Five backpacker tourist enclaves

Abstract

Little is known about backpacker enclaves and the concept itself needs clarification. The present study analysed the concept and surveyed the characteristics and local impacts of five varied enclaves in four nations. Most have a concentration of tourist businesses and are centrally located near transport and major tourist attractions. Tourist behaviour in the different enclaves is fairly similar. Tourists use them for convenience and inexpensive accommodation, to collect travel information and to relax and socialise. Some enclaves are nightlife centres for locals and are tourist attractions, with some foreign tourists visiting mainly to party and locals visiting to see the strange foreigners. Host-nation culture also affects some enclave characteristics and local impacts. The present analysis and data provide a sound and useful concept of a backpacker enclave and its characteristics.

A comparison between Asian and Australasia backpackers using cultural consensus analysis

“…Backpackers from Australasia express higher level of agreement pertaining to backpacking culture such as partying, drinking, and sex. This supported by the findings of Aziz (1999), Maoz and Bekerman (2010), Uriely and Belhassen (2006) and Howard (2007) who reported that backpackers do engage in consumption of drug, alcohol and sexual encounters. One reason for this is that the individuals from Australasia are generally younger and on longer trips, and another may relate to the cultural norms of the individuals home countries.…”

“…Among them are drug consumption (Maoz & Bekerman, 2010;Uriely & Belhassen, 2006), excessive alcohol drinking (Howard, 2007) and sexual encounters (Aziz, 1999). For Aziz (1999), these behaviours result in negative socio-cultural impacts and offend the host community.…”

Writing the PhD Journey(s)

“…This is also the convention in tourism studies, where backpackers have been most comprehensively studied (e.g., Hannam and Ateljevic 2008;Howard 2007;Maoz 2007;Wilson 2004a, 2004b;Sorensen 2003). This community uses the label "traveler" (as opposed to tourist), although there may be some slippage between this use of "traveler" and other, seminomadic subcultures in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including Roma people or "Gypsies."…”

Intercultural Interactions in Tourist Bars: Yangshuo, China

“…Both terms indicate a space that caters to tourists and separates them from locals and other parts of the destination. They are often designed by tourism developers and planners (Howard, 2007;Jaakson, 2004). "Tourist bubble" often refers to mass tourists whereas "tourist enclaves" may be clusters of resorts, such as the upscale, integrated development of Nusa Dua in Bali, or areas that are commonly used by independent travelers, mostly backpackers (Howard, 2007;Jaakson, 2004).…”