Travelling or Traveling: Which is correct?

Travelling or Traveling: Which is correct?

Travelling and traveling are two words that mean the same thing (the verb travel) but are spelt differently. It is often confusing as to which is the right spelling.

Technically, there is no right or wrong way to spell Travelling or Traveling, it usually depends on whether you are writing in UK or US English.

In UK English, ‘travelling’ (with double ‘l’) is the normal practice, however, in US English, ‘traveling’ (one ‘l’) is used.

The above examples also apply to the words “travelled” and “traveller”(UK English) and “traveled” and “traveler” (US English).

The UK way of spelling the above words is also adopted by more than 50 Commonwealth Countries that once were part of the British Empire, including Canada, close neighbours of the U.S. and Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.

Which version should you use?

This all depends on the location of the audience you are trying to engage with.

If you are running a blog, YouTube channel or writing an article or press release that you want to appeal to a U.S. demographic, then it makes sense to go with only one “L”. The opposite applies if you are trying to appeal to a U.K. or Commonwealth based readership.

What is important though, is to stick to one version in a blog post or other piece of written work. Do not mix the two versions of spelling in one article, this may confuse the readers and may make no sense to them.

How to spell Traveling or Travelling, is just another aspect of why we choose to travel in the first place, to see new places, meet new people and experience different cultures and ways of doing things.

Happy Travelling…or Traveling 🙂