Travel is often seen as a way to relax, explore new places, and escape daily routines. But experiencing different cultures may also influence how you solve problems, approach unfamiliar situations, and understand other people.
Research suggests that engaging with different cultures can help strengthen creative thinking and the ability to consider multiple perspectives. The key, however, may not be how far you travel, but how deeply you engage with the places and people you encounter.
New cultures can expand your perspective
A study of MBA students led by William Maddux, a researcher at INSEAD, examined the relationship between multicultural engagement and what’s known as integrative complexity—the ability to recognize and work through different, sometimes conflicting, viewpoints.
Students who engaged more deeply with other cultures showed greater growth in this ability. The research also found a relationship between cultural engagement and receiving more job offers after the MBA program.
The takeaway? Simply visiting another country may not deliver the same benefits as actively learning about its people, customs, and ways of thinking.
Creativity grows when you challenge familiar ideas
Other research by Maddux and colleagues explored how international experiences relate to creative problem-solving.
In an experiment, students who were prompted to recall experiences of living abroad solved more problems on a creativity test than those who weren’t given that prompt. Participants who reported adapting to foreign cultures showed particularly strong creative gains.
The findings suggest that unfamiliar experiences may help people approach problems from new angles. However, recalling an international experience in an experiment is not the same as proving that every vacation improves creativity.
You don’t always need a plane ticket
Research by psychologist Lile Jia and colleagues also suggested that thinking about a distant place can influence creative thinking. Participants asked to imagine a task connected to a foreign location generated more transportation ideas than those who associated it with a nearby setting.
This points to an intriguing possibility: exposure to unfamiliar perspectives can sometimes stimulate fresh thinking even without physically traveling.
How to get more from your next trip
- Talk to locals. Ask questions and learn how everyday life differs from your own.
- Try unfamiliar experiences. Explore local food, traditions, and neighborhoods beyond the usual tourist attractions.
- Stay curious. Instead of judging differences immediately, consider why another culture approaches things differently.
- Reflect afterward. Think about which assumptions changed and what you learned.
The smarter take: Travel isn’t an automatic shortcut to becoming smarter. Its greatest potential may come from stepping outside familiar routines, engaging with different perspectives, and remaining open to new ideas. The goal isn’t simply to collect destinations—it’s to return with a broader way of seeing the world.