genuinely awesome. The Conformist makes sure they don’t miss a thing.
🔹 Pro Tip: Your best friend is the ‘skip-the-line’ ticket. Seriously. Buying these online beforehand is the ultimate power move, saving you from a world of queuing pain.
🗺️ Travel with no Plan?: Winging It: How to Navigate New Destinations Without a Schedule
3. The Thrill-Seeker
For this traveller, a holiday without a near-death experience (or at least a serious adrenaline spike) is a holiday wasted. Simple as that. Forget lazing by the pool; they’re the ones hurling themselves off a bridge in New Zealand, cage-diving with sharks, or skiing down a slope so steep it looks like a wall. 🌋
Their travel stories are the ones that make you lean in closer, wide-eyed. They are fuelled by the rush, the physical challenge, and that incredible feeling of being completely and utterly alive. They don’t just visit a landscape; they interact with it in the most extreme way possible.
- Go-To Activities: Anything that requires a waiver.
- Ideal Hotel: A tent dangling off a cliff face.
- Nightmare Scenario: A guided tour with frequent, lengthy comfort breaks.
4. The Escapist
Ah, the Escapist. My soul brother. This is the person who travels not so much to a place, but away from everything else. The relentless ping of emails, the mounting pile of laundry, the general noise of modern life, they just need it to stop. Their goal is pure, blissful disconnection.
You’ll find them with a dog-eared paperback on a windswept beach in Cornwall, in a log cabin with a crackling fire, or at a silent retreat where the only deadline is the sunset. An itinerary? No, thank you. Their only plan is to have no plans. The success of their trip is measured in how deep they can breathe and how light they feel when they finally head home.
💡 A Little Fact for You: Studies have shown that stress levels plummet after just a day or two of a proper break. The Escapist has this down to a fine art.
🗺️ Guides to relaxing, sure!
5. The Self-Improver
This isn’t about just getting a tan; this is about getting a new skill. The Self-Improver sees travel as a chance for a software update for their own brain. They don’t just want to see the world; they want to come back from it a little bit better, a little bit smarter, a little bit more whole.
This could mean a week-long pasta-making course in a Tuscan farmhouse, a gruelling yoga teacher training in Bali, or finally getting to grips with Spanish at a language school in Seville. Their holidays are investments in themselves. The best souvenir they can imagine isn’t a fridge magnet; it’s a new perspective or a newfound confidence.
Need the best tours! We all love Get Your Guide, right?
6. The Pilgrim
Now this one’s deep. The Pilgrim is on a quest. This journey has a profound, personal meaning that goes way beyond a simple holiday. It might be a spiritual calling, like walking the Camino de Santiago, but it doesn’t have to be. It could be a die-hard music fan making a pilgrimage to Graceland, or someone tracing their family tree back to a tiny, forgotten village in the heart of Ireland.
Their journey is driven by a need to connect with a place, a history, or an idea that is sacred to them. It’s often slow, deliberate, and incredibly emotional. The destination isn’t just a place on a map; it’s a part of their story.
🔥 Want to find all the best places to eat, shop, and explore? Use our Google Maps Legend! Everything you need all on the google maps app!
7. The Pioneer
The Pioneer lives by a simple code: if it’s in a guidebook, it’s already too late. They are fundamentally allergic to tourist traps and get a real buzz from venturing into the unknown. Their passport isn’t just stamped; it’s practically mud-stained. They want to be the first of their friends to see a place, to eat the thing no one’s heard of, and to come back with a story that can’t be Googled.
These folks are masters of logistics and are surprisingly comfortable with chaos. A 16-hour chicken bus ride? Bring it on. A menu with no pictures and no English? Perfect. Their reward is the raw, unfiltered authenticity of a place and the quiet satisfaction of having forged their own path.
ℹ️ A note on this: Being a Pioneer comes with responsibility. It means treading lightly, respecting local cultures deeply, and ensuring your adventure doesn’t come at someone else’s expense.
What to know How to Plan or Save for a Trip? Here are our best:
8. The Occasional
Let’s be real, not everyone has a case of incurable wanderlust, and that’s perfectly okay! The Occasional traveller sees their annual holiday as a well-deserved treat, a sacred break from the daily grind. Travel isn’t their entire personality; it’s a joyful exclamation mark in the sentence of their year.
They’re often a chameleon, blending different travel types. One year, it’s a fly-and-flop all-inclusive in Greece (The Escapist); the next, it’s a fun-filled city break to Prague with mates (The Conformist). They’re practical, they’re often brilliant at budgeting, and they are experts at squeezing every last drop of fun out of their precious two weeks off.
9. The Oblivious
Oh, dear. The Oblivious. We’ve all seen one in the wild. Bless their cotton socks, they really don’t mean any harm. But they seem to be walking through a foreign country in their own little bubble. They’re the ones wearing teeny-tiny shorts to a magnificent temple, loudly complaining that no one speaks English, or trying to haggle in a high-end department store.
This traveller isn’t trying to be rude; they’re just… wonderfully unprepared. They haven’t done the reading, so to speak. Their focus is purely on their own experience, and they might not even notice the cultural cues they’re missing. Don’t be this person.
🔹 How to avoid it? Just five minutes on Google searching “etiquette in [Your Destination]” is all it takes! We actually have a guide for that: Cultural Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts for Respectful Travel
10. The Genuinely Curious
And finally, my personal favourite. The Genuinely Curious traveller. This person travels to understand. They are endlessly fascinated by people and the ‘why’ of a culture. This isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about opening them. They’ll have an hour-long chinwag with a baker about their sourdough starter, learn a few clumsy phrases in the local language, and say ‘yes’ to a spontaneous dinner invitation.
For them, travel is the best university in the world. They listen more than they talk.
Their reward is a rich, textured understanding of the world and connections with people that last far longer than a tan. ✨
So, where did you land on the spectrum? At the end of the day, these are just fun labels. They’re little clues to help us understand our own travel hearts.
Here at The Travel Tinker, we believe the world is this magnificent, sprawling, incredible place with more than enough room for every single one of us. So whether you’re chasing waterfalls or just a really good nap, your way is valid. The only real rule? Travel with kindness, curiosity, and an open heart. Happy travels, you lot. 🌍 ✨
Your turn, travellers…
Alright, your turn! I’m dying to know which type of traveller you are. Are you a pure-bred or a quirky mix? Pop a comment below and let’s have a proper chinwag about it. I’ll be reading every single one👇🗣️
Adventure on,
The Travel Tinker Crew 🌍✨
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FAQs: Your Burning Questions Answered (Hopefully!)
Can you be more than one type of traveller?
Oh, 100%! Most of us are a cocktail of different types. I’m a Genuinely Curious Escapist, myself. You might be a Thrill-Seeker on a trip with friends, but a total Conformist when you’re taking your parents on their dream trip to Paris. It all depends!
How do I figure out my travel style?
Just ask yourself what a perfect day on holiday looks like to you. Is it packed with adventure, or is there nothing on the schedule at all? Is it about learning something new or just having a laugh? Be honest with yourself, and don’t be afraid to try a different kind of trip to see if it fits.
What's the big deal about "tourist" vs. "traveller"?
Honestly? I think the whole debate is a bit silly. It can feel a bit snobbish. Whether you call yourself a tourist or a traveller, what matters is that you’re out there, seeing the world, being respectful, and having a good time. The labels are irrelevant.
Will my travel type change as I get older?
Almost certainly! The fearless backpacker who slept on train station floors in their twenties might crave a bit more comfort (and a decent mattress!) in their forties. Life changes us, and our travel style evolves with us. It’s all part of the adventure.
So which type of traveller is the best one to be?
Trick question! There isn’t one. The “best” way to travel is the one that sets your soul on fire. Whether you’re a Collector, a Pilgrim, or a Pioneer, your way is the right way for you. Embrace it!
Travel Planning Resources
Ready to book your next trip? These trusted resources have been personally vetted to ensure a smooth travel experience.
Book Your Flights: Kick off your travel planning by finding the best flight deals on Trip.com. Our years of experience with them confirm they offer the most competitive prices.
Book Your Hotel: For the best hotel rates, use Booking.com . For the best and safest hostels, HostelWorld.com is your go-to resource.
Find Apartment Rentals: For affordable apartment rentals, check out VRBO. They consistently offer the best prices.
Car Rentals: For affordable car rentals, check out RentalCars.com. They offer the best cars, mostly brand new.
Travel Insurance: Never travel without insurance. Here are our top recommendations:
- EKTA for Travel Insurance for all areas!
- Use AirHelp for compensation claims against flight delays etc.
Book Your Activities: Discover walking tours, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more on Get Your Guide. They have a vast selection of activities to enhance your trip. There is also Tiqets.com for instant mobile tickets.
Book The Best Trains: Use Trainline to find the most affordable trains or Rail Europe for rail passes!
Need More Help Planning Your Trip? Visit our Resources Page to see all the companies we trust and use for our travels.
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Nick Harvey
Hi, I am Nick! Thank you for reading! The Travel Tinker is a resource designed to help you navigate the beauty of travel! Tinkering your plans as you browse!
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