Travel success can be defined by the combination of gaining experience, achieving goals and, in specific cases, improvement of foreign and domestic relations. Following this definition, it is obvious that Marco Polo had a successful career. Not only was he able to document his trip to China, but he was also able to broadcast his experience throughout Europe, immortalizing his name. Marco Polo undertook the long journey to China with his father and uncle, which changed his life forever. From becoming an ambassador for the Chinese Empire to telling his story while a prisoner of war, Marco Polo's journey has been incredible. Although it seems incontrovertible, Polo's trip may not have actually happened. There is strong evidence that all of Polo's accounts of China may be second-hand. Although there is no definitive proof that any of his stories were true, that doesn't change the fact that his journey was a success. Marco Polo's trip to China was very successful in the sense that he achieved his objectives and much more. The purpose of the journey was to deliver holy oil to the Emperor of China, Kublai Kahn, and it was delivered successfully (Baker 452-453). With this objective achieved, had Marco Polo then returned to Italy, his mission would have been considered a success. Yet Polo went beyond his initial goal: to deliver the holy oil. He became a member of the Chinese government as Kublai Kahn's ambassador and informed it of Western advances (Baker 454; Terkla 166). By playing such an important role in the Chinese government, Polo probably also improved the way the Chinese people viewed Europeans. Such improved foreign relations increased the success of the voyage by possibly improving...... middle of paper ......t of his contemporaries. Marco Polo's journey probably gave rise to further expeditions to Asia which, in all likelihood, affected trade between Asian and European countries. Although it is possible that Marco Polo failed to achieve his initial goals, such as delivering the holy oil to Kublai Kahn, his trip was a success due to the strong influence he had on relations social relations between Europe and Asia. For this reason, we can establish that Marco Polo's journey was a success.Works CitedWorks CitedBaker, Daniel, ed. Explorers and discoverers of the world. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1993. Fahey, David M. Encyclopedia of World History: V: II. New York: InfoBase Publishing, 2008. Terkla, Dan. The Oxford Companion to World Exploration: V: II. New York: Oxford University Press Inc..., 2007.