The considered round the clock “togetherness” — with friends, family or strangers certain together in a tour group — will be overwhelming to the estimated 57% of people that lean toward introversion.
Solo travel can suit introverts, who are inclined to re-energize by time spent alone. But at the same time as its popularity increases, most trips are taken with other people.
But most uncomfortable moments will be avoided by following a few of these ground rules, offered by fellow introverts.
Rule 1: The ‘golden rule’ of group travel
The most well-liked suggestion by far: Book your personal room.
“This permits for morning and evening downtime to defuse, regroup and refresh,” said Jenny Olsen, a Los Angeles-based public relations consultant who describes herself as a “total introverted traveler.”
If you have got to share a room, she said, attempt to sleep in. “Then order room service to have breakfast alone in bed.”
In truth, Olsen advises ordering room service once a day, whether “breakfast, dinner or a late night dessert.”
Dori Nix, a marketing and communications director for the Colorado-based women-led tour company Adventures in Good Company, also recommends staying alone, even when means paying a single complement.
“Having an area to decompress at the top of every day is usually the one way I can function in social environments throughout the day,” she said. “It is a secure place to flee.”
Rule No. 2: Do not get trapped by talkers
In Psychology Today, writer Sophia Dembling cautions introverts to research group trips well.
“A tour bus stuffed with first-timers to Europe might include loads of mighty friendly folks who love making friends,” she wrote. “And I do not mean that in a great way.”
Dori Nix said she focuses on nature and culture trips with slow-paced itineraries. “Personal space may be very useful to me, and crowded places would drain me much quicker on a visit.”
Source: Adventures in Good Company
Headphones are a great strategy to ward off unwanted conversations, especially on flights, said John Hackston, head of thought leadership on the The Myers-Briggs Company.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment is a well-liked test to find out introversion and extroversion tendencies, terms popularized by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung greater than a century ago.
Conversing with strangers will be uncomfortable for some introverts, Hackston said. He suggests having a exit strategy.
“Be able to ‘go to the restroom’ or ‘leave to make a phone call’ if it’s good to get away,” he said.
What form of trips should introverts avoid?
- Large travel groups (30+ travelers)
- Packed schedules
- Crowded locations and party destinations
- Constant social interaction
- Where double occupancy is the one option
- Plenty of driving time
Source: Kelly Kimple and Dori Nix, Adventures in Good Company
Travel author Patty Civalleri also said introverts should not be passive in these situations. Her advice: Don’t allow yourself to be trapped by an limitless talker.
“If you feel the necessity to break out of a conversation, simply look over the shoulder of the person talking and say something like ‘Wow, look over there. That appears interesting. Excuse me while I’m going test it out,'” she emailed CNBC Travel while on a gaggle trip to Mazatlán, Mexico, “Or ‘I see an excellent photo, or selfie, opp. I’ll grab it before it gets away.”
Rule No. 3: Own the necessity for ‘alone time’
Confer with your travel companions before the trip, said Jonathan Feniak, general counsel at legal firm LLC Attorney.
“After I was younger, I didn’t realize I needed just a little little bit of alone time to maintain my social batteries charged,” he said. “After 7+ days spent traveling with people 24/7, it becomes harder to take care of that energy without an hour here or there, so I now tell any companions about those needs ahead of time.”
That lets people know they are not “the issue,” he said.
“In the event that they don’t learn about your introverted personality until you are mid-vacation, they could misinterpret your energy or take it personally,” he said.
Patty Civalleri (middle) recommends that introverts keep an open mind about group activities. Of her mineral mud bath on the Dead Sea, she said, “I actually didn’t need to do that but … it was a brilliant fun experience.”
Source: Patty Civalleri
Though Western societies have long rewarded extroverted “more is merrier” types, there may be nothing improper with wanting space from the group, said Civalleri.
“Never feel shy about asking for alone time. All of us need some day without work from others, from activities and from the world,” she told CNBC Travel. “Time to easily loosen up by the pool alone with a book will be very therapeutic.”
The Myers-Briggs Company’s Hackston said introverts should set boundaries on vacation, which can mean doing their very own thing at times.
“You haven’t got to attend every minute of each activity your group has planned,” he said. “Spending hours in a library or a museum will be boring for some, but when that is your cup of tea, make time to explore it at your personal pace.”
Rule 4: Keep groups small, but not too small
Adventures in Good Company CEO Kelly Kimple has a rule: no big tour buses.
“As an introvert, I definitely need small groups,” she said. “I also need to reduce time in vehicles. Long drives in a small space where will be caught up in hours of conversations will be exhausting for introverts!”
Kimple, a field biologist from rural Recent Hampshire, said she prefers trips with ample quiet time. Her company organizes outdoor trips for small groups of ladies that include activties like climbing and even sketching within the Rocky Mountains.
“As an introvert, I definitely need small groups. Nothing larger than about 15 [people], and no big tour buses,” said Kelly Kimple, CEO of Adventures in Good Company.
Source: Adventures in Good Company
Some introverts prefer solo travel, but Brooke Webber, a Los Angeles-based marketing skilled, said she advises traveling with a small group.
“More people might sound like a nightmare for a real introvert, but for me it made it easier to have ‘me-time’ as mandatory,” she said. “If you happen to travel in a gaggle of three+ people, you are not leaving a companion alone if you would like to take a number of hours or a day to explore solo or rest.”
Having the choice to interrupt away at a moment’s notice keeps Webber energized, she said, and “less more likely to must take it because I feel my social time is an option, not an obligation.”
David Ciccarelli, CEO of the holiday rental website Lake, said he’s also a fan of traveling with a small group of friends, occasionally selecting to dip out to later “come back into the fold.”
He advises packing a number of items to assist tune out the world.
“My earplugs and eye mask are a necessity,” he said. “They assist me wind down at night and get some privacy on long train rides, flights, or a day nap within the hotel room.”
