Whether we want or are even aware of it, Instagram has invaded our lives in more ways than one. Its impact is easy to see on our fashion and lifestyle, on our mental health (in 2017, it was voted to be the worst social media app for mental health), and subsequently, on the way we travel. The app enables everyone to share their own travel story but in the midst of trying to fight for others’ attention, we inherently change the way we interact with destinations.
All In the Name of the Selfie
Not all people go at such great lengths but it’s becoming part of our culture to do anything it takes for the perfect shot and get all the double taps it deserves. This leads to people engaging in dangerous activities which sometimes results in fatalities.
The World Is a Stage…Literally
Instagram is making it so easy to see the world around us through a filter. Photography is no longer about catching the right moment but rather than that, creating it. Setting everything up just to get that perfect shot does not represent the destination in its reality. Instead, we see and produce a polished version of a place or experience.
Instagram Hoards & Mass Tourism
When you are looking for travel inspiration before taking off to a near or distant location, you would usually open Instagram for ideas. The geotag option gives you the chance to browse through numerous places, bookmark them, and include them in your holiday plans. This is done by so many people out there that it creates a spree of overpopulated travel destinations that sometimes can’t even handle such interest. We’ve come so far to actually rate places how Instagrammable they are.
Pics Or It Didn’t Happen
How often do we go to beautiful places just to find other tourists just like us with a phone glued to their hands? Instagram has become a real game-changer in documenting our lives. It’s almost impossible for people to go on a trip without taking multiple photographs of everything. However, this hyperactive documentation of the experience detaches us from the moment.
So, it is safe to say that Instagram has grown from an app with square photos to something that’s shaping the way we live and travel.