For decades, travel has been sold as the ultimate path to happiness — a promise printed across airline ads, travel blogs, and glossy Instagram feeds. But a new study from the Netherlands challenges that long-held belief. According to research published in Sage Open (2025) by Adam T. Nissen and colleagues, the joy of travel might be real, but it’s short-lived.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 12,000 Dutch adults collected over an eight-year period. The goal was simple: to find out whether people who travel for leisure are actually happier than those who don’t — and whether that happiness lasts.
The results were unexpected. There was no significant difference in long-term life satisfaction between people who traveled and those who stayed home. Traveling did make people feel better during the year of the trip, especially those who took frequent or international vacations. But the happiness boost faded quickly afterward.
“Leisure travel seems to provide a temporary lift in mood,” the authors, Adam T Nissen wrote, “but it doesn’t alter one’s long-term trajectory of life satisfaction.”
The Science Behind the Short-Term Joy
Why does the feeling fade so fast? Psychologists point to a well-known phenomenon called the “hedonic treadmill.” It’s the human tendency to return to a baseline level of happiness after positive or negative events. A trip to Bali, for example, might feel blissful for a week or two — until the routine of daily life resets your emotional equilibrium.
In the Dutch study, participants reported higher life satisfaction only in the year they traveled. The effect disappeared in subsequent years, even among frequent travelers. The data suggest that vacations, while emotionally refreshing, do not fundamentally reshape how people evaluate their lives over time.
The findings come at a time when travel is often marketed as a form of self-therapy or even a cure for burnout. From “find yourself in the Himalayas” to “escape the ordinary,” the message is clear: travel equals transformation.
But according to Nissen’s team, this isn’t the full story. “Our data do not support the idea that travel leads to lasting improvements in life satisfaction,” they note. Instead, the benefits appear to be situational, driven by novelty, rest, or social interaction — factors that fade once travelers return home.
This doesn’t mean people should stop traveling. Instead, it highlights a need for more mindful travel — focusing on the experience itself rather than expecting it to fix deeper emotional needs.
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Real Happy Traveling
Experts suggest that to make the most of travel, people should look beyond escapism. Creating meaningful memories, volunteering abroad, or engaging in slow travel — where the focus is on immersion rather than consumption — may extend the emotional benefits of a journey.
Moreover, the researchers note that the anticipation of travel — planning, daydreaming, and preparing for a trip — can sometimes provide as much joy as the trip itself. This suggests that happiness from travel may be found as much in the journey of planning as in the destination.
The Dutch study reminds us that travel, while wonderful, is not a permanent happiness hack. It offers a break from routine, a momentary window to reflect, and perhaps a sense of awe — but life satisfaction is shaped more by long-term factors such as relationships, purpose, and community.
In other words, happiness isn’t something you pack in your luggage. It’s what you build every day, whether you’re wandering through Amsterdam’s canals or sitting quietly at home. (Sulung Prasetyo)
