Shifting from a tourist to a true traveller means moving beyond snapshots—immersing fully in the places and people encountered rather than just capturing moments through a camera lens.
During my travels on exchange, I’ve come to see and understand cities not as mere dots on a map or backdrops for Instagram snapshots, but as living, breathing characters—each as entities packed with nuance and charm. With every new destination, I’ve deliberately pushed myself out of my comfort zone, chasing genuine experiences and connections in every place that I visit. This restless curiosity is driven by a deeper desire to truly grasp and better understand the culture, the history, and the people of the places I go.
When I visited the iconic Trevi Fountain, I was shocked by the long line endlessly snaking through the piazza. But what surprised me even more was how, upon reaching the front, most visitors barely glanced at the gorgeous 18th-century Baroque-style fountain. Instead, they’d turn their backs almost instantly, snapping quick photos before drifting away, like the fountain was just a prop in their photo shoot rather than a masterpiece to be admired.
Rome wasn’t the only city that had fallen victim to this fate on my travels. Time and time again, I experienced similar occurrences—watching some of the world’s most awe-inspiring places reduced to little more than social media pit stops; their stories stripped of depth and lost in the rush for the perfect picture.
These almost dystopian experiences led me to ponder what the true meaning of travel is—something I think we all need to keep in mind as some of us come to Kingston for the first time this fall.
As a result of social media prestige surrounding cities like Rome and Paris, it sometimes feels like tourism has become centred around cultivating the best Instagram feed rather than a step towards rich cultural exchanges and deeper understandings of the world.
Turns out, I haven’t been the only one critiquing tourist ignorance. Recently, mass demonstrations have been occurring across Southern Europe protesting over-tourism in cities like Barcelona and Lisbon. As protests rage on in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, many of the protesters are upset about the prioritization of tourists’ experiences over quality of life for locals, since their cities are suffering from environmental damage and high housing costs as a result of tourism.
Though a lot of the onus is on landowners and exploiters, there’s a responsibility for tourists to educate themselves on local issues and to think critically about their economic choices while travelling. As well as operating with respect for both the people and the city they are exploring.
Through my experiences living abroad on exchange, I’ve realized the need to approach each city I visit with endless curiosity and an urge to learn.
The issue with toxic tourism isn’t taking photos but taking photos at the expense of truly immersing yourself within the lived experience. I challenge Queen’s students who head to relax at the pier and shoot some cute photos to think about what the pier, as a space, means to them.
When I think of Kingston, the city I moved to for my undergrad, what stands out to me the most is its proximity to the water, but it’s up to you to figure out what Kingston means to you.
As new students roll into Kingston to begin their time at Queen’s, I heavily recommend appreciating Kingston as a city by examining its quirks and all it has to offer, the same way one does while travelling. Last year, my friend and I did a walking tour around Kingston and found it amusing to explore our own city as if we were visitors.
Starting a life in a new city, no matter how far from home, is an opportunity to open your heart to a new place and to get to know a new shade of yourself. Get attached to your environment— talk to locals, jump off the pier, visit new Kingston-only restaurants.
Truly loving a city isn’t just about chasing the thrill of something new but rather learning to see the beauty and poeticism in what surrounds you every day.
Tags
Culture, First Year in Focus, Kingston, tourism, Travel
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to eic@queensjournal.ca.