impacts of backpacker tourism

The local development impacts of backpacker tourism: Evidence from the South African experience

Published: April 2003
Volume 14 , pages 264–293, ( 2003 )

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Gustav Visser 1

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Visser, G. The local development impacts of backpacker tourism: Evidence from the South African experience. Urban Forum 14 , 264–293 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12132-003-0014-9

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Hidden Jewels. Backpacker tourism: understanding and growing a key sector.

In many developing destinations backpacker tourism is often a hidden, but surprisingly important and fast-growing sector. This lecture from a leading international academic expert, presents recent research which shows the significant impacts of backpacker tourism and how this can drive local economic development. Backpackers and independent travellers are typically 'under the radar' of tourism policy makers, yet international research has shown this sector to have extensive and powerful economic linkages to many local businesses.

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Regina Scheyvens

Third World governments often scorn international backpackers, professing instead an enthusiasm for pursuing higher-value, luxury tourism. This article presents an alternative perspective, elaborating upon ways that providing goods and services for backpackers ...

European Journal of Tourism Research

Márcio Martins

Due to its great diversity and characteristics, backpackers can increase business opportunities in many destinations that decide to invest on their promotion. Those responsible for destinations planning and management will be able to conduct marketing strategies to segments that are best adapted to local or regional reality, bringing with it, important competitive advantages. It can be promoted not only in regions where the tourism sector is already well established and developed but also in more peripheral regions usually in the margins of the main tourist flows. This paper aims to present and discuss the backpacker tourism contribution to development and poverty alleviation, emphasising some theoretical aspects related to concepts, constructs and methodological options used in articles published in Scopus platform. A systematic review of literature and a qualitative and quantitative analysis were made. In a first stage data compilation and quantitative analysis of scientific artic...

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"Backpacker tourism is now common across much of South-East Asia with key destinations such Bangkok’s Khao San Road or the Perhentian islands of Malaysia attracting significant numbers of young tourists. The region hosts the longest-established, and arguably largest, backpacker trail in terms of numbers travelling. This paper - based upon fieldwork in the region since the mid 1990s - examines this niche form of international tourism and begins by introducing the scale and scope of backpacker tourism. First, the origins are discussed, particularly the overland trail to India in the 1960s and 1970s, and the link to the subsequent emergence of backpackers in the 1980s and their diffusion across South-East Asia. The main part of the paper considers the economic development impacts of hosting backpacker tourism in South-East Asia including economic leakage and linkages, employment, local ownership and participation. Brief case studies of the local development of backpacker tourism are presented from Indonesia and Malaysia, before the paper ends by examining recent changes to the backpacker market, the implications for host countries in South-East Asia, and further research challenges."

""This paper interweaves my own personal narrative as a former backpacker with the way in which the phenomenon, and how it has been researched, has continued to evolve over recent years and so it takes the form of an explicitly reflective academic journey. In this it has some similarities to autoethnography where the writer metaphorically steps into the text. The paper has four main parts covering the last twenty or so years in approximately chronological order. The first part explores my own experiences on two major trips to Asia as a backpacker. The second part discusses the ‘academic tourist’ through the prism of several research trips to South East Asia as a researcher doing fieldwork (published as Hampton 1998; 2003; 2005, and discussed in Hamzah and Hampton 2007; Hampton and Hamzah, 2008). The third section explores what could be called way markers on the journey, that is, emerging issues as backpacker tourism (and perhaps its nature) changes over time. The paper concludes with reflections on the possible academic journey ahead, and makes some suggestions for further academic research concerning trends towards the massification but also the fragmentation of the backpacker market. Travelling, journeys, mobilities, personal stories and narrative, both grand and immediate: these are the metaphors that run through this paper. Key words: backpackers; economic development; tourism impacts; Less Developed Countries; India; Indonesia; Malaysia""

""South-East Asia has the oldest backpacker trails. This paper examines the geographies of such flows, drawing upon the largest survey to date of backpackers in Asia using qualitative research in a longitudinal study from the 1970s to the 2000s. Backpacker trails have changed significantly and new routes have emerged including the ‘northern trail’ (Bangkok - Cambodia - Vietnam - Laos). Changing routes are to be expected (backpackers constantly seek new places, pioneering for later mass tourism), however, this paper suggests that fundamentally, these changing trails are due to external variables combining travel innovations (low cost airlines, and other new transport networks); exogenous shock (political instability and terrorism); and growing regional competition, specifically emerging ‘exotic’ destinations such as Vietnam and Cambodia. Key words: backpackers; small-scale tourism; travel choice; motivation""

Clara Labonne

Supot Chunhachoti-ananta

Backpacker tourism is well-recognized by the tourism business as a tourist segment. Backpackers are normally motivated by cultural destinations and authentic experiences. Consequently, they can contribute to the economic development of local communities. This study aims to explore the demographic profiles and travel behavior of backpackers in the Khao San road area, Thailand. Additionally, impacts of the backpackers on tourism development are analyzed to deeper understand this group of tourists. The survey was carried out on 239 respondents and interviews were done with local stakeholders. The results are aligned with most previous research on backpacker’s profiles and behaviors and their effects on tourism development. From the findings, their longer stays and care about the local community can be beneficial to the sustainable tourism development. Plans and policies can be made accordingly to enhance the positive impacts and mitigate the negative ones.

Historically Digitized

Natural Resource perspectives Number 51, March 2000 This series is published by ODI, an independent non-profit policy research institute, with financial support from the Department for International Development (formerly the Overseas Development Administration). Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of either ODI or DFID. DFID Department for International Development Introduction: Putting poverty at the heart of the tourism agenda Lack of focus on poverty within the tourism agenda The International Development Target of halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015 has been widely adopted. A number of prominent development agencies, including the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), are developing sustainable livelihoods approaches in response to these targets. In the tourism sector, national governments and donors have generally aimed to promote private sector investment, macro-economic growth and foreign exchange earnings, without specifically taking the needs and opportunities of the poor into account in tourism development (i.e. what we term here ‘pro-poor tourism’). Donor-supported tourism master plans focus on creating infrastructure, stimulating private investment and attracting international tourists. Investors are often international companies and local élites, whose profits are generally repatriated abroad or to metropolitan centres. Links with the local economy are often weak, with the possible exception of employment. Since the mid-1980s, interest in ‘green’ tourism, eco-tourism and community tourism has grown rapidly among decisionmakers, practitioners and advocates. All of these focus on the need to ensure that tourism does not erode the environmental and cultural base on which it depends. But these generally do not consider the full range of impacts on the livelihoods of the poor. The current challenge for governments and donors in tourism development is to respond to changes in broader development thinking, by developing strategies to enhance impacts of tourism on the poor. Recent research in India, Indonesia, Namibia, Nepal, the Philippines, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe helps to shed light on the issues involved. Can tourism really be pro-poor? Tourism is a complex industry driven by the private sector, and often by large international companies. Governments have relatively few instruments to influence this sector, particularly in developing countries where fiscal and planning instruments for capturing non-commercial benefits are generally weak. Nevertheless, as a sector for pro-poor economic growth, tourism has several advantages: • The consumer comes to the destination, thereby providing opportunities for selling additional goods and services. • Tourism is an important opportunity to diversify local economies. It can develop in poor and marginal areas with few other export and diversification options. Remote Box 1 Significance of tourism in poor countries In 1997 developing countries received 30.5% of world international tourist arrivals, compared with 24% in 1988 (WTO, 1998). International tourism is significant (over 2% of GDP or 5% of exports) or growing (i.e. by at least 50% in 1990–7) in almost half of the 48 low income countries, and in virtually all the 53 low income and middle income countries. Among the 12 countries that are home to 80% of the world’s poor, tourism is significant or growing in all but one. Problems of definition These statistics only cover some economic aspects of international tourism. Macro-economic data generally only capture arrivals and foreign exchange receipts associated with international tourism. There are two problems with this: • They do not capture domestic tourism, nor do they disaggregate regional tourism, both of which are significant and growing in Asia, Africa and South America, and often important markets for the poor. • Foreign exchange receipts do not accurately reflect the economic contribution of tourism. In addition to ‘core’ services of accommodation and transport, the tourism-related economy also involves food and drinks, supplies to hotels, local transport and attractions, guiding, handicrafts and souvenirs. Tourismrelated services are particularly important for expanding participation by the poor. PRO-POOR TOURISM: PUTTING POVERTY AT THE HEART OF THE TOURISM AGENDA Caroline Ashley, Charlotte Boyd and Harold Goodwin

Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science

Kadek Wiweka , suci S A N D I wachyuni

Aims: The backpacker phenomenon has developed so rapidly and more professionally packaged. Currently, there are two types of backpacker activities that are in great demand, such as "Open Trip" and "Share Cost". The purpose of this study is to identify the profile and characteristics of tourists "Open Trip" and "Share Cost", as part of a type of backpacking tour. Study Design: The researcher used an ethnographic approach that was carried out by combining observation techniques, interviews, and participatory questionnaires, which meant researchers followed the opentrip and share cost trips as research objects. Methodology: This approach is carried out by combining observation techniques, interviews, and participatory questionnaires, which means that researchers follow the opentrip and share cost trips as research objects. We included 73 participants each from share cost and opentrip. All participants filled out questionnaires about profiles and their characteristics. Results: This study found that both the method of travel, both opentrip and Sharecost, have many similarities and are grouped in backpacker types. The similarity that occurs lies in the demographic characteristics of tourists in terms of age and work, but there are differences in gender. Whereas from the travel process, there are some technical differences between preparation, when traveling, until after the trip. Conclusions: Where both share cost and opentrip have the characteristics of each market. This information is important for tourism industry players to recognize market segments that are now developing among millennials. This information can then be useful as a reference in determining marketing strategies and product development in accordance with the characteristics of these tourists.

Frederick Dayour