Insight and the Travel Experience: An Exploration into the Contributions of Liminality

Abstract

Insight is often described as the sudden solution to a problem that has been unsolvable for some time. In modern society, people are seeking answers to questions about lifestyle, freedom and happiness. It has been suggested that the travel experience may lead to cognitive space that allows for reflection and deep thought, which may, in turn, lead to insight regarding life’s purpose and meaning. Data collected from a sample of travelers (N=335) suggests that liminality construed as being away cognitively, physically and psychologically has a relationship with the outcomes of lifestyle and spiritual insight.