Why Do We Travel? Reflections from the Sky 

Year to date in 2026, I’ve traveled almost every single week. Airports, boarding passes, hotel rooms, and the rhythm of flights have become a familiar backdrop to my life. On a recent flight, I found myself reflecting on a simple but profound question: in the year 2026, why do people still travel? 

After all, almost everything we need to accomplish has a digital path. Meetings can be held on Teams, presentations can be shared instantly, and data can be analyzed collaboratively across continents without anyone leaving their desk. Yet, despite this digital convenience, I often find myself up in the sky, heading somewhere to do the thing or see the person. Why? 

As I write this, I am in Kosovo, visiting our European office and team. This group is instrumental in the work we do at B to C Solutions.  They do it all from data analysis to building presentations and everything in between. While they are important, factually, there is no pressing reason I must travel here every seven months to work shoulder to shoulder with them. The work could be done remotely. The projects could move forward digitally. And yet, here I am, 6,000 miles from home, sitting beside them, collaborating in person. Again, the question arises: why? 

I believe the answer lies at the very core of what makes us human. At our essence, we are creatures of connection. We long to be seen, heard, and valued. That desire to connect is the heartbeat of why we travel. No Teams call, no digital forum, no perfectly designed app can replicate the feeling of someone valuing you enough to show up in person. To share a coffee. To sit across the table. To be present. 

This is why I travel. To be in shared company. To let my team know, without a shadow of doubt, that I see them, I value them, and I am with them. Presence matters. Connection matters. And travel is the bridge that makes it possible. 

This throughline extends beyond my team to our clients. At B to C Solutions, we want every client site, every hotel, every partner to know that we care. We see them. We value them. We hear them. Digital tools can take us far, but there is something profoundly human about being shoulder to shoulder, across the table, in the same room. We were born to be in relationship with other humans, and it is in those moments of shared presence that the magic happens. Together. 

And this reflection isn’t just about my work — it’s about the hospitality industry at large. As hoteliers, we are in the travel business. Our guests, just like me, travel for connection. Yes, they travel to visit friends and family. Yes, they travel to conduct business. But often, they travel for something deeper: to experience, to connect, to feel. 

At the end of the day, hospitality is an experience field. We don’t just provide rooms; we create moments. We don’t just offer amenities; we craft experiences. And this is why technology, while powerful, will never fully replace connection. In fact, our responsibility as hoteliers is to ensure that technology enhances connection rather than erodes it. Travel is about human connection and experience. It’s about how we make people feel. 

When a guest checks into a hotel, they aren’t just looking for a bed. They’re looking for a sense of welcome, a moment of recognition, a feeling of belonging. That’s the essence of hospitality. And that’s why, even in 2026, with all the digital pathways available, people still travel. Because connection cannot be digitized. Experience cannot be downloaded. Presence cannot be replicated. 

At B to C Solutions, we see ourselves as a connection company. We help hotels create deeper connections with their teams through coaching and training. We help them connect with their guests through exceptional service. At the heart of everything we do is shoulder-to-shoulder connection. That’s our philosophy. That’s our commitment. 

So, as I sit here reflecting on another week of travel, I realize that the answer to “why do we travel?” is both simple and profound. We travel because we are human. We travel because we long to connect. We travel because presence matters.