Backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel and/or budget travel are often used interchangeably with backpacking. The factors that traditionally differentiate backpacking from other forms of tourism include but are not limited to the following: use of public transport as a means of travel, preference of youth hostels to traditional hotels, length of the trip vs. conventional vacations, use of a backpack, an interest in meeting the locals as well as seeing the sights.
The definition of a backpacker has evolved as travelers from different cultures and regions participate and will continue to do so, preventing an air-tight definition. Recent research has found that, “…backpackers constituted a heterogeneous group with respect to the diversity of rationales and meanings attached to their travel experiences. …They also displayed a common commitment to a non-institutionalised form of travel, which was central to their self-identification as backpackers”. Backpacking as a lifestyle and as a business has grown considerably in the 2000s as the commonplace of low-cost airlines,[3] hostels or budget accommodation in many parts of the world, and digital communication and resources make planning, executing, and continuing a long-term backpacking trip easier than ever before.
While there is no definitive answer as to the precise origin of backpacking, its roots can be traced, at least partially, to the Hippie trail of the 1960s and 70s, which in turn followed sections of the old Silk Road. In fact, some backpackers today seek to re-create that journey, albeit in a more comfortable manner, while capitalizing on the current popularity of the green movement. Looking further into history, Giovanni Francesco Gemelli Careri has been cited by some as one of the world’s first backpackers. While travel along the old Hippie Trail has been rendered complicated since the early 80s due to unrest in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran that continues today, backpacking has expanded to most regions of the world. In recent years, the increase of budget airlines and low-cost flights has contributed to this expansion. At present, new “hippie trails” are being formed towards Northern Africa in places such as Morocco and Tunisia and other destinations being reached by low-cost airlines.
Technological changes and improvements have also contributed to changes in backpacking. Traditionally backpackers did not travel with expensive electronic equipment such as laptop computers, digital cameras and PDAs due to concerns about theft, damage, and additional luggage weight. However, the desire to stay connected coupled with trends in lightweight electronics have given rise to the flashpacking trend, which has been in a state of continuous evolution in recent years. Simultaneous with a change in “what” they’re carrying, backpacking is also becoming less and less reliant on the physical backpack in its initial form[10] although the backpack can still be considered the primary luggage of backpackers.
Flashpacking is a neologism used to refer to affluent backpacking. A flashpacker shares some of the characteristics of a backpacker: a sense of independence, no fixed itinerary and relatively long periods of travel to more exotic and far-flung destinations. Whereas backpacking is traditionally associated with budget travel and destinations that are relatively cheap, flashpacking has an association of more disposable income while traveling and has been defined simply as backpacking with a bigger budget. The flashpacker, a product of the internet-savvy 21st Century, is the typical traveller/adventurer found on the organically-growing Banana Pancake Trail.
A simple definition of the term Flashpacker can be thought of as backpacking with flash, or style. One school of thought defines the Flashpacker as a rapidly growing segment of travelers who adhere to a modest accommodation and meal budget, while spending freely, even excessively, for activities at their chosen destination. Another school of thought defines flashpacking as an incongruous mix of ’slumming it’ and luxury; of adventurous travel with those on a budget by day and sedate dining and comfortable accommodation by night. Flashpackers have been further defined as tech-savvy adventurers who often prefer to travel with a cell phone, digital camera, iPod and a laptop, although none of these is required in order to be a flashpacker. As with other forms of travel, the term flashpacker is mainly one of self-identification. The origin of the term itself is obscure.
The term also reflects a growing demographic of travelers who are forsaking traditional organized travel, venturing to destinations once the reserve of more adventurous backpackers, and the increasing number of individuals who leave well paid jobs or take ‘career breaks’, using the time to travel independently, but with greater comfort and many of the gadgets they are accustomed to at home. As a result, hostels are evolving and offering more up-market accommodation to those still traveling on a budget in order to obtain their business. The hostels have realized a need to evolve in order to meet the changing demands of travelers. It is likely that flashpacking and flashpackers will continue to evolve with changes in technology.
“Gap-packing” is a neologism, used typically to refer to younger people, usually of European descent, who backpack to several countries in a short period of time, whilst on their gap year between school and university, or university and their first job. Gap-packers tend to, though do not always, spend a very short period of time, staying in very budget hostels and eating at roadside stalls, whilst partaking in tourist-focused activities and often, wearing clothes which differ from local, traditional dress style.
One of the central tenets of backpacking is the sense of community. Whether this takes the form of staying at in a dormitory in a hostel with a self-catering kitchen and communal TV room, sharing rides with other travelers, purchasing a bus/train pass or something else, what matters is the shared experience. This allows backpackers to learn from one another while saving money at the same time: the first-hand account of a fellow traveler can often be more up to date than what was published in a recent Lonely Planet, the long cited bible of backpacker travel.
Of equal importance in backpacking is the sense of authenticity. Backpacking is not a vacation but rather a means of education. Backpackers want to experience the “real” destination rather than the packaged version often associated with mass tourism, which has led to the assertion that backpackers are anti-tourist. There is also the feeling of “sneaking backstage” and witnessing real life with more involvement with local people. Backpacking, like other forms of travel, remains controversial. As with the general history of backpacking some of these criticisms date back to travelers’ actions along the Hippie Trail. A modern equivalent might be the “Banana Pancake Trail” which attracts a new demographic known as the Flashpacker. Criticism comes from many sides, including the host countries and other travelers who disagree with the actions of backpackers although the perception of backpackers seems to have improved as backpacking has become more mainstream.
