Travel is no longer a luxury dream — it has become a performance benchmark shaped by the internet.

By Aniket Chakraborty Nov 21, 2025 Arrow LIFESTYLE

This pressure has birthed a new phenomenon: travel dysmorphia, the insecurity of feeling “less travelled.”

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It isn’t a medical condition but a growing emotional strain linked to comparison and online culture.

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Social media fuels it — from curated reels to viral destinations that feel mandatory to visit.

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A US survey found one in ten Americans feel this anxiety, driven heavily by FOMO and trends.

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Less than half of adults feel satisfied with how much they’ve travelled in their lives, the survey shows.

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Biggest triggers include friends’ holiday posts, casual travel talk, and influencer aesthetic pressure.

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Experts say people now seek validation: “If I’m not part of the trend, do I still matter?”

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When travel becomes performative instead of personal, the joy is replaced by emotional exhaustion.

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Real travel isn’t for the grid — it’s for memory, peace, and meaning, not comparison or pressure.

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