| Backpacking is a term used to denote a | | | | supermarkets abroad instead of going to |
| form of low-cost independent | | | | restaurants. |
| international travel, differentiating it | | | | Hostels and other budget accommodations |
| from other forms of tourism notably by | | | | in the 'developed' world tend to be |
| the following typical attributes: | | | | communal to some degree, and thus |
| minimal budget use, longer duration | | | | backpacker culture is often highly |
| traveling, use of public transport and | | | | social and emphasizes the camaraderie of |
| multipliable destinations/countries. The | | | | communal life, such as the shared |
| origin of the name comes from the | | | | kitchens common in many hostels. When |
| backpacks that budget travelers | | | | backpackers stay in one place for a |
| generally carry in the interests of | | | | while, they often seek a house-share |
| mobility and flexibility. | | | | with numerous other backpackers and are |
| Many commentators see backpacking as | | | | likely to share a room to keep the costs |
| descriptive, not only of low-cost | | | | down. In the 'developing' world |
| travel, but of the culture and | | | | accommodation is normally found in cheap |
| philosophy often associated with it, | | | | hotels, pensions or guesthouses. |
| especially anti or trans-nationalism as | | | | The common language of backpackers is |
| well as a romanticization of wanderlust | | | | overwhelmingly English in varying levels |
| and a desire for "authentic" contact | | | | of fluency while German is arguably the |
| with local culture. | | | | second most common language encountered |
| The term backpacking is said to have | | | | due to the large presence of backpackers |
| originated in the early 1970s with the | | | | from Germany or Switzerland. (However, |
| advent of low-cost jet airplane fares. | | | | German-speakers will usually only speak |
| During this era it became common for | | | | German informally amongst one another, |
| young Westerners, to follow the hippie | | | | and will otherwise speak English in most |
| trail into India and Southeast Asia. | | | | other situations). Britons, Australians, |
| This period also gave birth to the first | | | | Canadians and Germans typically form |
| budget guidebooks (see Tony and Maureen | | | | among the most common backpacker |
| Wheeler) and began to change the way | | | | nationalities in the world, in addition |
| that many people looked at the | | | | to Israelis, New Zealanders and numerous |
| possibilities and opportunities of | | | | other Western European nations such as |
| travel. | | | | Switzerland or The Netherlands. |
| More recently, backpacking has become | | | | Backpackers from Spain are very common |
| something of a rite of passage in the | | | | in Latin America, where there is little |
| popular culture of some countries, most | | | | or no language barriers and the cost of |
| notably Australia, Israel and New | | | | travel and living expenses is often very |
| Zealand where after finishing high | | | | favorable for the Spanish. The same is |
| school, university or a period in the | | | | true of French in West Africa. Per head |
| army they take several months to two | | | | of population, Australia is thought to |
| year's break in Europe (some of whom | | | | have the highest representation of |
| work in this region), Asia or the | | | | backpackers, although there is no data |
| Americas. This can be put down to the | | | | available to demonstrate this |
| light population and geographic | | | | empirically. |
| isolation of these two countries from | | | | Backpacker culture is perhaps typified |
| much of the world's population and | | | | by the Lonely Planet (Australian) series |
| history, the fact that Australia and New | | | | of guidebooks, which caters to budget |
| Zealand are both affluent | | | | travelers both in its regular guides as |
| English-speaking countries where the | | | | well as, more specifically, the "On a |
| majority of their citizens can afford | | | | Shoestring" regional compilations. The |
| overseas travel, and that both countries | | | | Rough Guide (UK) and Let's Go (USA) |
| have a tradition of students attending | | | | series of guidebooks are also popular. |
| university in the home city rather than | | | | In France, the traditional backpacker's |
| moving away for college. A substantial | | | | guidebook is the Guide du routard. |
| amount of young adults from Israel also | | | | Traditionally, backpackers do not travel |
| undertake long-term backpacking trips, | | | | with expensive electronic equipment such |
| particularly after they finish their | | | | as laptop computers and PDAs due to |
| mandatory military service. Travel of a | | | | concerns about theft, damage, and |
| backpacking nature is also extremely | | | | additional luggage weight. However, the |
| popular with Northern Europeans, | | | | desire to stay connected coupled with |
| particularly the Dutch and British and | | | | trends in lightweight electronics have |
| with small sections of North Americans | | | | given rise to the flashpacking trend. |
| and Japaneses. | | | | Some backpackers take a high resolution |
| Low-cost options are popular: such as | | | | digital camera and/or high capacity MP3 |
| sharing lifts, budget flights, rail/bus | | | | Player with them on their travels. |
| passes (or if the backpacking trip is | | | | Blogging from various Internet cafes |
| circumglobal, a relatively cheap | | | | around the world is also a growing |
| round-the-world air ticket which permits | | | | phenomenon, offering a more convenient |
| numerous stops), youth hostels, free | | | | way to relay information to interested |
| hospitality services and buying food at | | | | friends and family at home. |