The concept of a destination has evolved with modern technology and leisure travel. Travel was once for survival, but now it’s a global industry generating over 1 trillion USD annually. The journey is sometimes the destination, and GPS and tour agencies make travel easier than ever.
A destination is the endpoint of a journey, whether the journey is across the street or across the planet. For most of human history, reaching a distant place could take weeks or months; in modern times, many remote destinations can be reached in days, if not hours. Modern technology has also provided more precise means of travel, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). The term is often used to describe popular and oft-visited places; in this sense, it is a shortened form of “tourist destination”.
Travel as a leisure activity is a relatively recent concept as, for thousands of years, humans have traveled primarily for the sake of survival. Some, like nomadic tribes, followed the migratory herds of animals that provided them with food and sustenance; others traveled to escape drought, war or other threats. The original tribes of Israel, according to the Bible, the Torah and other ancient documents, traveled for 40 years before reaching their destination, a safe haven they called “the promised land”. Prehistoric tribes who traveled to the Americas from Asia no doubt faced equally epic journeys.
Before the advent of mechanical vehicles, traveling to a distant place was a long and often difficult process. Trains, automobiles, motor ships, and airplanes transformed travel from an ordeal to a nuisance and finally to a pleasure. By the mid-20th century, the terms “holiday” and “holiday” became travel for its own sake, and the destination was often a resort, natural wonder, or distant city. Tourism, an activity favored by the wealthy for centuries, became a major global industry as new methods of travel made it accessible to the general public. According to the World Tourism Organization, international tourism was generating more than 1 trillion US dollars (USD) annually in the early 2000s.
Reaching a destination, near or far, is easier than ever in the 21st century. Many Internet mapping programs can provide detailed directions for almost any location. GPS devices, some of which are built into modern cars and phones, can pinpoint an accurate location to within a few feet. Tour agencies can, for a fee, arrange trips to places around the world, as well as stays in luxury hotels sometimes called “destination resorts”.
Some leisure trips don’t themselves involve an end point; travelers simply want to see a country or landscape they have never seen before. Others go to enjoy the mode of travel itself, such as a classic train or cruise ship. This has led to the popular and somewhat philosophical expression: “The journey is the destination”.
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