What does Santiago’s father believe about travelers? Why is this important to the novel and its message?

As we learn from Santiago's memories, his father at first tried to convince him to stay, pointing out that plenty of travelers had passed through their lands and said that they would like to live there. In the end, however, he capitulated and gave Santiago his blessing and three old gold coins to buy his flock. Santiago could thus see that his father himself had once had dreams of traveling the world.