Why We Travel

Gariné Tcholakian believes a picture can tell a thousand words. She travels the globe to capture unique moments through her lens – video or digital – and showing us why she ultimately chooses to travel.

“Stories” she says, and the people she meets along the way. It’s the reason she finds herself still exploring. More than 27 countries and 6 continents later, she says it’s not about crossing countries off your bucket list, or bragging rights on how many countries you’ve been to.

“I’m driven by how naturally and beautifully people open up to each other when traveling. It’s as though travel makes us human again. Travel reconnects us to our shared humanity and that’s what makes me want to travel.”

Why Should People Travel More?

“I strongly believes the world would be a better place if people travelled more. For too long we’ve created a divide or disconnect between travel vs tourism but I think as travellers we have the power to make choices; we can influence tourism as an industry to become more humane, more sustainable, more ethical, more of an agent for change rather than a money-driven business.”

Her new photography exhibit, WHY WE TRAVEL, is on display at Contact, the world’s largest photography exhibition held in Toronto every year. She is featured across 3 coffee shops that consciously and conscientiously support production companies that choose sustainable practices that give back to their communities – supporting rather than exploiting them.

She is inviting travellers from around the world to submit that one perfect travel moment captured in time and share why you travel.

Check out the video from her exhibit with interviews from fellow Travel Massive community members The Planet D, Mariellen from Breathe Dream Go, Tammy from Anywhere and Here, and Meesh Beer about why they travel, then tell us in the comments below why you choose to travel.

Gariné Tcholakian has been a member of the Toronto Travel Massive community since 2012. View her work at Global Tourist TV or follow her on Instagram.

So tell us, why do YOU travel?