The Case Against Travel Obsession: Rediscovering Contemplative Leisure

A Spanish opinion piece critiques the societal pressure to travel, arguing that the obsession with vacations has become a capitalist enterprise serving the tourism industry, which employs one in 11 people globally and generates over €7 trillion annually (10% of global wealth). The author contends that travel is often driven by social media performance rather than genuine cultural enrichment, and that 'doing nothing' has been unfairly stigmatized. The piece highlights the negative impacts of mass tourism, including CO2 emissions from planes and cruise ships, excessive waste, gentrification via platforms like Airbnb, and environmental degradation from hotel construction. The author, who has previously practiced contemplative summers, announces a trip to Croatia with friends, acknowledging the irony of becoming a mass tourist. The article is illustrated with photographs by Madillon Smon, Chloe Constance, Gwyn Ptomey, Marika Kate, and Le Murmure des Feuilles.