I'm from the nl and so many people fly for their holidays. It's simply not necessary. And a lot of these trips sound like visiting an attraction park to me rather than genuine travel and learning about other cultures, which would actually have some benefit.
Edit: I'd like to add that I think cultural exchange is better done through programs such as the Erasmus program. We could extend it to more people, but they should live with someone from the other culture and for a longer period. Further, it should be an exchange and not just some rich kid visiting a 'developing' country.