Africa & The Middle East | Inspiration

Why it's OK to visit the same destination twice

If you’ve got an endless bucket list (like us), you might feel like you should visit a different destination every time you travel. But new isn’t always better. Many of us also have a favourite travel destination that we love to visit over and over again. If you’re feeling drawn to explore the same place again, we say go for it! From finding greater pleasure in the familiar to getting extra VIT benefits, we look at why it’s great to visit the same travel destination twice. 

GET INSPIRED BY: Very Important Travellers (VIT)

There’s less pressure on the second visit

When you first visit a travel destination, you often feel like you have to squeeze in as many things as you can into your visit. If you’ve got two weeks in Italy, you may try to see Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, the Amalfi Coast, the Italian Lakes, and more, but still feel like you missed out on other highlights like Sicily and Cinque Terre. If you’ve got a couple of weeks in Thailand, you’ll likely have to make the hard decision between visiting the Northern or Southern regions – or only skim the surface of both. This can lead to FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and a jam-packed itinerary which often leaves you more exhausted when you return home. 

When you visit the same travel destination for the second time – the pressure is off. You’ve already ticked off all the major highlights, so you’ll feel free to go with the flow, explore at your whim, and get off the beaten track. Plus, since you won’t be visiting all the busiest tourist attractions, you’ll spend less time waiting in lines and battling with crowds – which means more time for fun! 

RELATED CONTENT: 5 ways we make travel special for returning guests

couple clinking glasses by the sea

There’s more pleasure in the familiar

Have you ever returned to a travel destination and felt a sense of comfort? Whether you seek out your favourite beach, confidently navigate your way around the local market, or head back to your favourite restaurant and savour that same delicious meal – there’s something so special about visiting your beloved spots. Turns out, there’s science behind that feeling. It’s called the “mere exposure effect” or the “familiarity principle”, where people develop a preference for something after it becomes familiar. 

When you visit a destination for the second time, it will be psychologically more enjoyable, since you’ll have the comfort of familiarity, rather than the apprehension and uncertainty of a first-time visit. So if you want to have the most relaxing trip, you’re probably better off going somewhere you’ve been before. 

RELATED CONTENT: The 5 tours our VITs book time and time again

two travellers overlooking the ocean

We get more satisfaction from more frequent, smaller trips

Do you like to take one big trip every year? Or do you prefer to take many shorter trips throughout the year? Science says you’ll actually get more satisfaction from the latter. A 2012 study found that eight days was the ideal duration of a holiday before happiness and well-being began to diminish. A 2010 study found that travellers may feel greater satisfaction from several small trips a year rather than one long holiday, while a 2021 study found that people who travel frequently are happier with their lives. 

What does that mean for you? If you’re looking to get the most out of your holiday, you could try visiting the same travel destination over several, shorter trips – rather than one big marathon trip that may leave you more exhausted than when you started!

RELATED CONTENT: Meet Carol, the Trafalgar guest who’s been on 40 tours and counting

You’ll get to explore beyond the surface

Even when you’ve lived somewhere for years, you never truly see and explore everything – especially since places are always changing over time. So when you take a trip – whether it’s a week or a month – you’re only scratching the surface of the destination. If you really want to get to know a place and culture on a deeper level, you’ve got to visit more than once. On your subsequent trips, you’ll find comfort in the familiar, but you’ll also be able to seek out endless new experiences and a fresh perspective every time. 

RELATED CONTENT: 7 reasons why we just love our VIT guests

family of travellers

Return travellers get extra benefits

You’ve heard of frequent flyer points rewards – but did you know you can get the same kind of perks when you’re a frequent traveller with Trafalgar? Everyone who travels with Trafalgar or our Travel Corporation sister brands automatically joins our special Very Important Traveller (VIT) club – which gets you exclusive access to special offers. 

But if you travel multiple times with Trafalgar, you’ll get even more savings and offers. So you’ll actually be rewarded for visiting the same travel destinations more than once! 

Benefits for 1-4 trips with Trafalgar

If you travel with Trafalgar or our sister brands 1-4 times, you’ll get a 5% saving on new trips and during Secret Sales, plus priority access to new trips and special VIT recognition on your trips. 

Benefits for 4+ trips with Trafalgar

If you’re one of our loyal guests who’s travelled with Trafalgar more than 4 times, you’ll get all the same perks plus an exclusive 5% off all trips to all destinations – all year round. Not only will you be having a more relaxing, enjoyable and satisfying trip when you visit the same travel destination – you’ll also be spending less when you do it with Trafalgar. Sign us up! 

Do you like to visit the same travel destinations more than once? What are the best travel destinations to visit multiple times? Let us know in the comments below!

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Want to hear more from us?

Sign up to receive inspiring travel articles, offers & news

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
Receive Monthly Emails*
Receive All Brand Communications
Terms and Cons*
Generic filters
Exact matches only
Search in title