Why Be a Tourist?

The one thing I cannot stand as a travel writer is the traveler versus tourist debate that seems to pop up time and time again.  When looking at these articles from a broad perspective, many are focused on why you should be a "traveler," as if the distinction really exists. Only a few tend to go with my belief of "who really cares?", something that is somewhat startling in this day and age.
When it all comes down to it, whether you are a tour group fan, cruiser, backpacker, or luxury spender the truth is that we are all travelers. Regardless of how you do it, going away and seeing the world makes you a traveler.   Some may disagree with that thought, but when compared to staying at home and not traveling, you already have the upper hand.  Why should there be distinctions past that?
But ignore my distaste for the whole traveler versus tourist debate for a few minutes.  Today, I want to talk about all of the good things that being a "tourist" has meant for us over the past four years of exploring the world. 
To add a bit of background, I have to say that I am a fan of all the travel styles listed at the beginning of this post.  My affinity to any one category does not make me less of a traveler, and I do not think I am doing travel "wrong" by participating in any type. In fact, I think the flexibility is necessary in order to take it all in.  But what does being a tourist get you? Well, the following is a start.
The Museums

Museums are one of the biggest attractions that come to mind when I hear the traveler versus tourist debate.  In many cases the world's biggest museums can be quite large, overstuffed with guests, somewhat pricey, and something many do just to check off their list.  But by avoiding them all together, you miss many great opportunities.  By going to the popular museums, I've been able to enjoy the following:

• The Louvre in Paris
• The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam
• The Picasso Museum in Barcelona
• The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo
• The Met in New York City
• The Smithsonian in Washington DC

What do you get out of visiting all of these great museums?  Well, first off, the most comprehensive works of the greatest painters and sculptures of all time is a good reason to go.  Then you get into specifics - The Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo, Van Gogh's Sunflowers, the burial mask of King Tut, one of the original Kermit the Frog puppets, and relics from the birth of man kind all the way to modern day marvels.  That is why we visit museums, because you can't see it anywhere else.

The Landmarks
It is hard to think of anything more important in travel than visiting the biggest landmarks that are known to everyone the world over.  Like the museums, many of these famous landmarks come with high admission prices, tons of visitors coming in, and a modest amount of those visitors leaving disappointed.  But, at the same time, the landmarks are why the regions we visit are popular, so you know you have to go.  What are some of the ones I've been to because I felt I had to?  Well, there are many:

• The Eiffel Tower in Paris
• The Great Wall of China outside of Beijing
• The Colosseum in Rome
• The Acropolis in Athens
• The Pyramids in Egypt
• The Ruins of Petra in Jordan
• The Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur*

Would I trade my visits to those sights just because everyone else goes too?  Heck no.  In fact, I'd go back again in a heartbeat.

A Little Bit of a Lot
At the beginning of this post, I mentioned group travel and guided tours while implying that they are often considered to be a major factor of the travel versus tourist debate.  Well, I like both, and have been on several guided tours and an equal number of cruises.  In fact, you could say that most of the landmarks I've visited above were done on one tour within the same trip.  Where else can you say that you visited 10 European countries in the span of 3 weeks or 7 unique Caribbean islands in an equal number of days?  Well, when you only have a set number of weeks, this may be your only option to truly get your moneys worth. 

But there are perks to these types of travels that many people underestimate, the unknown factor.  When booking these tours, you typically get an added bonus of visiting places you've never heard of before or never would have considered visiting in the first place.  Where did my guided tours take me that I did not originally plan to go?  I have several:

• Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
• Hopfgarten, Austria
• Wadi Rum, Jordan
• Prague, Czech Republic
• Dominica (island nation)
• St Maarten (island nation)

For those who read this blog regularly you may notice something interesting; every place listed above are on my all time favorite destinations list and it is all thanks to guided tours.  They really do know what they are doing sometimes, and you'd be wise not to pass it up.

Now really, can anyone look at all those places and pictures included in this post and try and put down anyone for going there in a style you don't agree with?  Thought so.
The point is that you go, not how you do it.  Otherwise your only other option is staying at home and reading posts like this one rather than getting out there and making it happen.  Traveler?  Tourist?  Who cares!
*Note: I'm aware that the Batu Caves are a bit of an unknown compared to the rest of the attractions in this post.  I included it primarily due to the fact that I've heard several travelers in Malaysia complain that the caves are "too touristy" even though they found out about it in the pages of their own guidebook.    The key is that if you go to places with an open mind and expect other travelers to be there, you just may find your disappointments few and far between.