Traveling for Events Around the World

Las Fallas in Valencia, Spain © Jim Delillo | Dreamstime

That’s it; that’s the whole tip: travel for events. Destinations stay the same, more or less. The beaches of the Bahamas will always be incredible, but only twicea year do the islands come alive with costumed parades, dancing and street vendors during Junkanoo. Traveling for events adds a new layer to your trip, provides you with many more options during your stay and offers unique opportunities to experience the local culture. But, most importantly, it gives the tourist a purpose.

During an event, the destination comes alive in a way it otherwise would not. There is an excitement in the air, a vibrant hum you absorb that has a way of changing your entire experience. It is akin to the difference between listening to music and playing music. For a moment, you become part of the landscape.

During an event, options for entertainment, sightseeing and tourism multiply. A stroll through a quiet neighborhood in Valencia, Spain, might be just average; the burning of giant effigies during Las Fallas, however, makes it unforgettable.

During an event, you suddenly have a way to interact with the culture and locale that might not have been available otherwise. Everyone is a local during a party, so live it up like one.

But perhaps the best benefit of traveling for events is that it gives the casual tourist a purpose. Instead of wandering around aimlessly, snapping photos of buildings and selfies with monuments, the tourist now has an achievable goal. Whether it is to watch an award-winning film at Cannes, get covered in colorful powder at a Holi festival or win some beads at Mardi Gras, you’ll experience your destination in a whole new way. Luckily, there is almost always something incredibly fun going on somewhere in the world.

Indian Shop Selling Paint for Holi © Gaurav Masand | Dreamstime