Culturally Intentional Travel: Why I Believe Travel Still Has the Power to Bring Us Together
- lakiyasmith16
- May 12
- 4 min read
There’s something that’s been sitting heavy on my heart lately.
We live in a world where we can video chat across continents, translate languages with our glasses, and see someone’s life on social media in real time from thousands of miles away.
Technology has connected us more than ever before… and yet somehow, people still seem more divided.
Everybody is picking sides. Everybody is separating themselves by race, culture, politics, religion, or background. Somewhere along the way, it feels like we forgot that the things that make us different are also the things that make this world beautiful.
And honestly? That’s one of the biggest reasons I love travel so much.
Travel has a way of humbling you. It reminds you that people are people everywhere you go. We may cook differently, dance differently, worship differently, and speak different languages… but at the core, most people want the same things: love, connection, joy, family, laughter, safety, and experiences that make life meaningful.
That’s why culturally intentional travel matters to me.
Not just “grab a selfie and leave” travel. Not “I stayed at the resort and never left the property” travel. (No judgment… okay maybe a little judgment. If you flew all the way to another country just to eat chicken tenders and fries every day, we need to talk.)
I’m talking about travel that allows you to truly experience people.
What Is Culturally Intentional Travel?
To me, culturally intentional travel means traveling with curiosity, respect, and openness.
It’s about wanting to understand a place instead of just checking it off a list. It’s learning the history, embracing traditions, supporting local businesses, trying the food your auntie would probably side-eye, and connecting with people beyond surface-level assumptions.
It means understanding that travel is not just an escape from your life — it’s an opportunity to expand your perspective.
Some of the best moments while traveling don’t happen at famous landmarks. They happen in conversations with locals. In small restaurants. In community markets. During festivals. In moments where you realize, “Wow… we’re actually more alike than different.”
Why Cultural Awareness Matters
When you travel with cultural awareness, your entire experience changes.
You stop viewing places as entertainment and start viewing them as communities filled with real people and real stories.
Cultural awareness matters because it:
Promotes respect for local traditions and customs
Creates more meaningful travel experiences
Helps break stereotypes and misconceptions
Supports local communities and economies
Encourages genuine human connection
And let’s be honest — nobody wants to be that tourist. You know the one. Loud, demanding, offended by everything, and confused that everyone else isn’t operating like they’re back home. Please don’t embarrass your ancestors like that.
A little effort goes a long way.
Learn a few words in the local language. Respect cultural norms. Understand the history of where you’re visiting. Be open enough to learn instead of expecting everything to feel familiar.
Guide to Approaching Culturally Intentional Travel
When I plan trips for my clients, I always try to create experiences that feel intentional and connected.
Yes, luxury is amazing. Yes, beautiful resorts are great. Yes, we absolutely deserve the ocean view and the swim-up bar. I support all of that wholeheartedly.
But I also believe the heart of travel lives beyond the resort gates.
I encourage travelers to:
Explore local neighborhoods
Attend cultural festivals and events
Try authentic local cuisine
Support small businesses and artisans
Learn the stories behind the destination
Engage with locals respectfully and genuinely
Because those are the moments people remember forever.
Not just where they stayed — but how they felt.
Travel Is One of the Few Things That Can Break Division
One thing I’ve learned is that it’s hard to hate people once you truly experience them.
It’s hard to reduce people to stereotypes when someone has welcomed you into their culture, shared a meal with you, taught you their traditions, or laughed with you despite language barriers.
Travel humanizes people.
It reminds us that the world is bigger than our algorithms, bigger than our timelines, and bigger than the narratives we’re constantly fed online.
The more we experience each other, the harder it becomes to stay divided.
That’s powerful.
Why This Matters to My Brand
This is exactly why I created my travel business and this website.
I don’t just want to book vacations. I want to help people create experiences that leave an impact.
Whether it’s a girls’ trip, a birthday celebration, a family reunion, a couple's getaway, a cruise, or an international adventure, I want my clients to experience destinations in a way that feels meaningful, exciting, and connected.
Travel should create memories, but it should also create understanding.
And honestly, I think the world could use a little more of that right now.
A Little Challenge for You
The next time you travel, I challenge you to do at least one thing outside your comfort zone.
Try the local food.
Talk to someone new.
Visit a cultural site.
Support a local vendor.
Learn a phrase in another language.
Attend a local celebration.
Ask questions.
Listen.
Allow yourself to experience a place instead of just visiting it.
Because the beauty of this world has never been in our sameness. It has always been in the way our differences somehow connect us anyway.
And maybe — just maybe — culturally intentional travel is one small way we start bridging the divide again.
So if you’re ready to explore the world differently, I’d love to help you plan an experience that’s not only unforgettable, but meaningful too.
The world is waiting. Let’s celebrate it together.
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