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Some very interesting info, thanks.. Some of you mention "money" as an issue. Well i guess spending a week in ie Malaysia would be much cheaper than a week in Florida. Money is one reason that Swedes leaves our (expensive) home country for vacation, you´ll get so much more for the money.
Sifwer, please.. do yourself a favor and look at the map before you start quoting places.
A week in Malaysia vs a week in Florida? Let's see: Malaysia is 25 - 30 hours flight from American's east coast (that's if you're lucky to get a flight with only 1 stop over). Add time difference to the equation, you will lose 2 days going there (leave Monday, arrive Wednesday). A week is not enough time for such a long journey. So to compare that to Florida that's only 2 hours from east coast. No comparison there, honey! Plus there's airfare to consider (US$2000 - $3000 per person to Malaysia from east coast - and we're talking economy class here, compared to $300 or less to Florida).
I just came back from Bali a couple of weeks ago and as much as I enjoyed the time I spent there, the journey was positively grueling!! Thank God I'm going to Florida next week to recuperate
If you simply add up the number of passports issued in each of the last ten years, you will have exactly the number of currently valid passports there are. That's 116 million, which is 37%. However, as you can see by the jump in 2008 when the number of applications ever year doubled, that reflects the number of people who now need a passport to go to Toronto. (In fact it's fewer than that because some people with passports have died. Many more got a passport but never traveled,)
So 20% is very close to the correct number of passport holders who actually use their passport for the purpose of leaving North America and obtained it with overseas travel intended. That "myth" has just been supported by figures from the US State Department.
No they don't. You fell in exactly the trap that gets misquoted.
They release the number of passports ISSUED, no where does the government release the exact number of passports HELD by it's citizens. Making my comment factually correct. You are simply extrapolating (i.e. - guesstimating) the number.
How much is it really? I've heard quotes as low as 7%, 10% to 20% seems to be the amount (mis)quoted in forums, using various and variable strange calcuation methods. The Economist magazine calculated 34%, which is not too far off from Canada. You have to realize most country statistics are to 18 years and older and you have to take that under consideration when making apples to apples comparisons. That is where most of the calculation errors occur.
Regardless, I travel (just got back from Spain) - who do I see? Americans.
I travel alot and meet alot of other traveling ppl from all over the world, but I never meet americans except for when traveling in the US (well, I do, but not as often as i should).
Whats your theories?
I'll tell you why. Being Asian and married to an American for 4 years now. I learn about Americans everyday. Main population are so preoccupied with daily lives, working and family. Huge expenditure goes to pay car instalment and rent or mortgage. Some may afford for first level of luxury which is to pay for domestic flight or gas driving cross states, mainly to visit relatives or vacation within country.
For me, I knew much later that my husband been banned to apply for passport because he ows too much of backdated of child support for his 2 now grown up children. There are actually many like him, but they did not feel the "lost of freedom" because they dont have the ambition to see the world. It is very very sad for me that my husband cannot follow me to visit my country. It continue to break my heart and I never can explain this to my relatives and friends back home.
No they don't. You fell in exactly the trap that gets misquoted.
They release the number of passports ISSUED, no where does the government release the exact number of passports HELD by it's citizens. Making my comment factually correct. You are simply extrapolating (i.e. - guesstimating) the number.
How much is it really? I've heard quotes as low as 7%, 10% to 20% seems to be the amount (mis)quoted in forums, using various and variable strange calcuation methods. The Economist magazine calculated 34%, which is not too far off from Canada. You have to realize most country statistics are to 18 years and older and you have to take that under consideration when making apples to apples comparisons. That is where most of the calculation errors occur.
Regardless, I travel (just got back from Spain) - who do I see? Americans.
surely as Jtur88 said you can just add the figures for the last 10 years of passports issued since they only last 10 years...... and the statistics are up to and including 2010.
Sifwer, please.. do yourself a favor and look at the map before you start quoting places.
A week in Malaysia vs a week in Florida? Let's see: Malaysia is 25 - 30 hours flight from American's east coast (that's if you're lucky to get a flight with only 1 stop over). Add time difference to the equation, you will lose 2 days going there (leave Monday, arrive Wednesday). A week is not enough time for such a long journey. So to compare that to Florida that's only 2 hours from east coast. No comparison there, honey! Plus there's airfare to consider (US$2000 - $3000 per person to Malaysia from east coast - and we're talking economy class here, compared to $300 or less to Florida).
I just came back from Bali a couple of weeks ago and as much as I enjoyed the time I spent there, the journey was positively grueling!! Thank God I'm going to Florida next week to recuperate
I just tried an AA flight operated by Cathay Pacific 20 hours each way with a break in Hong KOng from LA to KL $1500 for a 2 week trip in February. If I lived on the West coast Asia is definitely somewhere I would go over Hawaii anytime.... also the cost of living when you are there is VERY low.
The gap year, long-term travel, and career sabbatical are not cultural norms in the U.S. so the knowledge of budgeting and preparing for trips is thought of as impossible. A lot don't consider travel, don't want to consider it, too lazy to plan, don't want inconvenience, think there's nothing better outside their own country, can't handle culture shock or even reverse culture shock.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Australia and Canada are both about the size of the US, but we are pretty well-represented travellers. Most people I know have at least been overseas. There may not be quite AS much to see in our nations but there's still a lot. The US is geographically quite isolated from most of world, except maybe the east coast to Europe and of course the rest of te Americas, but then so is Canada or somewhere like New Zealand. So I think the main reason is economics, coupled with the attitude that the US is the best in the world. Many Americans certainly have the desire to go but it's something that is harder to organise given the way things are set up there. You're either stuck earning $10 at McDonald's, or in a stressful high paying job with little downtime.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovesMountains
We already live in the best country in the world for seeing diverse landscapes and beauty, so why leave "home"?
Not to mention, there's been a recession in this country and since 2008 many have either lost their jobs or had to reduce expenses. Traveling overseas can be very pricey
China might have something to say about that. Since you love mountains so much China is like the US on steroids. It has much higher mountains, including Everest on the Tibetan-Nepalese border.
No they don't. You fell in exactly the trap that gets misquoted.
They release the number of passports ISSUED, no where does the government release the exact number of passports HELD by it's citizens. Making my comment factually correct. You are simply extrapolating (i.e. - guesstimating) the number.
The number of currently valid passports held by Americans is exactly the number that were issued in the past 3,650 days. Not one more nor one less. The passport agency releases that exact number.
Yes, it is "factually correct" that there is not a US Passport clock website, that second by second states the exact number of passports currently in the hands of Americans.
Nowhere does the government release the exact number of people in the USA, either, so the percentage is impossible to exactly ascertain. Your comment about that dire shortcoming speaks for itself.
China might have something to say about that. Since you love mountains so much China is like the US on steroids. It has much higher mountains, including Everest on the Tibetan-Nepalese border.
Actually, I'd much prefer the beauty of Japan over China. Not to mention, the pollution and smog is so awful in China I'd never want to visit, Tibet not included
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Loss of Freedom
