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60 Travel Conversation Questions

One of the dreams that people have is to travel around the world and know more places, meet new people and enjoy some adventures.

People love traveling and there are many reasons for doing so, such as:

How about you? What are your reasons for traveling?

Talk about it with this list of travel conversation questions

Table of Contents

Travel Conversation Questions: Places

Travel conversation questions: people, travel conversation questions: your next vacations, travel conversation questions: your last vacation, travel conversation questions: your luggage, travel conversation questions: preferences, travel conversation questions: general questions, travel questions: channels, travel questions: safe places, more esl conversation questions.

Instead of having a long list of travel conversation questions, it is better to have them categorized to make everything easier.

These are 60 travel conversation questions that have been divided into different categories such as:

Let’s explore each one of these different categories

When we search on the internet, we can find a list of recommendations about places to visit.

These are conversation questions to discuss the best and worst places to visit:

Have you ever been abroad?
How many countries have you visited?
Have you visited many touristic places in your country?
What tourist places do you like to visit?
Do you prefer visiting beaches or mountains?
Have you ever visited a European country?
Have you ever visited an African country?
What’s your best vacation memory?
What’s your worst vacation memory?
What countries would you like to visit?
What countries would you not like to visit?
What’s the best place for a vacation in your country

I understand that some people like traveling alone but others prefer some company and have better memories.

These questions have to do with your favorite people to go on vacation:

Who do you travel with?
Have you made friends while you are on vacation?
Do you like to travel with children?
Do you like to travel with your parents?
Do you like traveling alone or in a group?
What are some of the benefits of traveling alone?

Some people plan their vacation since they have to ask for permission, save money and choose the best time of the year to do it.

These questions will help you talk about plans that you have for your next vacation:

What places are you planning to visit?
Who are you planning to go with?
When are you planning to go?
Where are you planning to stay?
What sights are you planning to see?
When will you next go to the beach? Which beach is your favorite?

Some people love sharing information about their last vacation and some people don’t.

These are some questions to discuss your last vacation

Where did you go on your last vacation?
Who did you go with?
Where did you stay?
What did you do there?
What did you see there?
How much money did you spend there?
Who was the most interesting person you met?
How long did you stay there? Did you want to stay longer?

Most people don’t have a problem with their luggage when they travel, while others find issues such as:

These are some conversation questions that have to do with preparing stuff to travel:

How much luggage do you usually carry?
Do you bring electronic devices when you travel?
What are some things you always take with you on a trip?
Do you like to pack light when you travel?
Do you think that everyone overpacks?
How many of the things do you pack do you actually use or need?
Have you ever lost your luggage?
Do you worry about your luggage when you travel?

These are some questions about what you prefer to do when you are on vacation:

Do you prefer to travel by car or plane?
Have you ever bought a package tour?
Where do you prefer to stay when you go on a vacation?
How often do you travel?
How often do you go camping?
How long do you like vacations to be?
What means of transport do you like to use when you are on vacation?
Do you like to try local food when you travel?
What is the best age to travel?
Where do you like to stay when you go on vacation?

These are some general questions about traveling:

Are you a traveler?
What do you miss the most when you are traveling?
Have you ever had an accident while traveling?
Have you ever been on a cruise?
What do you think about hitchhiking?
If money was not an issue, what type of holiday would you take?
Have you ever missed a flight? What happened?

Travel blogs and YouTube channels have become very popular.

Channels tend to have an edge over travel blogs since you get a better idea of the country you are planning to visit

Do you follow travel blogs?
Do you follow Travel Youtube channels?
Do you usually search for videos or posts about the countries or places you are trying to visit?
Have Travel blogs or channels make you want to travel more

If you are a traveler, you don’t want anything to happen to you, your friends, and your family.

These are some questions about safe countries and places to travel to:

What are some of the safest places to travel to?
Have you ever been robbed when traveling?
Do you only travel to the safest countries?
Do you share your travel information with someone you trust?
Do you worry about how much you drink when traveling?
Do you try not to draw attention when traveling?
Do you wear jewelry when you travel?
Are you aware of scams when you travel?
Do you Keep digital copies of important documents?

Did you find these travel conversation questions useful?

This is one of our newest sections. Use these questions to promote speaking in the classroom.

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If there are travel conversation questions that you would like me to add, send them via Facebook messenger

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English

Beach Conversation Questions

Questions about Countries for the ESL Classroom

Ask RAI / Inspiration / Solo Travel / Travel / Travel Trivia

✓ FUN TRAVEL QUESTIONS

What to ask people who travel? Find a list of fun questions about traveling that are bound to keep the conversation flowing from beginning to end!

You win the lottery tomorrow. Where are you travelling to first?
What is your favourite aspect about traveling?
What is the weirdest food you’ve ever tried while traveling ?
What are sure signs of being a travel addict?
Are you a city traveller or nature explorer?
Have you ever hitchhiked? If not, would you ever consider doing it?
Are you a member of the mile high club?
Have you ever been on a cruise?
Choose one famous person or celebrity to travel with?
Have you ever flown first class?
How many countries have you been to ?
What is your favourite city ?
Where you would you rather be right this moment?
Do you prefer a window seat or aisle seat on a plane?
What is the most exotic food you’ve tasted?
Where is the weirdest place you’ve slept during your travels?
Would you rather go on a safari, have a city break, or visit a tropical island ?
Have you ever been camping while abroad?
What is your favorite travel song ?
How many of the 7 wonders of the world have you seen?
What is the best and worst thing about travelling to a new country?
Beach or mountains ?
What is your most valuable travel possession?
Have you fallen in love while travelling?
What is your favourite vacation song about summer and the beach ?
What movie and/or has inspired a previous trip of yours?
What’s a funny or strange travel story of yours?
Have you ever been on a safari?
What is your drink of choice on a plane?
What is you go to remedy for jet-lag?
What is the favorite stamp in your passport?
Do you have any embarrassing travel stories?
What is the most adventurous thing you’ve done during your travels?
What characteristics make for a cool travel partner?
Have you ever been snorkelling? If so, where?
What is the best gift to give to a traveller?
Describe a dream travel experience?

Check out this list of the: 10 best cheap tropical islands to visit around the world

✓ OPEN-ENDED TRAVEL QUESTIONS

I am a huge fan of not just fun travel questions to ask, but also deep and open ended questions that are often accompanied with some insightful responses and interesting debates. What are some questions about travel?

fun travel questions for instagram on travel to ask

How does travel and seeing the world inspire you?
How many countries do you want to discover in your life?
How often do you travel? How many days in a month/weeks in a year are you away from home?
Where do you feel most at home?
What has been your biggest adventure so far?
Why do you travel?
What is the most exotic destination you’ve been to?
What are some of the lessons that travel has taught you?
What has been your worst trip or worst travel experience?
What can you not travel without?
Where is the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen?
Have you ever made any of these mistakes while flying ?
How do you feel on your return home?
What travel experiences are at the top of of your bucket list?
When you’re not on the open road, what is the thing you miss most about travelling?
Are there more advantages to travelling alone or with others?
What is your best travel tip ?
What has been your biggest travel mistake?
What cities would you love to discover?
What is the best airport for a long layover ?
When you’re away, what do you miss most about home?
Who do you usually travel with?
What is the difference between a tourist and a traveller?
Do you think its safe to travel during the covid-19 pandemic?
Did you have any bad travel experiences?
What has been the most stressful part about travel for you?
If you could choose one place to live anywhere in the world, where would you most like to live?
What is your main concern when travelling?
Do you have a favourite airline?
What is the scariest thing that has happened to you while traveling?
When do you feel the most alive?
Do you travel with a fixed plan or usually just wing it?
What’s been the biggest struggle you’ve experienced about travel?
What is your favorite childhood travel memory?
How has corona covid-19 affected your traveling lifestyle?
Do you think countries closing their borders was a good move?
How do you feel about a travel pass?

The important of travel and exploring the world cannot be stressed enough. Here are the 10 key advantages of travelling

Keep reading for more ideas + fun traveling questions to ask …

✓ ENGAGING QUESTIONS ON TRAVEL

How do you talk about travelling? In developing a conversation, few things compare to getting into the head of the other person. Here are a number of thought-provoking questions on travel to get to know someone a little better.

What do you think is the main benefit of travel ?
What does the concept of home mean to you ?
Is it the journey or the destination that’s most important to you?
What motivates you to travel?
What is the biggest barrier to long term travel?
What about traveling do you enjoy the least?
What is the very first place you’ve visited?
What has been your best trip?
Have you ever gotten really lost while abroad?
What are some things you always take with you on a trip?
What characteristics and traits are essential for being a traveler?
What is your preferred means of transport when traveling?
Do you have any destinations that you would not like to visit?
What is the most beautiful city you’ve visited ?
Do you learn a few phrases of the local language before visiting a new country?
Which country has the best food?
What is your earliest travel memory of being on vacation?
Do you make friends easily while on the road?
What are some of the disadvantages of long term travel?
Are you a fan of trying out local foods?
How do you choose where to travel to?
Which places hold a special place in your heart?
What’s the best travel advice you’ve received?
What is your travel style? Relaxing beach island vacation or city-to-city explorations?
What are your thoughts on ecotourism and being a responsible tourist ?
What is the worst injury you’ve gotten while traveling?
Which island would you love to visit with your family ?
What would surprise people the most about long term travel?
Are you enticed by the life of a digital nomad ?

Care about how many countries you’ve been to? Here’s why you should stop counting

✓ INTERESTING TRAVEL QUESTIONS TO ASK

It’s bound to be an interesting and enlightening talk with these deep thinking questions for a travelling companion. How do you ask travel questions?

How has travel changed you throughout the years?
What is your favourite part about travel?
Where did you travel to internationally for the first time?
If you could travel to anytime in the past , where would you go?
Where would you love to explore next?
Where was the last place you’ve been to?
What is the longest you’ve been away from home for?
What is the longest flight you’ve taken?
Do you plan and book your holidays yourself or do you get it done through a travel agency or third party agent?
Have you ever lived in another country for an extended period of time? If so, where?
What travel advice would you give to someone traveling internationally for the first time?
What is the most trouble you’ve been in while traveling?
Have you ever gotten scammed while in another country ?
Do you prefer to travel solo or as part of a group?
Where would you like to go on vacation to?
Where is the best place you have hiked in?
Where do you prefer to stay? Hotel/hostel/apartment/couchsurfing?
Have you explored a lot of your home country ?
What do you think is the biggest advantage of solo travel?
Who is the most interesting person you’ve met during your travels?
Have you ever missed a flight?
Are you a member of any frequent flyer programs?
Which place would you not visit again?
If you speak more than one language, which language is the easiest and hardest to learn?
What is your favorite museum?
What is a typical meal like from your country ?
What travel apps you you use most often?
How many passports have you gone through?
What home food do you miss most when travelling abroad?
Are there any aspects of a foreign culture that you will never get use to?

Speaking of a foreign culture.. Here are: the most strange and exotic foods eaten across the world

✓ TRAVEL QUESTIONS FOR INSTAGRAM

Travel and exploring the world is my favorite past-time. But you already knew that, right? Here are travel questions to ask to get you talking about past vacations , favorite destinations, future travel aspirations, and bucket list places . What to caption a travel photo?

Engaging and interesting Questions on Travel

Where is the most amazing place you’ve encountered during your travels?
Do you prefer to travel to famous and popular destinations or off the beaten track spots?
How many photos are saved on your hard-drive in total?
What is your favourite foreign cuisine?
What is your favorite word for travel ?
What inspires you to travel?
Do you usually bring back souvenirs for your trip?
What travel quote do you live by?
What country (or countries) would you like to visit the most?
How many days until your next vacation?
What place should everyone see at least once in their lifetime?
Are there any popular places or destinations you’d like to avoid?
What is the best place to visit in your own country?
What are your favourite countries?
Do you prefer novel stimulating experiences or a chilled out relaxed vacation?
Do you keep a journal to document all your experiences exploring the world?
What was the most recent road trip you took?
What is your best-loved national park?
What is your favourite tropical island ?
What is your favourite city for a weekend break ?
What is the most money you’ve spent on a plane ticket? Where’d you go?
What is your favorite foreign dessert ?
Where was your first vacation with your family ?
What is your most prized travel possession?
Which city has the best street food?
What one place do you have to visit before you die?
Are you planning on travelling again soon in a post pandemic world?
Which country has the most beautiful flag ?
How does travel bring meaning to your life ?

I’ve had a lot of misadventures and crazy travel experiences over the years. Here are a couple of my misadventures

✓ WOULD YOU RATHER QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAVELLING

A simple format of intriguing and fun questions for traveling. Present these to your fellow travelers with these odd, funny, and interesting scenarios to get into some great conversations.

Would you rather lose all your travel photos or all of your money?
Would you rather travel back in time and meet your ancestors or forward in time to meet your descendants?
Would you rather travel the world by plane, train, or ship?
Would you rather see a lot of countries for a little bit or get to know one in-depth?
Would you rather explore the deepest part of the ocean or outer space?
Would you rather upgrade your flight to first class or your hotel room to the penthouse suite ?
Would you rather go hiking, visit museums, or to the beach ?
Would you rather be the last person left on earth, or be one of the first people on Mars but you’ll never come back home?
Would you rather swim with dolphins or go shark cage diving?
Would you rather be able to pause, rewind, or fast forward time?
Would you rather only speak English or speak every language in the world except for English ?
Would you rather travel the whole world but never finding love or finding your soulmate but never being able to travel?
Would you rather be able to speak all languages or be able to talk to animals?
Would you rather explore the dessert heat of the Sahara or the icy landscape of Antarctica?
Would you rather have the super power of teleportation or flying?
Would you rather have a summer beach vacation or a winter mountain trip?
Would you rather discover the jungle on an African safari or the sea on a cruise?
Would you rather sleep in a room in a haunted hotel or filled with snakes?
Would you rather walk the entire Great Wall of China or climb Mount Kilimanjaro ?
Would you rather live the life of a king alone or live like a nomad with your friends and family ?
Would you rather watch the rising sun or the setting sun ?
Would you rather go on lots of small trips or one long trip?
Would you rather be able to tell your past self one thing or be able to ask your future self one question?

I hope you’ve appreciated this complete set of travel questions. I’ve included more than enough vacation questions to fuel those conversations with a traveler or while discovering the world. What are some of your favorites? And did any of these reveal some insights or breakthroughs?

>> Read next:

Keep the conversation going with these 100+ epic questions for road trips The ultimate list of quotes about travelling and smiling to keep the positive vibes flowin’ The top 10 advantages of travelling the world The best vacation songs to include on your summer playlist Should you talk to strangers ?

Happy travelling! Rai

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These 5 Best Travel Forums Will Help You Plan Your Trip Better Than Google

These days, it’s so easy just to flick an app if we want travel information. Click, download and voilà, everything you ever wanted to know about a destination.

Or just Google it.

But as far as I’m concerned, nothing is as good as the information you’ll get from the best travel forums, or travel message boards.

However technological, we remain social animals and we listen to other people – users, customers, friends. We seek the validation of our fellow humans and sometimes, we even trust them more than machines.

We could always join a Facebook group, but while that’s useful for immediacy, it also has its drawbacks. Because things are posted in real time, searching is a bit complicated and you might have to scroll quite a bit if your search yields a lot of results.

While I belong to plenty of Facebook groups (too many, I’d say), when I need travel information from knowledgeable sources I’ll try a travel forum. Some have been around for a long time, and they’re full of human interaction, where humans interact with one another, ask and answer questions and share their travel knowledge and passion. (Who knows how long this will last, as many forums are now turning to the social media format themselves…)

Somehow, I also perfer to listen to my fellow travelers rather than to a corporation trying to promote its packages…

You could also just Google (or Bing or…) the information but there’s a problem with that too. If one person posts wrong information, that will be picked up by hundreds or even thousands of other sites who may not bother to check it. Next thing you know, that train or ferry you were counting on no longer exist and that corner restaurant has long since become a computer shop.

And of course you could read travel guides or guidebooks , which are full of in-depth information and great for pre-trip research, less so for immediacy (many guidebooks are written up to two years before they’re published).

So yes, there are better ways of getting fresh information from or about your destination.

HOW DO TRAVEL FORUMS WORK?

Wherever you’re going, chances are someone has been there, done that – and written about it. And now you get to benefit from their experience.

Even if you’ve never done it before, joining and participating in a travel forum is simple .

The first thing you have to do is find the right forum (more on the best travel forums below ).

Once you’ve found a place that speaks to you, you will have to register. It’s free, and you only have to give out the information you feel comfortable sharing. You’ll need a user name (choose something you’ll remember – your user name will appear on your forum posts, or conversations) and a password (make sure you jot this down so you don’t forget it). And now, you’re ready to throw yourself into the fray.

Most forums have a section for new members, or ‘newbies’. It’s called something like ‘Introducing Yourself’ or ‘Post here first’. Don’t worry – it’ll be obvious.

Drop in and say hello , tell people who you are – a few sentences are enough. Upload a photo of yourself (or a cartoon or caricature if you’d rather). The point is to signal to people you are interested in taking part in the forum and that you’ll be posting once in a while.

Then find a thread – or a conversation – that interests you and jump in. Just click on it and ask a question, or if you can, answer one, all in the spirit of giving back.

Remember, a forum is a two-way street.

A word of caution – what you’ll be reading on the forums are people’s personal opinions, not necessarily facts, so exercise your judgment and double-check before you spend any money on anything or take it all at face value.

BEST TRAVEL FORUMS – THE BIGGIES

The first thing is to find the right forum for you. Are you a backpacker? Are you looking for luxury along the way? A solo traveler? Are you in your 20s or in your 70s? Are you looking for something destination-specific?

Some of the best travel forums have hundreds of thousands of members or posts, and others are tiny. While the smaller ones may be great if you’re looking for specialized information, the size of the bigger ones almost guarantees you’ll get some sort of answer about your question.

Here are the heftiest ones.

Tripadvisor travel forum

The Tripadvisor Forum may be the biggest community online – or not. It is strictly moderated (sometimes too strictly, cutting off interesting insights) and run by volunteers who are experts in certain parts of the world. This world travel forum is full of information, although I kept thinking no one was answering my questions because the notification comes up in the tiny little message icon in the upper right-hand corner… you’ll be lucky as long as you remember to look. But their destination information is topnotch, as is the special interests section (the reviews I trust less). Bar none, this should be your first forum stop if you’re looking for recommendations.

Fodor’s travel talk forums

A great feature of Fodors forums are the Trip Reports, which often provide in-depth views into top travel destinations you won’t get any other way (than by going yourself, that is). It’s strong on cruises and its destination sections are quite helpful, with a strong focus on Europe, which you can browse by country. It’s also easy to get around… This isn’t the place to look for travel tips or any ‘how to’ unless they’re destination-related, however. But if you’re in the mood for a narrative posted by bona fide travelers, head for the Trip Reports section.

Travellerspoint

Travellerspoint has been around forever. Well, since 2002, anyway, so it knows what it’s doing. There’s a good, active forum but a few additional bells and whistles as well, such as a trip planner and a blog platform. In fact before everyone started a WordPress blog, this was one of the few places you could host a travel blog for free, along with itinerary maps and photos. The blog function is still there, if all you want to do is share your travels with family and friends (and not the rest of the world). The map is basic but oh so much easier to use than Google maps!

TRAVEL FORUMS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Some of the web’s most popular forums have packed up and gone home – well, not quite, but they have moved their forums to social media. True, an increasing number of people are getting their information from social media but the forum structure allowed for much more exchange of information, in a more horizontal way than is possible on social media.

Still, that’s where they’re headed…

Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree

Once the premier travel forum online, Thorn Tree belongs to Lonely Planet. It started losing steam after Lonely Planet was bought by the BBC, and provided answers to just about every question you might have on backpacker travel or long-term travel.

With Covid, the Thorn Tree changed the forum to read-only, keeping all its valuable information but sadly not allowing anything new to be posted.

Now, they’ve switched to social networks to exchange travel advice. Find them, on Lonely Planet Facebook Travelers Group , Twitter , Instagram or TikTok .

Frommer’s Forums

I’ve always been a fan of their guides and have found fine tips in them. The forums were a bit less active than I would have liked, nor were they moderated (at least not properly). So their move to social media might actually be an improvement.

You can find them at Frommer’s Roamers Travel Chat on Facebook .

Other forums

Two other possibilities, which are popular with travelers: Nomadic Matt’s Forum , dedicated to budget independent travel, and the Travel Sub-Reddit ,

WHAT IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL?

Most of the forums I listed above are global forums. Wherever you travel, you’ll find information there. But there are plenty of specialty forums that might be worth your while.

specific destination forums , by searching such things as ‘Russia travel forum’ or ‘travel forum Asia’ or ‘Caribbean travel forums’. Two that I use often are Rick Steves’ forum (specializes on Europe and excellent for itinerary help) and Caravanistan for the Silk Road, which I consulted almost daily when traveling around Central Asia.
expat forums – there’s nothing like an expat to tell you what a place is really like! Search for ‘expat forums’ and you’ll find more than you’ll have time to read; most are networks with sections for different countries. If you know exactly what country you’re looking for, then Search for “expat forum Spain” or any country you want.
thematic travel forums , for example food forums – Mouthfuls is a good example of a forum that combines travel and the food themes, or an air travel forum such as Flyertalk forums.
types of traveler forums , such as a solo travellers forum (I use the solo travel forums on Tripadvisor for this) or a family travel forum
specific types of transportation forums , like RVing, cycling, or The Hubb , for those of you who travel by motorcycle.
and if you’re looking for work, why not try job-related travel forums ? Many professional forums have sections on overseas work and travel. One of the best of its kind used to be Dave’s ESL Cafe , if you wanted to teach English as a foreign language (when I checked, the last post was in 2020 so I’m not sure it’s still active – I’ll leave it for a few months just in case). Or if you want to make your job portable and take it with you, try Working Nomad .

Whatever your travel question, a travel or tourist forum is an excellent source of research – straight from the ground and usually answered by people who are right where you want to go.

Please don’t forget your travel insurance! Women on the Road recommends World Nomads if you’re under 66 (70 in some countries). If that birthday has come and gone, click here for travel insurance recommendations that cover you at any age.

THE ETIQUETTE OF FORUMS ON TRAVEL

Every forum has its rules, and you’re often requested to indicate you’ll abide by them. Above and beyond the rules, there are basic forum etiquette behaviors that are common on most every forum. Here are just a few:

No self-promotion . so if you have a business, this isn’t the place to promote it; most forums are strict about this and the odd mention of your Etsy shop will get you thrown right out. Same with excessive linking back to your own online content or blog (some will eject you after even one mention!)
Be nice . Do I even have to mention this? Sadly, yes. Many people see the online world as one they can navigate without civility. Well, most moderators won’t stand for it and if they see any rudeness, discriminatory speech or anything insulting, you’ll get banned immediately. And that’s a good thing
Talk travel . A travel forum is a place to talk about travel but because of a strange online distancing from normal interaction, people sometimes end up veering way off topic and next thing you know, they’re delving into the minute details of their love life, which is probably of no interest to readers looking for a good restaurant in Madrid.
Always search first . Before you ask a question, use the Search function. But we forget. It’s so tempting and easy to just type “What’s the best way to get from Paris to Brussels?” But we’re not that original and there’s a very good chance someone has asked that question before. So rather than be gently told off, see what’s been said, and build on it. You’ll get better travel information that way, but so will everyone else reading the thread.
Do some homework . This one dovetails with the above point but goes beyond a simple search. The number of times I see questions like this: “I’m going to Italy. What should I visit?” Really? You can’t do a quick search online for “top 10 places to visit in Italy”? Seriously… do the homework, then come back and ask about specifics. No one is paid to answer on a forum and everyone does it out of genuine helpfulness. Let’s not waste their time.

While some questions may be too simple, no question is too complex or detailed as long as it’s about travel. In fact, forums shine by their granularity – it’s all in the details. Forums are also great for those questions people don’t tend to ask online because they don’t expect to find a page with the answers.

Here are a few examples of the kinds of questions you’ll find on forums and that will yield answers:

Do you know a great hostel in Mumbai/New York/Kashkai or anywhere?
How can I cope if loneliness hits ?
I’m traveling to Switzerland for a week and plan to visit Geneva, Lucerne and Zurich. How much time should I spend in each if what I like best is good food/beautiful nature or whatever?
Should I reserve a place to stay for my first night in Bangkok?
What size backpack should I take for six months?
Has anyone else here traveled solo, and what was it like?
I want to fly RTW through Africa and Latin America. What is the best way to do this?
I’m looking for a travel companion for an overland journey across Africa/Asia/Latin America…

You get the picture.

— Originally published on 31 July 2011

Istanbul spice bazaar - ask about it in the best travel forums

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Gather Lessons

70 Good Conversation Questions about Traveling

Most of us love traveling. We get to meet new people, go to different destinations, and experience other cultures.

Where would you like to do? who would you like to travel to? are some common questions that experienced and new travelers have.

These are some of the most common questions that people have about traveling for you to have an interesting conversation with your friends or students.

Table of Contents

Questions about Traveling

Questions about plans for traveling, questions about past travels you have done, your travel preferences, more esl conversation questions.

These are some common questions about traveling to different parts of the World

Where would you like to travel?
When would you like to travel?
What countries in Africa would you like to visit?
What countries in Asia would you like to visit?
What European countries would you find more interesting?
What countries in America would you like to visit?
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
What country would you like to visit next year?
What would you like to experience during your traveling?
Would you like to live in a foreign country for a while (if so, which one?)
If you could choose one place to go this weekend, where would it be?
What would you recommend for someone who is planning a vacation in the United States?
What advice would you give to somebody traveling alone?
Would you rather visit another country or travel within your own country?
Would you say that traveling has changed you as a person?
Would you consider swimming with sharks in your next travel?

These are some common questions about the arrangements that you have to make before or during traveling.

How will you get there?
Where would you stay while on a trip?
What activities would you like to do activities while you are on vacation?
Would you be willing to camp in a tent?
What about staying in a hotel?
Do you know anyone who has taken this same trip?
How much time would you spend traveling?
How much can you afford to spend on your trip?
Where did you find information about trips?
What is a good travel guidebook?
Do you recommend any specific travel websites?
Do You Need a Visa When Traveling Abroad?
Do you plan your trips beforehand or do they just happen spontaneously?
What scares you the most about traveling?

These are some questions about your travel experience

Have you been abroad?
Where have you been?
How many countries have you visited?
How did you get there?
What have been the purpose of some of your trips?
Did you enjoy all of your trips?
What could have made your trips more enjoyable for you?
Did anything bad happen while traveling with a group of people?
Have you ever traveled on your own?
When did you get the opportunity to travel by yourself?
Did you enjoy traveling alone? Why or why not?
What is the most exciting thing that happened while traveling?
What was the most boring part of your trip? How long were you in each country?
What was the most exciting part of your trip? How long were you in each country?
Have you ever been in a difficult situation while traveling?
Have you ever gone on a cruise vacation before? If so, what did you like/dislike about the experience?
Have you traveled in business class?
What was the most recent place in which you traveled?
What is one of your favorite trips that you took this year? What made it so special? Did anything bad happen on this trip that made it memorable?
Have you ever gotten lost while traveling?
Have you ever been robbed during vacations?
Have you ever had an accident while traveling?
Have you ever fallen in love with someone?
What’s the most extreme activity that you have done while traveling?

These are some questions about your travel preferences

Do you like to travel with children? Why or why not?
Do you like to travel with your mother? Why or why not?
Do you prefer summer vacations or winter vacations?
Do you prefer to travel alone or in a group? Why?
Do you prefer to travel by train, bus, plane or ship?
Do you prefer traveling by car or by plane?
Do you prefer traveling to nearby countries or distant countries?
Are you adventurous and willing to try new things or not? Why?
What is your favorite type of transportation to use while traveling?
What are you not looking forward to about traveling in the United States?
Do you prefer luxury hotels or budget hotels? Why or why not?
Do you prefer active or relaxing holidays? Why?
Do you like to shop while traveling or not?
How much money do you like to spend on holidays? Why or why not?
Do you take a lot of pictures while traveling?
Do you prefer recording videos rather than taking pictures?
Do you usually share where you are on social media?

If you are looking for more resources to practice your English skills or have meaningful conversations with your students, I’ve compiled a list of some posts with conversation questions.

Check them out before your leave:

Discussion Questions about Poverty
50 Discussion Questions about Celebrities
Discussion Questions about Transportation
Discussion Questions about Colors
45 Discussion Questions about Christmas
Questions about Dolphins
Questions about Nature

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English

Discussion Questions about Computers

Would you Ever Questions for the ESL Classroom

Family Conversation Questions

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50 fun travel conversation questions

Travel conversation questions.

Free discussion worksheets with pictures to describe the topic of travel. Difficult words on this first printable include – pack, prefer, cruise, destination, thoroughly, gotten, accommodation, backpacking, international, furthest, and distance.

The travel conversation questions on worksheet 1 are –

1 – When was the last time you traveled? Where did you go?

2 – What is your favorite thing about traveling?

3 – Where would you like to travel to next? When do you think you will go there?

4 – How long can you travel before you start to miss home?

5 – What are the most important things to pack before you go traveling?

6 – What kinds of transport do you prefer to travel by?

7 – Are there any places in your country that you never want to travel to? Why not?

8 – Who in your family is the best person to travel with?

9 – Have you ever been on a cruise ship? Would you like to take a cruise?

10 – What kinds of activities do you like to do when you are traveling?

11 – Have you ever learned or tried to speak another language while traveling?

12 – What are the top travel destinations in your country? Have you been to them?

13 – How do you usually decide on a travel destination?

14 – Do you like to plan your travel thoroughly or just make it up as you go along?

15 – What do you think of backpacking? Would you like to try it?

16 – Have you ever gotten lost on your travels? What did you do?

17 – What kind of accommodation do you usually stay in when you take trips?

18 – What is the best way to keep your money safe when you go traveling?

19 – Have you ever felt scared or been in danger on your travels?

20 – How has COVID-19 changed travel in your country and internationally?

21 – Where is it your dream to visit? Do you think you will ever get there?

22 – What is the furthest distance you have ever been from your home?

23 – Do you prefer to travel alone, with friends , or with family?

24 – What is the first thing you do when you arrive in a new city?

25 – Do you use any websites or apps when you travel? What for?

Travel conversation questions 2

Before starting the discussion with this second set of questions, be sure the students are familiar with the terms – landscape, ecotourism, issue (problem), journey, baggage, and souvenir.

On this second worksheet, the travel conversation questions are –

26 – What kinds of landscapes do you like to see when you travel?

27 – How do you plan for the weather when you go somewhere?

28 – Do you prefer hot or cold destinations for vacations?

29 – If money was not an issue, where would you go and what would you do?

30 – How is ecotourism different to normal tourism?

31 – Have you ever lost something on your travels? What was it?

32 – What things do you dislike about traveling?

33 – Do you remember meeting any strange or interesting people when traveling?

34 – What is the most popular time of year for people to travel in your country?

35 – Where are some good places to find travel information? Do you use them?

36 – What are the best and worst places you have traveled to?

37 – Have your parents traveled much? Where have they been?

38 – What are some useful things to learn in another language for traveling?

39 – Do you think it is best to take a package tour or plan your own trips?

40 – What is the longest journey that you have ever taken?

41 – Where do you think would be the best place to go on a shopping holiday?

42 – When you are on vacation do you like to relax or look for adventure?

43 – Are you careful with money when you travel or do you like to spend a lot?

44 – Have you ever had any bad travel experiences? What happened?

45 – Do you like to try strange foods when you travel? What things have you eaten?

46 – What kinds of baggage do you usually take when traveling?

47 – Do you have any souvenirs at home from traveling? What are they?

48 – What kinds of things do you buy for other people on your travels?

49 – What is something that you would love to go and do while traveling the world ?

50 – What is the best photograph that you have taken while traveling? Where were you?

Related activities

For further discussion you may want to use the transport conversation questions or the airport conversation questions . There are also transport and airport activities in the vocabulary worksheets archives.

For talking about weather and cities around the world there is also the weather pair work speaking activity.

You might also like these

25 wonderful childhood conversation questions

25 freedom conversation questions

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Does Anyone Actually Enjoy Group Travel?

By CNT Editors

Summer garden tent outdoor events boho style marquee with pillows and other decorative elements beautiful tropical...

Travel Debates is a series in which our editors weigh in on the most contentious issues that arise in-transit, like whether you should ever switch seats on a plane or if you should check your work email while on vacation.

In our last debate , we delved into the contentious matter of splitting the bill when embarking on group travel. A heated discussion amongst our editors revealed an even juicier question lurking in plain sight: Would you even be on said group trip in the first place? As people sounded out their answers it became increasingly clear that many at Condé Nast Traveler avoid group trips altogether. Whether for reasons underlined the last time—one too many travel companions that took their time to pay back their debts, or failed to do so entirely—or because of trauma incurred from being the perennial trip planner, members of the team have strong feelings.

This doesn’t mean, however, that all of us draw a hard line. With the right mindset and proper boundaries in place, many agree that group travel can be pure magic. Do you enjoy group trips? Our editors weigh in below.

Yes, but only with people I truly love

My ultimate fantasy is having all the people I love together at once, so group trips (especially when I’m curating the crowd) are something I look forward to. Sure, you have to be more easygoing than when you travel solo, and sometimes you’ll compromise on the restaurant you eat at, but I’m there for the group hang first and foremost. I take enough other trips—solo, work, just me and one other person—to get my fix of total-itinerary-control elsewhere. But I do feel strongly that you should only go on group trips with people you would be happy doing absolutely nothing with—mainly because that means they’re worth spending your time and money jetting around for, but also because the details of everything else fade into the background when you’re just glad to be together. Maybe my experiences have been so favorable because I’m selective about the group trips I join; but I do think everyone should feel empowered to say no to group trip invites they aren’t stoked about—if you’re just going out of obligation, you’re really going to hate it when they pick that mediocre breakfast spot. —Megan Spurrell, senior editor

Yes, but I won't plan them

As the big traveler amongst my friends and family, it’s normally up to me to help plan the group trip. Planning isn’t my favorite, because with large groups there are so many voices chiming in with strong opinions. People might want to do their own thing and it takes a lot of time and effort to curate an itinerary that everyone is going to like. I’m also the type of person that wants to make sure everyone is having a good time, so I tend to worry if my friends or family are going to like the plan I helped create. Being invited on a group trip is different—I can just show up and go with the flow. But in the end, I get to be around the people I love, share laughs, and experience a new place together. —Kayla Brock, associate social media manager

Yes, but on the condition of equity

Group trips are some of my favorite memories. It makes my heart so full to shuck off the sometimes tedious humdrum of doing the same day-to-day group restaurant dining, city walks, and home game nights for the excitement of a brand new destination and its accompanying experiences. However, a key element of success—at least for me—is a sense of shared responsibility amongst your traveling crew. Maybe one person does the grocery shopping for your Airbnb while somebody else makes the dinner reservation for the next day. Or you each take a day to plan a full itinerary, keeping in mind things that everyone might enjoy. Without the divide-and-conquer approach, it can be a lot to ask of one or a few group members, and can quickly leave people feeling resentful or just plain exhausted. Group travel tip that I've been itching to try that I think has built-in support for an equitable experience? A group cruise! It's on my list for 2023 and I think it'll be the perfect way to escape with all of my loved ones without leaving a lot of planning work to be tackled. —Lara Kramer, associate director of audience development

No, not always

Don’t get me wrong—I love my friends and have some great memories from group trips—but I find that sometimes when traveling: the more people, the more stress. Group trips can feel like you’re back in school working on a group project and there’s the student who plans everything, the one who is slow to respond to anything, and the one who does nothing to help. I hate any type of conflict with friends, so I prefer to avoid being annoyed if some of my friends (that I love!) fall into some of those roles. It can be difficult to plan an itinerary that pleases the whole group, and people tend to have different expectations for how things will go. This doesn’t mean I’ve sworn off group trips entirely, but I am very intentional about who I’ll go with, and make sure it’s a trip that I’m excited to be part of. —Meaghan Kenny, associate commerce editor

Rarely, if ever

I love a good small group trip—but I find that it can be difficult to pull off a successful one, especially as the person who usually gets stuck with all the planning. I’m happy to research and book things, plus craft a very loose itinerary for a group (and as a guides editor I nerd out on it, honestly), but when a group size hits any more than four people there’s almost always someone who ends up unhappy with the plan (and who wasn’t vocal about it when all the decision making went down). It’s never a surprise to me when this communication breakdown happens, but it does have a way of making things uncomfortable for everyone involved, and a vacation is no time to be uncomfortable! Give me a small getaway with three of my closest friends, or my husband and another couple, any time! But I’ve found that anything bigger toes the line of social exhaustion. —Shannon McMahon, destinations editor

Almost never…save with family

I have a lot of accumulated trauma from group trips undertaken in the past. My last one involved playing credit card roulette for the best room in the rental (that I wasn't in charge of booking), sharing a toilet with failing plumbing, and extremely bad snacks. Granted, this wasn’t a group of best friends, but I’m loath to travel in large groups even when there are close friendships involved. On one such occasion, a couple decided to let their marriage unravel in front of us. As the trip progressed, it became apparent that the end for them was nigh—and our trip was irrecoverable. Since then, my kind of grouping involves meeting and hanging out with locals in the places I visit. Or traveling with just one close friend. These better suit my traveler personality, and I end up having an exponentially better time. My only exception to this rule is traveling with family—we're all apples that fell from the same tree, and are generally agreeable around each other even over long periods—something that flummoxes my husband no end. — Arati Menon, global digital director

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English Discussion on Travel

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THE DISCUSSION ON TRAVEL

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)

Y’s Men of Westport / Weston

Travel Discussion Group

Moderator – Art Mann Email – [email protected]

Knowing that many of the Y’s Men and their families travel often, the purpose of the Travel Discussion Group is to create a place for sharing your travel experiences and also to help in your future trip planning. We may even try to plan a group trip!

The group meets every other Monday throughout the year, with the schedule announced in the weekly Y’s Men Newsletter, in the Travel Group’s email distribution list, and in the Y’s Men online calendar.

Meetings always include a quick review of anyone’s recent travel, followed by a previously announced topic or 2. Examples of topics to be discussed include:

Anyone planning to move abroad?
Climate issues affecting travel?
Current events affecting travel planning? What about going to risky areas?
How does travel planning change as you age?
What travel insurance do people use? How much cash to bring?
Best way to protect valuables while traveling?
What destinations are people planning to go to and do they have any questions?
Is time travel possible?
Where do people go back to over time and why?
How to research a trip? Pros and Cons of using travel agents or planners
What are the best travel news sites?
How to book an international trip and trust the companies you are engaging with?
Which airlines/cruise lines/tour companies to use and avoid?
What photo gear do you take? What to do with all the photos of your trips?
What travels apps on the web or on the phone do you use?
Is Global Entry worth the effort?
New EU via rules coming?
Is special clothing like Scotty Vests? Ultimate packing list & methods for packing?

We meet on alternating Mondays at 9:00 AM in Room 203 at the Saugatuck Congregational Church. All Y’s Men and their significant others are welcome to attend.

I look forward to your participation in a future meeting.

Art Mann email : [email protected] – send me an email to be added to our email list.

The Future of Travel

. Update: May 24, 2022 7:14 pm

Table of Contents

Points to speak on “The future of Travel”:

Pandemic and resultant lockdowns hit the tourism sector badly. After opening tourist spots for fully vaccinated, people started travelling without fear. So, the tourism industry is recovering. As people had to stay at home for a long time, more and more people are showing interest to travel to tourist spots . The number of tourists will grow in the coming years.
As the pandemic increased the work from home options and e-learning facilities , many people are now staying at tourist spots for a long time to fully explore the place and to connect with local people, food and culture. Slow travel has become a trend. Many hotels are providing offers on month-long stays . This can increase drastically in the coming months.
Now people are more aware of the impact of tourism on the environment. So, many tourists are opting for ecotourism by minimizing the impact on the environment. In the coming years, more options and opportunities will be developed to reduce the negative impact of tourism on the environment.
The global middle class is growing fast . So, more people will have enough money to travel and hence the number of tourists will continue to grow. Budget travelling may dominate the expensive vacations. As we have witnessed the pandemic, people may continue to prefer carrying food and water.
After the pandemic, the demand is more for the less crowded tourist spots . So, more tourist spots will be developed and the tourist attractions will be diversified.
Screening for infectious diseases can become a new normal in airports and at tourist spots.
Some people are staying in hotels in their own cities to have a mini-vacation and also to get a break from routine . This phenomenon can continue to grow.
Virtual travel is also booming. With less expense, we can visit the tourist attractions using Virtual Reality (VR) technology. This will continue to grow.

Conclusion:

With the increasing number of work from home opportunities, more and more are now travelling to tourist spots and are also staying for a long term to fully explore the place. This will continue in the coming years. Moreover, as the global middle class is growing, more and more people will start to explore exotic places.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Express your point of view through the comment section below. And subscribe to our blog to read answers to the trending GD topics.

Photo by Mwabonje from Pexels

References:

Up in the air: The future of travel
Google Identifies the Trends That Will Shape the Future of Travel

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Open access
Published: 24 April 2024

Parents’ and neonatal healthcare professionals’ views on barriers and facilitators to parental presence in the neonatal unit: a qualitative study

Stephanie Vanessa Schmid 1 , 2 na1 ,
Christine Arnold 1 na1 ,
Sophie Jaisli 1 ,
Benedikt Bubl 1 ,
Erika Harju 2 , 3 &
André Kidszun 1

BMC Pediatrics volume 24 , Article number: 268 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

Parent and infant separation in the neonatal unit is associated with adverse health outcomes. Family-integrated care has several advantages and the potential to reduce these adverse outcomes but requires parental presence. This study aimed to explore the views of parents and neonatal healthcare professionals (nHCPs) on barriers and facilitators to parental presence in a Swiss neonatal unit and to identify possible differences between nHCPs and parents, and between mothers and fathers.

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with parents and focus group discussions with nHCPs. Inductive content analysis was used to identify barriers and facilitators to parental presence in the neonatal unit.

Twenty parents (10 mothers and 10 fathers) and 21 nHCPs (10 nurses and 11 physicians) participated in the study. Parents and nHCPs experienced barriers and facilitators related to: (1) Structural factors of the institution, such as infrastructure or travel and distance to the neonatal unit. (2) Organization and time management of parental presence, daily activities, and work. (3) Resources, which include factors related to the legal situation, support services, family, and friends. (4) Physical and psychological aspects, such as pain, which mainly affected mothers, and aspects of emotional distress, which affected both parents. Self-care was an important physical and psychological facilitator. (5) Parent-professional interaction. Parental presence was influenced by communication, relationship, and interaction in infant care; and (6) Cultural aspects and language. Some perspectives differed between mothers and fathers, while the overall views of parents and nHCPs provided complementary rather than conflicting insights. Using visit plans to support the organization, educating nHCPs in knowledge skills and available resources to improve encouragement and information to parents, strengthening parent self-care, and improving nHCPs’ attitudes towards parental presence were seen as possible improvements.

Conclusions

Multifactorial barriers and facilitators determine parental presence and experience in the neonatal unit. Parents and nHCPs made specific recommendations to improve parental presence.

Peer Review reports

The neonatal unit provides essential medical treatment and care for preterm infants and sick newborns. In-hospital stay is often characterized by parent-infant separation, making the hospitalization period extremely stressful and demanding for parents and infants [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Parents who have an infant in the neonatal unit may experience psychological issues such as stress, anxiety, sadness, fatigue, self-blame, less positive feelings toward their infant, or other depressive symptoms [ 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 ]. Family Integrated Care (FICare) and parent-infant closeness can reduce parental stress and anxiety while improving parents’ well-being, mental health, self-efficacy, and relationship with their infants [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. FICare further positively impacts infant weight gain, brain development, and breastfeeding outcomes [ 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 ]. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) with skin-to-skin contact as a part of FICare is considered the most effective way to strengthen parent-infant bonding, build parents’ resilience as competent mothers and fathers, and provide immediate and long-term benefits for both parents and infants [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. In particular, skin-to-skin contact stabilizes the infant’s heart and respiratory rate, improves thermoregulation and oxygen saturation, reduces nosocomial infections and has an overall positive effect on the risk of mortality and length of hospital stay [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Despite knowledge of the many benefits of FICare, closeness, and KMC, parent-infant separation is still common in neonatal units [ 5 , 25 , 26 ]. The promotion of FICare, closeness, and KMC is implemented to varying degrees, and their implementation faces various barriers and challenges [ 5 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Mixed evidence exists regarding predictors of parental presence. The presence of siblings and increasing distance from home to the hospital are the most common barriers to parental presence [ 26 , 35 , 36 ]. Other influencing factors were found to be room type, medical status such as surgical history or neurological comorbidity, restrictive visitation policies, family support, and overnight accommodations [ 26 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. Available studies on barriers and facilitators to FICare interventions, predictors of parental presence, and parental experiences suggest that mothers and fathers may be affected by different factors. Previous studies have mainly included nurses rather than physicians and have shown complementary aspects to those reported by parents [ 34 , 36 ]. Overall, there is insufficient knowledge about the barriers to facilitating parental presence in the neonatal unit, especially with regard to possible geographical or cultural differences.

This study aimed to explore the views of parents and neonatal healthcare professionals (nHCPs) on barriers and facilitators to parental presence in a Swiss neonatal unit and to identify possible differences between nHCPs and parents, and between mothers and fathers.

Study design and setting

A qualitative research approach was applied to obtain rich and in-depth data [ 38 ]. For this qualitative analysis we applied an inductive approach, starting from the data and analyzing themes and patterns according to Mayring [ 39 ]. Our study was conducted at the Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, at the Inselspital Bern in Switzerland, which cares for approximately 700 infants yearly. The neonatal unit consists of three wards, the neonatal intensive care unit, and two intermediate care units. This neonatal unit has a wide catchment area, up to 150 km in the case of the sample. In addition to infants born in house, infants from various hospitals in the canton of Bern are also transferred to the neonatal unit.

Participants and recruitment

We recruited 20 parents (10 mothers and 10 fathers) and 21 nHCPs (10 nurses and 11 physicians). The sampling was based on a purposive approach to obtain “information-rich” data and an in-depth understanding. Non-probability sampling enables gathering qualitative responses, which leads to better insights [ 40 ]. Participants were healthy (self-reported), non-bereaved, German-speaking parents whose infant was hospitalized for at least 14 days to participate. Thus, a heterogeneous sample in terms of gestational age, length of hospital stay, number of children, and singletons or twins was considered. Physicians and nurses with at least 12 months of clinical experience were recruited. Parent recruitment was conducted face-to-face, and nHCPs were asked to participate during morning reports in July and August 2022 by the principal investigator S.S.

Data collection

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents only and focus group discussions (FGDs) with nHCPs (nurses and physicians) by S.S. who is experienced in qualitative research. She interviewed mothers and fathers separately, and nurses and physicians were divided into separate discussion groups. The composition of the FGDs was chosen to minimize the group effect due to status and background. The interviews and FGDs were held based on two different interview guides (see Additional file 1 and 2) specifically created to meet the objectives of the study. We conducted a pilot test with an obstetrician and a scientist to revise and finalize the interview guides. To achieve breadth of coverage of all topics of interest and depth of intended content in each question, we used open-ended, non-leading, and probing questions. Follow-up questions were used to address key dimensions of the topic. Interviews were closed with a debriefing to avoid missing important points to the respondent [ 40 , 41 ].

The interviews and discussions took place in the neonatal unit in a room separate from the patient rooms. Since the interviewer’s (S.S.) first contact with this neonatal unit was for this study as part of a research internship, she met the participants for the first time through recruitment and introduced her profession and function. All interviews were audio-recorded and conducted in Swiss German or German (the native language of the participant). The audio files were transcribed and translated from Swiss German into German by S.S. using MAXQDA software (Release 22.2.0, VERBI GmbH, Berlin, Germany) based on previously defined transcription rules. The transcripts were not returned to the participants for comment due to time constraints and the decision not to use parental time resources.

Data analysis

Mayring’s inductive content analysis was used to identify barriers and facilitators to parental presence across the interviews and FGDs. The analysis approach is systematic and intersubjectively verifiable, but still does justice to the complexity and the need for interpretation of the source material [ 39 ]. Two researchers (S.S., C.A.) coded the data. Initially, open coding was used, and a preliminary coding system was developed derived from the data, which was expanded and adapted during the coding process. The two researchers regularly discussed and derived categories to ensure intercoder congruity and to achieve consensus. After coding, the anchor quotes were translated from German into English by S.S. and reviewed by a professional translator.

Parents’ characteristics

Between July to September 2022, 20 parents participated. Parent’s characteristics are summarized in Table 1 . The interviews ranged between 10 and 30 min with an average time of 23 min. The infants of the enrolled parents were born between 25 3/7 and 34 6/7 weeks of gestation and were hospitalized for an average of 37 days with a range of 14 to 78 days at the interview date.

Neonatal healthcare professionals’ characteristics

In total, 21 nHCPs (10 nurses and 11 physicians) participated in four FGDs. The FGDs ranged between 28 and 32 min, with an average of 30 min. Neonatal healthcare professionals’ characteristics are summarized in Table 2 .

Barriers and facilitators to parental presence

Parental presence showed a wide range of frequency and duration. Most parents reported coming daily, although mothers and fathers differed in the length of stay. Most mothers (M) were present for at least six and up to fourteen hours per day, while fathers (F) came for no more than eight hours, with an average of about three to four hours, mainly depending on their work situation. Six categories of barriers and facilitators to parental presence were explored in the analysis: (1) structural factors, (2) organization and time management, (3) resources, (4) physical and psychological aspects, (5) parent-professional interaction, and (6) cultural aspects (see Fig. 1 ).

Barriers and facilitators to parental presence. –: barrier; +: facilitator; >: suggestion for improvement; m: affect mothers; f: affect fathers; O: mentioned by parents; :mentioned by nHCPs; KMC: Kangaroo Mother Care; nHCPs: neonatal healthcare professionals

Structural factors

Parents and nHCPs recognized structural facilitators and barriers to parental presence consisting of financial, travel, and institutional factors. The financial aspects included the high cost of parking, fuel, public transportation, and the cost of the Ronald McDonald House as a place for parents to stay during the infant’s hospitalization.

“Parking fees, for example, can be a barrier. […] I imagine the Ronald McDonald House costs a lot as well. ” (FGD04, P2, physician)

Many parents mentioned this as a challenge. However, it did not necessarily affect the frequency or duration of their presence. Physicians mentioned services such as a maid that could reduce the burden on parents but is dependent on funding.

“Yes, so what I noticed, of course, is the parking. If you go to the hospital parking and you are there all day, you can quickly lose a hundred francs or more a week. […] But other than that, we are not in a bad financial position. […] I think we should make it.” (F08)

One physician pointed out that the neonatal unit has a large catchment area, resulting in long distances for parents to travel. Parents and nHCPs alike reported travel as a barrier for parents to be present due to the physical burden on mothers, the time required, and travel options. The opposite (short travel), being at the Ronald McDonald House, and being on-site during the mothers’ hospitalization was mentioned as facilitators for parental presence by parents.

“That was cool, of course, when I was still an inpatient. I went down at nine in the evening, as soon as I could get out again. Or I went down in the morning before breakfast.” (M05)

Parents and nHCPs experienced the lack of space in the unit, limited infrastructure (few available bonding chairs), crowdy atmosphere, and loss of privacy as making the setting uncomfortable for parents, doing KMC, breastfeeding and long stays. In this regard, a nurse spoke about feedback from fathers that reflect the pleasant and calm atmosphere early on late or night shifts.

“I’ve also heard from fathers who come early in the morning that the atmosphere in the morning, when there’s just the night guard and all the other kids are asleep, is very nice. Just that quiet.” (FGD02, P5, nurse)

Neonatal healthcare professionals mentioned the structure of the hospital system as a barrier. Specifically situations where infants were transferred to the neonatal unit of another hospital, but there was no room for the mother to be transferred.

“And then the mother can’t be transferred because there’s no room for her […]. This is sometimes very difficult to accept, that this transfer of the mother doesn’t seem to be as important as it should be.” (FGD03, P2, physician)

A positive aspect mentioned by both nHCPs and parents was the opportunity to come at any time without restrictions.

“So you can really come here whenever you want. That is valuable. For example, I thought that if I could not come during the day, I could come in the evening or at night. You really can always come.” (M01)

Organization and time management

Mothers and fathers found it difficult to juggle daily activities and meet their own basic needs during this time. In addition to their daily routines such as shopping, doing household chores, and work, they additionally had to manage animal and sibling care, and travel to the neonatal unit or, to other commitments. Parents described these activities as taking up time, they would otherwise like to spend with their infants. Caring for siblings was difficult to organize, which both parents and nHCPs identified as a barrier. Parents wanted to spend time with all their children, to do them justice, and were often torn when unable to do so.

“Of course I would have liked to come, but our boy is still at home. I have been in the women’s hospital for so long, even before that. I have to be at home sometime. It is also for him.” (M05)

Almost every father talked about working full time and missing a lot of time with the infant. They described the infants’ hospitalization combined with their work as exhausting, energy consuming, stressful, and seen as something that could not be changed. One father regarded work as a welcome change and appreciated the social contacts there. In the nHCPs’ perspective, the problem of work as a barrier was in the lack of understanding from the employer, not enough time resources, and dependent on the job where some fathers are more flexible than others.

“Another thing I hear again and again, for example from fathers, is that the employer may not be so understanding after all.” (FGD01, P3, nurse)

Fathers found that understanding from the employer, flexibility in working hours, home office, the ability to take leave, and understanding about unexpected short-term absences led to more time with their infants.

“I usually come in the afternoon or evening. It depends a little bit on whether I have a lot of work to do. If you have a lot of work, that is how it is. I also have to take care of the workplace because my child comes home after. But what else can I do?” (F09)

Parents and nHCPs experienced visit plans as a supportive tool elaborated in collaboration with an nHCP to structure the days, reducing stress and optimizing time management. Mothers felt more supported than fathers by visit plans that had already been implemented.

“My wife had a visit plan because of breastfeeding and stuff. However, maybe it would also be good for the fathers if you would support them. Maybe you can come up with some ideas on how to organize things better.” (F10)

Parental presence was identified as dependent on resources and available support at three levels: the societal, the institutional, and the personal level.

For the societal aspect, parents and nHCPs talked about the parents’ legal situation with given rights, laws, legal opportunities and claims. Fathers experienced a legal barrier of having two weeks of paternity leave, which was also mentioned by a nurse as a fundamental problem. Parents and nHCPs also identified difficulties in ensuring parents’ awareness of all their options and rights to get the best support they are entitled to, such as sick leave for childcare or funding from the compensation fund.

“I also want to give fathers three months, because the first time is the most important. […] The mother has memories with the child, but the father has to work all day and sleep all night. Then it feels like a two-hour visit home. But that’s the law.” (F09)

The nHCPs summarized missing or underutilized services as part of institutional resources – the lack of opportunities for parents to stay on-site and the lack of space in the Ronald McDonald House, which needs to be improved. In addition to sleep accommodations, they realized that they should be better informed about existing internal and external services, such as social services, childcare, or assistance from an emergency response agency. One physician suggested a guideline with information for parents to help nHCPs counsel and support parents. As another internal example of improvement, they mentioned that social services should be more involved as they can support parents individually in this situation. Psychological support is an already implemented and regularly used service, which benefits parental presence.

“I think you should also educate yourself a little bit internally about what’s available. So that you know the resources. Maybe there are more than we think. We just don’t know the whole structures enough to offer it optimally.” (FGD04, P4, physician)

At the personal level, parents and nHCPs recognized family and friends as facilitators through their support in caring for siblings, driving them to the neonatal unit, doing housework, caring for animals, shopping for groceries, and providing emotional support.

“Yes, immediate family certainly helps. […] They drove me here a lot. Or when they went shopping or when we came back in the evening and were able to sit with them for dinner […]. That made it a lot easier.” (M04)

Physical and psychological aspects

Mothers mainly mentioned the physical aspect. They felt worse and had to deal with pain, exhaustion, loss of energy, need for more sleep, and tighter physical boundaries. Because of this condition, traveling to the neonatal unit, staying in the hospital for a long time, and coping with everything around them became a challenge. In addition, the nurses found that the mothers needed more support due to their physical condition, and some of them were reaching their limits.

“Therefore, my husband was there. Anyone who could stand, or at least sit, could do it. However, that was not possible for me.” (M02)

Barriers were identified as the emotional burden of the situation itself, experiencing the hospital as a stressful and extremely demanding place, and of caring for and feeling guilty about the siblings. The hospital environment was mainly mentioned by the mothers of the infants with long hospital stays as emotional barrier. In addition to the hospital environment, nHCPs identified anxiety about the preterm infant, lack of parental feelings for the infant, and the mother’s psychological well-being regarding her birth experience as emotional barriers for parents.

“I sent my husband ahead because I said, “Hey listen, I need to get some fresh air right now. I can’t go in this building just yet.” So I really felt quite bad.” (M01)

“You may be afraid of the sick infant and the machinery of neonatology. You might want to look away and protect yourself. Maybe even unconsciously.” (FGD04, P4, physician)

An important aspect that made the parental presence easier was if the parents practiced self-care. Parents reported taking breaks to rest, do sports, get enough sleep, and to meet with family and friends. It was not easy for them to do so, and they were hesitant to do so. When they did, they reported a positive influence for the rest of their presence, more energy, felt better, and stated that it was critical to avoid any mental breakdowns and to manage forces.

“I would rather be there all the time. But it’s also good to be able to go home for a while. That is good as well. We also agreed that I would still go to training once or twice a week. Then you can still relax a bit.” (F08)

“I would like to be with the children more, but I see that I have to keep my strength in check. […] I have met women who are really with the infants from morning to midnight. If you look at them, it doesn’t take much longer and they collapse.” (M10)

Another aspect that parents reported as psychologically helpful was being involved in the child’s care, which made them feel like parents.

Parent-professional interaction

Parents reported poor interdisciplinary collaboration, lack of empathy, and lack of sympathy as negative influences on parental presence. Communicative aspects such as not being taken seriously, being pressured, or having bad conversation experiences also hurt their relationship from the parents’ perspective. In contrast, getting to know each other, being a well-rehearsed team, feeling welcome, or having a good relationship facilitated the parental presence, as reported by parents and nHCPs.

“Another thing that comes to mind with barriers is how parents feel or how comfortable they feel when they are here […] I think that also makes parents more likely to come or stay longer if they feel comfortable with us.” (FGD03, P4, physician)

Optimizing care was part of all FGDs on supporting parental presence. They talked about involving parents in the care, letting them take care of the infants, and having parents present during interventions. They emphasized that this depends on the infant’s medical condition and the parents’ willingness, which should always be taken into account. Other optimizations of care were mentioned with early identification of barriers and offering supportive services individually as part of the care process.

Neonatal healthcare professionals reported that providing information about the importance of parental presence, addressing absenteeism, and encouraging parental presence resulted in increased presence. This was also mentioned by mothers and fathers.

“It would be good if you could be there and do this.” We took that to heart and had to say: “That’s right.” […] That’s certainly why we came more often […] We knew that if we weren’t doing well, we didn’t have to. We have support here. We felt that.” (F05)

Cultural aspects

Neonatal healthcare professionals reported that some mothers only came with their husbands to the neonatal unit due to cultural customs. Some experienced the view that the infants were well cared for in the hospital and that parental presence was not needed as related to culture and its different attitudes.

“Then it depends again, because there are also women who culturally only come with the husband.” (FGD1, P5, nurse)

Regarding the background, the physicians experienced language barriers. They suspected that this led to anxiety and uncertainty since the parent was not able to ask questions to be properly informed. This was also mentioned by a father who reported that his wife was uncertain about coming to the neonatal unit alone and did not trust her language skills.

“She doesn’t say what’s on her mind and I think to myself, “Sometimes you just have to speak for yourself.” But she doesn’t dare. The confidence is not there.” (F09)

Parents and nHCPs experienced barriers and facilitators related to structural factors, organization and time management, activities of daily living and work, societal, institutional, and personal resources, physical and psychological aspects, parent-professional interaction, and cultural background and language. Some perspectives differed between mothers and fathers, while the overall views of parents and nHCPs provided complementary rather than conflicting insights. Our results show that the barriers and facilitators are broadly consistent with findings from other studies of parental presence in FICare interventions.

The structural factors as an outcome rich category of this study are also present in previous studies of various FICare interventions that show similar findings for barriers and facilitators with travel and distance, infrastructure, lack of space, lack of privacy, and capacity of nHCPs [ 28 , 30 , 33 , 34 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. Looking at a cross-sectional study from the US, they showed that the structural factor of room type with open bay setting, double occupancy, and single family rooms was a significant predictor of parental presence [ 26 ], which may be related to other structural factors such as space or privacy.

Regarding the resources, the most important aspect of our findings investigated in previous studies of FICare interventions and predictors of parental presence is the sleep accommodation as a facilitator to parental presence or implement interventions [ 28 , 30 , 36 , 37 , 43 ]. A study in six European countries reported that the opportunity to stay overnight was the most important factor in supporting parent-infant closeness [ 28 ]. On the other hand, another study on parent-infant closeness reported on the availability of the Ronald McDonald Houses as a possible barrier, because family rooms were earmarked for parents who lived far away [ 30 ].

The physical and psychological aspects of parental presence are also represented in studies of KMC, where parents felt anxious about engaging in KMC, experienced the hospital environment as an emotional barrier, and mothers were physically challenged by postpartum pain [ 33 , 34 , 42 ]. Similarly to parents in our study reporting communication, interaction in care, and parent-professional relationship as influencing parental presence, a study on mothers in the US found a lack of support, offer, and information about KMC from nHCPs to negatively impact the use of KMC [ 42 ].

The influence of the relationship, good collaboration, and encouragement of nHCPs as facilitators has been found in our study and previous literature on FICare interventions [ 30 , 42 , 44 ]. Concerning these findings of the important interaction between parents and nHCPs, studies of parent-infant closeness and FICare found that educating professionals, acquiring and transferring knowledge skills, and influencing nHCPs’ attitudes were critical for improvement [ 30 , 43 ].

In addition to numerous congruent and complementary findings, this study presents organization and management as a more recent finding. This category is less common in the literature, with one study of barriers and facilitators to KMC in the US identifying the difficulty of scheduling parental presence around travel, obligations, siblings, and infant feeding times, as well as the work aspect [ 42 ]. In addition, one review shows in its findings that an attempt to increase parental presence by scheduling weekly appointments was successful in increasing maternal presence [ 36 ]. As in this study, the aforementioned study did not report on the application and effects on the father, which underlies the suggestion for improvement.

Our study collected data on three perspectives: mothers, fathers and nHCPs. Given that mothers and fathers are affected by different aspects is essential to provide insight on the respective perspectives. Mothers were more affected by physical and organizational aspects related to on-site activities such as breastfeeding, while fathers were mainly affected by aspects related to work such as short paternity leave and managing life besides hospitalization. In a study of the implementation of FICare interventions in Sweden, Norway, and The Netherlands, fathers were also affected by the need to return to work and not being able to be present [ 43 ]. Another study interviewed mothers about influences on KMC and referred to the physical burden after birth [ 42 ]. Also important are the perspectives of both parents and nHCPs, who did not disagree but reported different and complementary aspects. Parents in our study were able to give more insight into their experiences and feelings in terms of physical and mental aspects, organization, and time management in terms of which activities affect them, and the impact of parent-professional interaction. Neonatal healthcare professionals’ perspectives focus more on institutional aspects such as structural factors with limited space, transfer of mothers as barriers, available internal and external services, and the need to improve regarding the use of these services and that nHCPs should be better informed. A study on KMC also interviewed both, which helped to get a comprehensive understanding with e.g., nHCPs bringing in the medical benefits and issues on barriers and facilitators to perform KMC [ 34 ].

Strengths and limitations

A strength of the study is the inclusion of the three perspectives of mothers, fathers, and nHCPs to gain a comprehensive understanding of barriers and facilitators of the individuals directly involved in this specific setting. Moreover, this study is the first to provide insights into the barriers and facilitators of parental presence in the neonatal unit in the Swiss hospital system. One limitation of the study is the inclusion of only German-speaking parents to ensure in-depth understanding and accurate extraction of data in the qualitative interviews. This may influence the findings regarding cultural and financial aspects, and parental resources concerning refugees or foreigners living in Switzerland with no or a smaller social environment. More comprehensive data may be obtained by including more languages and thus more cultural diversity in future research. Furthermore, this study only reflects the barriers and facilitators experienced regarding only one of the neonatal units in Switzerland. Another limitation is the lack of member check, which affects the trustworthiness of the study and creates a risk of misunderstanding.

Multifactorial barriers and facilitators determine parental presence and experience in the neonatal unit. In this study, parents and nHCPs made specific recommendations to improve parental presence. Further research on this topic in Switzerland and other countries would provide a more complete picture of the issue.

Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Abbreviations

Focus group discussion

Family Integrated Care

Kangaroo Mother Care

Neonatal healthcare professional

Participant

Standard deviation

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Acknowledgements

We thank all parents and healthcare professionals for participating in the study.

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Author information

Stephanie Vanessa Schmid and Christine Arnold contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Friedbühlstrasse 19, Bern, 3010, Switzerland

Stephanie Vanessa Schmid, Christine Arnold, Sophie Jaisli, Benedikt Bubl & André Kidszun

Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, Lucerne, 6002, Switzerland

Stephanie Vanessa Schmid & Erika Harju

School of Health Sciences, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Katharina-Sulzer-Platz 9, Winterthur, 8401, Switzerland

Erika Harju

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Contributions

S.S. was responsible for conceptualization, methodology, project administration, data curation, investigation, formal analysis, writing of the original draft, reviewing, and editing. C.A. was responsible for methodology, investigation, supervision, writing of the original draft, reviewing, and editing. S.J. was responsible for supervision, reviewing and editing. B.B. was responsible for supervision, reviewing and editing. E.H. was responsible for supervision, reviewing and editing. A.K. was responsible for conceptualization, supervision, reviewing and editing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christine Arnold .

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The ethics application was submitted to the Cantonal Ethics Committee of Bern (BASEC number: Req-2022-00521). The Commission judged that the project was not subject to the required Human Research Act in Switzerland. All participants provided written informed consent to participate in the present study prior to data collection. The study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki [ 45 ].

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Schmid, S.V., Arnold, C., Jaisli, S. et al. Parents’ and neonatal healthcare professionals’ views on barriers and facilitators to parental presence in the neonatal unit: a qualitative study. BMC Pediatr 24 , 268 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04758-3

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Parents' and neonatal healthcare professionals' views on barriers and
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with parents and focus group discussions with nHCPs. Inductive content analysis was used to identify barriers and facilitators to parental presence in the neonatal unit. Twenty parents (10 mothers and 10 fathers) and 21 nHCPs (10 nurses and 11 physicians) participated in the study.

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