How do you travel abroad frequently?

What percentage of Americans travel abroad - and how does this compare to citizens of other countries travelling abroad?

• Historically it was said that <20% of Americans had passports compared to nearly 100% of some other countries. That is a flawed measure of travel (passports might be needed for other things; until 9/11 Americans did not need a passport to go to Canada or Mexico). My impression is that significantly fewer Americans travel internationally (including Canada & Mexico) than other countries. I am not sure I could find a Briton who had not been abroad (they must exist but it would take determined searching) wheras I have met many Americans who have not been abroad. But what are the statistics?

• Answer:

  If you live in the USA you can go to the beach or go skiing without leaving the country. This isn't true for many other counties. Moreover, most countries you can go that are really different are a long and expensive flight away - in Europe you can fly for an hour and be somewhere with a different language, culture, climate and history. So the motivation to have a passport in the USA is lower than in some other parts of the world. In other words, a German teenager needs a passport to spend a week on a beach drinking and looking at girls.  An American one doesn't.