In its broadest sense, recreational travel is any type of travel undertaken for pleasure rather than for business, a family event, or any other kind of obligation. Theoretically, then, recreational travel can involve any type of transport, destination, and accommodation. Some think of this kind of travel specifically as a vacation which is carried out in a camper or recreational vehicle (RV). Others understand the term to mean travel that is spent enjoying preferred leisure activities or traveling abroad to a different country like Lucerne, Switzerland.
Strictly speaking, the term recreational travel simply means travel that is carried out specifically and solely for leisure purposes. Thus, a business trip would not be considered recreational travel, even if the traveler happens to find the trip pleasurable. Similarly, a journey to one’s family home for a holiday, no matter how enjoyable, is not undertaken solely for the traveler’s leisure and thus technically does not fit within the recreational category.
With such broad parameters, a recreational trip can take an unlimited number of forms. It may be spent within one’s own country or abroad. Recreational travelers can journey by car, airplane, train, boat, bicycle, or even on foot. They can stay in a hotel, at a friend’s home, in a tent, and so on.
For some, the expression recreational travel has a more specific meaning that is linked to RVs. In the minds of these individuals, this type of travel is carried out within an RV. The traveler may plan his route carefully or may simply improvise. He might attempt to cover a significant distance or may opt to travel to a single destination and then stay there for the length of his trip. In most cases, the traveler’s RV will serve as his accommodation for the duration of his journey, providing a place to sleep and a washroom as well as a space to prepare meals and eat.
To others, the term recreational travel refers to travel that is undertaken for the specific purpose of enjoying one or more preferred recreational activities. While the exact definition of a leisure activity can vary widely from person to person, for most people it is something that they find both enjoyable and relaxing. As such, recreational travelers could potentially spend their trip participating in activities as diverse as fishing, knitting, skydiving, or attending a rock fantasy camp.
