The popularity of certain cultures is ever-increasing, encouraging many individuals to seek ways to learn about those. Some people claim that we can familiarize ourselves with foreign customs through books, films and other means of media, diminishing the necessity of travel. However, I am in disagreement with this statement since travelling can offer unparalleled first-hand experience, and while complexity of the media can easily sometimes disengage the audiences.
On the one hand, those who support learning via books and media cite its accessibility and affordability as the main justifications for their perspective. As the trips entail not only one but several expenses needing to be covered, including insurance, plane tickets and rent costs, those eager to gain insight into cultures have feel discouraged, with some of them even giving up on the idea of travelling. Given this circumstance, media stands out as the most cost-effective option for millions of people seeking knowledge about foreign customs, since it does not require substantial financial resources, while also providing people with convenient access.
Conversely, I think the primary reason why the vast majority of people still choose to visit other countries to acquire knowledge is that they get to witness everything in person, an experience that cannot be replicated through screens or pages. When engaging in the process of learning and consuming knowledge, we might want to touch items and immerse ourselves in the atmosphere, which is only achievable while travelling.
Furthermore, culture is a multifaceted concept and reading about it can feel tedious as not everyone is an avid reader. The language used in books and documentary are rather sophisticated as well as complicated, which increases the likelihood of certain parts of audience becoming disengaged or having difficulties following the content, which gives travelling great advantage over them. Art, for example, remains as one of the most difficult field that attracts the majority of holiday-makers. The reason behind it is simple: they can learn about it with the help of tour guides or experience it firsthand with ease devoid of complicated instructions.
In conclusion, I assert that travelling keeps its dominance as the way to learn about diverse cultures despite the prevalence of other media.