01/08/09, 14:52:27 UTC

  e-mail this article

Flashpackers the new breed

thestar.co.za

The days of the stereotypical bearded, guitar-carrying backpacker, happy to share a dormitory, are over.

Enter the Flashpacker a more sophisticated backpacker who comes with i-Pod and laptop, who wants a private room, sleeps on laundered sheets and takes regular showers.

And then there are Grown Up Gappers - semi-retired or retired - staying longer, having more money and wanting good value an a top product.

Increasing numbers of travellers, having ethical literacy, are environmentally and socially aware. They specifically choose service providers that are proven to meet these criteria.

Tourism brings in almost double the value of the gold industry. We are talking billions here - about R66,3-billion coming from international and domestic tourism initiatives in 2006.

South African tourism growth stood at nearly 14%, while globally it grew by 4,5%.

"The adventure segment is the fastest-growing travel area for the American traveller," said Toni Sina, a convenors for the Backpacker & Adventure Conference & Expo, held at Monkey Valley, Noordhoek, Western Cape, last month.

"Backpackers are open to adventure and more resilient than tourists, not fazed by things like the tsunami and 9/11," she added.

The emphasis of the conference was on greening initiatives, with a presentation by Gareth Haysom, entitled "Pathways to a sustainable tourism industry", with the focus on reducing our environmental footprint.

This was followed by practical tips for "Greening your business", by Robin Thomson, of the environmentally sustainable Green Elephant Backpackers.

"Social responsibility and sustainability" was presented by the owner of Bulungula Lodge in Transkei. The backpacker industry is so important to South Africa that the Department of Trade and Industry has made R1,5-million available to BSA to attend conferences overseas, such as the Adventure Travel & Backpackers Expo in Istanbul in September.

The BSA is made up of people with a common goal - to show visitors our country with a complete and unique travel experience, in order to make these travellers ambassadors for South Africa.

 Printable Version  | published Jul 16, 2007