Some argue that it is unnecessary to travel to some places since we can get to know them through social media and television. I personally disagree with this opinion for the following reasons.
Firstly, seeing places in the flesh provides first hand can experience about them. This is to say that however accurate the images or articles are in describing a country, it does not come anywhere near than visiting them in person. By travelling to the places, one would have the opportunity to interact with the local people and see the natural scenery through their own eyes. For example, my visit to France last year provides me with the details of Paris’s local communities and a vivid sense of the social life of French people which I can never obtain from watching YouTube videos.
Also, visiting a country in person helps people understand them more accurately. It is because nowadays media often contain distorted information and misrepresentations of a country. Consequently, people are misguided by watching videos online or reading articles via social media platforms. For example, the mainstream media in the US such as CNN and NBC usually portray the Middle Eastern nations and their peoples as uncivilized and hostile. From my personal experience, I travelled to Qatar, UAE and Lebanon a few years ago and I was overwhelmed by the local people’s hospitality which is in contrary to what the media preach about them.
To conclude, although books and media can present a facet of a nation, visiting countries is necessary because it offers a real sensational experience and helps understand the places more precisely.