The Xenophobic Tourist

One of the main motivations for travel is to experience the unknown. Some people travel to learn about new cultures, others travel to eat new food, still others travel to meet new people. You might think that people who have a dislike or prejudice against people from other places, also known as xenophobes, then wouldn’t be interested in traveling to other countries. However, my guest on the podcast today, Dr. Florian Kock from the Copenhagen Business School, has done a series of studies that says otherwise. He says historically that xenophobia is rooted in evolutionary biology, and that in the past, a fear of the ‘other’ was actually a healthy response because people who were different could potentially be a threat. These days having a little bit of xenophobia is normal, but being aware of how you feel and reflecting on it can help you overcome your fears, and there are certain types of travel, like group tours, that can help you experience different cultures in a less risky way.