90’s to Now! How Travel Has Changed in the Past 25 Years
e-tickets? Travel apps? Low cost airlines? Yes, international travel has changed a lot in the past 25 years, here we go through some of the biggest changes we have seen in travel over the past two decades whether it is how many people are traveling or where people are traveling to.
Filmed in Turku, Finland
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39 Comments
English is the best language. Even the Americans speak English. God save the King. 🇬🇧
I'm from Madeira, Portugal. A tourist destination with lots of tradition.
But back in the 80's and 90's we'd receive mostly english and german tourist who were already retired to simply walk in the mountains and maybe a little swim.
Nowdays there's a radical sub-culture with lots of crazy stuff for young fit people. We still get older people walking the mountains, but now there's also young folks and families. And tourist from a lot of different places.
And the beach has also become a bigger reason, not just a side perk.
There used to be one big group in a bus and a few loners who hired a taxi driver to visit around. Now everyone has a rented car and there simply isn't enough parking in the tiny mountain roads.
Folks had to really on books, maps , guides or taxi drivers. Now they watch info online and follow google maps.
We used to identify a tourist miles away, now it's only when we see the "vacation" clothes or hear them speak.
As for travelling to and from, it was always expensive but there was high and low season. Now, being marketed as a year round good weather destination means that plane tickets are always high season and they are crazy expensive. From Lisbon to Madeira is almost as much as from Belgium to Madeira. Yes, we checked that one year and couldn't understand it either.
There used to be more respect about staying in the path and avoiding bad weather. Now, tons of news about tourists getting lost or still going when they issued weather warnings.
Also some places used to be considered landscape and no one would stop there. Now you can find a tourist in the middle of nowhere wondering why a local is there.
Flying is cheaper not because of the low cost but because of the internet. Sure, it was ryanair that started it all with the internet, but I never found those "cheap" flights everybody claims to exist. Those prices are only one-way and then there are so many taxes and fess. It is almost impossible to fly for less than 100 eur, realistic speaking.
You complain about overtourism but then say you keep returning to the same places. That is the problem. Once you see something you shouldn't be allowed back for at least 10 years. Not sure why people keep going back to the same places, when there are so many cool places out there. I never go back to the same places, because I like to see new things, and if I go back I will do different things, some stuff that I missed for some reason, not to see the same old places….. that is ridiculous.
Thumbnail photo: Sydney Harbour Bridge from the Sydney Opera House
The Opera House celebrated its 50th birthday in 2023. 🦘🇦🇺
I remember planning both Belgium and Netherlands on outdated guidebooks back in the 1990s, and trying to learn Flemish or Dutch was impossible. Also tons of paper maps if I did not want to get lost. Plenty of faux pas too (especially using American terminology while in England, for example). Those days are so long gone now and I’m grateful.
As far as the countries I have traveled to over the decades, I still have trouble believing that South Korea is the “in” place everyone wants to see. I remember a time when it was very off the path – the only reasons you went there were (1) you were from an immediate neighboring country such as Japan, or (2) you were a Korean who emigrated overseas and wanted to visit your homeland again. I remember Seoul 30 years ago – definitely a well-kept secret then.
Having so much technology while traveling is handy but you do miss out on some of the quirky and fun aspects of travel. Like getting lost in a new city and finding places by chance. Navigating with a paper map. Learning basic travel phrases from a book or a cassette/CD. Learning about a destination from a travel book. There's something special about these things that is missing from all the tiktok and Instagram travel posts. The younger generation will miss out on these experiences.
Everything you said is true. In China a few years ago, I was surprised by how many could speak at least a little English. Yes there are more tourist and more crowded places, however as Rick Steves says, travel opens your mind and challenges your perception of the world and other people. After living abroad for most of my life, I have a much different perspective of my homeland.
oh man i still fondly remember those days of before budget travel and over tourism. places just seemed more exotic back then
I remember when flights had smoking sections, and at the beginning of the flight they'd announce which movie would be playing on projectors throughout the cabin. Onward and upward!
Travelling is more affordable, it's good thing.
But on the other side overtourism is a big problem, and it's a nightmare in many cities.
Cities such as Venice, or Barcelona, or Amsterdam, have to find solutions to reduce the number of tourists.
The internet info and budget airlines have changed but the physical movement with airports and planes are almost identical.
Always love the vids!
I was stationed in Germany in the 70’s. Try that 😳
I spent a year as an exchange student in Finland not far from Turku….Paimio was the town I stayed in. Visited Turku many times! Keep up the great work you do ❤️
Hotels a lot more expensive.
No sleeper trains.
I'm with you as I lived in Munich and other places in Germany during the 90's. Heading back there for a HS reunion in Sept and I know it's changed a great deal. DM to Euros and wayyy so much more.
In the 90s, just Like me, you were hot, then we went to pot 😂
A big one is data roaming being the same price as your contract back home, using data used to be a big no no when abroad
It's summer as I write this and the video is 1 day old, yet there is snow and people wearing jackets. Is this is a video from last winter?
Travel is soooooo much easier now than even 5 yeara ago. eSIMs are the newest thing I discovered this trip to Europe and the necessity for small power banks to bring along with you because google maps uses all your battery power😅
I recall being stationed in W.Germany in the mid eighties putting 15-20 Deutsche Marks in the pay phone just to call home.
Unfortunately opening travel to more people mimesis more idiots can travel also.
It is far too busy and has been getting increasingly expensive the last few years with companies charging for every little thing.
One of my favourite trips was about 2005 when I flew Prestwick-Stansted-Aarhus and back a few days later for £1.04.
Over crowding is a big problem. Airbnb is also at fault
The food just keeps getting better
Very impressive analysis of how travel has evolved to where we are today. Excellent!
I’ve been traveling since the 70’s , cheap airlines and Airbnb have ruined travel 😢. People are actually going into debt just to see the latest and greatest Instagram destinations
One obvious thing was how 9/11 changed all aviation travelling
IMO traveling has gone downhill since the 2000s. Rise of cameraphones blocking views and people posing everywhere. And lack of interactions. On trains, in hotels or just sitting in restaurants folks were just more friendly and made conversation. With smartphones-everyone is looking down instead of looking around and interacting with each other. Lucky I was able to travel back then.
What a wonderful life, seeing such amazing places from all over the world. Great achievement; and kudos to you and Jocelyn for sharing your knowledge with all of us 🌟👌✨
I'm currently traveling in Canada, and I was shocked at how cool their colorful money is! Haha, I pay by card onIy, so I've never seen currency in so long. Also, I agree with all the points Wolter mentioned as my first plane flight was in the 80s to the Philippines. Ah, I remember Coke (the drink) in bottles and kids jumping rope in a rope made of rubber bands tied together!
Mark, I feel like I have met you before! Did you go to a Sandals resort in September/Oct 2003?
I spoke there with a guy who was a real foodie and he sounded and looked a lot like you. I have a really good memory for faces!
Was not expecting to see a pic of 20 year old Mark.
I first came to Spain in 1986 – almost no English spoken, 90%of British tourist stuck to the coast. In 1987 I travelled to Salamanca via Madrid and I think I was the first Brit my pension family in Madrid had ever met. They were so nice. As you said their are pros and cons for the changes over the last 30 / 40 years although I do get irritated by people who try to speak to me in bad English when my Spanish is more than ok
stop low cost travels. tourism must be an expensive experience not for everyone
What about TSA? I remember traveling as a kid in the 80s and 90s with no tsa or security at the airports
Overtourism is a big one, effects everything. Locals being priced out due to Airbnb, more tourist aimed restaurants, more reservations for attractions needed, and mor wrheash/pollution. It seems some places are being loved to death.
It’s even changed massively in the last FIVE years!! We did a weekend to Lisbon with the kids about 5-6 years ago and it was a fun, chilled weekend. Inexpensive (and we used a hotel) and not overly crowded. It’s COMPLETELY the opposite now! And probably a place to avoid.
Lucille here, not John. I remember living in Italy for six weeks doing a study abroad. 1986. I took $600 total. No other access to money. My fiance mailed me $100. Whenever I wanted to call him I had to ask the owner of the pensione to dial Colorado. Sometimes he said “Yes” Other times he said NO! If my fiance called, he would belt out through the hallways, “LUSHEEL, telephonay…” waking everyone at 5 a.m. Everything in Rome shut down at 1 pm until 4, and I never knew what to do with myself. One time we went to a restaurant and didn’t have an enough money. We offered to wash dishes and the staff shooed us out in anger.
you have snow in Finland in July?