The advantages to international travel are far and wide. A well-traveled person has a better perspective on the world around them, having experienced more of it than their non-traveled peers. Being a bigger part of the world brings people of different countries together and erases borders.
Principally, the more traveled a person is the better perspective they have not only on the cultures of those in the countries he has visited, obviously, but also their own. This is because they have a better understanding on how their culture and members of their society operates in relation to one another. When you visit other countries and witness how other people interact, you more closely scrutinize how people interact in your own society.
Another point travel may shed some light on is how much you take for granted or what people in other countries take for granted. If you visit third world countries, you really take in what you take for granted in your own society. This can include such simple things as indoor plumbing and running water or even electricity. But there are also countries which project a higher quality of life with conveniences and luxuries that may far outweigh your own. In Canada, for example, health insurance is free. And in Japan high-speed rail whisks passengers at speeds of up to 200mph between cities.
Visiting all these different countries also lets you let go of preconceived notions you may have of far and different places. Truly experiencing the cultures for what they are, even if you are immersed for only a couple days or weeks, lets you truly relinquish any media portrayal you may hold. Americans may be amazed to now Iraqis are some of the friendliest people in the world because any opinion they may have is based solely on media scare tactics.
Travel is among the best investments you can make as an individual. It enriches your life in more ways than you could anticipate. Someone who takes in and experiences other cultures grows and develops as an individual. There is a reason they say travel is the only thing that can cost you money while making you richer.