If you look up the definitions of tourist and traveler in the dictionary, you’ll get very similar definitions.
tour·ist
/to͝orəst/ noun a person who is traveling or visiting a place for pleasure.
trav·el·er
/ˈtrav(ə)lər/ noun a person who is traveling or who often travels.
But to me, there is a significant difference between the two words. Tourists visit new places, typically larger cities, in order to take in the most popular sights, eat at the most well-known restaurants, and return home with suitcases full of trinkets – basically unchanged. Travelers, on the other hand, seek out more authentic experiences, immerse themselves into the local culture, and return home with a wider view of the world and perhaps a better understanding of themselve
