Summary
All adults travel experience:
- 71% of all U.S. adults have traveled internationally at some point in their lives (Wow! That’s almost 3 in 4!)
- 49% have been to 3 or more countries
- 11% have been to 10 or more
College educated U.S. adults travel experience:
- 93% have traveled internationally
- 70% have been to 3 or more countries
- 28% have been to 10 or more
70% of those who work in knowledge- or “creative sector” work have a current passport.
From Pew Research
For the U.S. adult population as a whole:
Whether before or during the pandemic, international travel is something a 71% majority of U.S. adults have done at some point in their lives, according to a June Pew Research Center survey. By contrast, around a quarter (27%) have not traveled abroad.
Still, the degree to which Americans have traveled around the globe varies widely: 19% have been to only one foreign country, 12% to two countries, 15% to three or four countries, and 14% to five to nine countries. Only 11% of Americans have been to 10 or more countries.
Most Americans have traveled abroad, but this varies by income, education, race | Pew Research Center
90% of those earning US $80,000 per year or more have traveled internationally.
30% of men have been to 5+ countries, versus 22% for women (I wonder if military service may have something to do with that difference?)
Among those with a 4-year degree or higher:
- 93% have been to at least one other country
- 70% have been to 3 or more countries
- 28% have been to 10 or more countries
How many Americans have traveled internationally? – Coldstreams Travel and Global Thinking
Does political party interest affect one’s international experience?
Many sources say there is minor difference, while others say Democrats are more likely to have a valid passport than Republicans.
Others say it has more to do with the state one lives in and income levels.
Others say it has to do more with knowledge-work versus other kinds of work, and that knowledge-workers (70%) are far more likely to have a passport. Similarly, those living in more diverse communities with many immigrants are more likely to have passports.
From The Atlantic – Democrat vs Republican
What about politics? How does passport holding line up against America’s Red state-Blue state divide? Pretty darn well, actually. There is a considerable positive correlation between passports and Obama voters (.59) and a significant negative one (-.61) for McCain voters. It appears that more liberally-oriented states are more globally oriented as well, or at least their citizens like to travel abroad. Again, the correlations hold when we control for income, though they are a bit weaker than the others.
America’s Great Passport Divide – The Atlantic
That last item suggests why Democrats may favor more immigration or less control on immigration while Republicans tend to oppose immigration and want tighter controls on border crossings. Those with more global experience may be more likely to support immigration initiatives.
