Backpackers in the Northern Territory of Australia—motives, behaviours and satisfactions

Abstract

This paper reports the ®ndings of a study of 475 backpackers in the Northern Territory of Australia. It ®nds that backpackers tend to visit many of the same locations as other tourists, and like those tourists, are attracted to the natural sights of the Territory. It is also found that the backpackers can be divided into various groups. For example, of this sample about one-third had left their previous career to travel, and about 12% had just completed studies. On the other hand about one-quarter were holidaying during periods of normal paid holiday leave. It is argued that the market is not solely comprised of`life change' or rite de passage holidaymakers. Additionally, differences are found between national groupings.

Victims, hooligans and cash-cows: media representations of the international backpacker in Australia

“…Building on the scholarly foundation which underpinned Australian government policy relating to backpackers in the mid-1990s (Loker, 1993;Loker-Murphy & Pearce, 1995;Pearce, 1990), much recent research on the segment continues to reinforce the economic benefits of this market to host nations (Cooper, O'Mahony, & Erfurt, 2004;Hampton, 1998;Hanlan & Kelly, 2005;Mohsin & Ryan, 2003;Scheyvens, 2002;Slaughter, 2004;West, 2005). However, despite some recent destination specific research (Prideaux, Falco-Mammone, & Thompson, 2006, Tourism Victoria, 2002, critical examination of the social, cultural and environmental impacts of the backpacker market on destinations in developing countries (Hampton, 1998;Jarvis, 2004;and Scheyvens, 2002;Visser, 2004), have yet to be mirrored in the literature concerning the effect of an established backpacker market on developed nations such as Australia.…”

Young Tourists and Sustainability. Profiles, Attitudes, and Implications for Destination Strategies

“…• Motivations and behaviors: backpackers' motivations and behaviors are influenced by their socio-cultural backgrounds [126,127] which are also reflected during their holidays "in the scope of their interactions with other backpackers" [120] (p. 99). Analysis of their motivations and behaviors is often clouded by a stereotypical view of backpackers and by the motivations which originally gave rise to backpacking as a "rite of passage" between youth and adulthood [120,128], referring back to the educational meaning of travel typical of the days of the Grand Tour (for details on the origin of backpacking, see [119,125,126]).…”

“…Analysis of their motivations and behaviors is often clouded by a stereotypical view of backpackers and by the motivations which originally gave rise to backpacking as a "rite of passage" between youth and adulthood [120,128], referring back to the educational meaning of travel typical of the days of the Grand Tour (for details on the origin of backpacking, see [119,125,126]). …”

Consumer behavior research in hospitality and tourism journals

“…Andriotis and Vaughan (2003) studied the attitudes of urban residents toward tourism development on Crete. Trekkers perceptions of Nepal were identified by Holden (2003) while Mohsin and Ryan (2003) examined motives of backpackers in Northern Australia. Naoi (2003) used Lew's cognitive perspective in analyzing Japanese tourists' motivations.…”