1. THE EVOLUTION OF THE BACKPACKER MARKET Presentation to the 2009 ABiC, Sydney, November 5 Philip Pearce - Foundation Professor of Tourism James Cook University For Dr Laurie Murphy and Dr Eric Brymer PLACE YOUR IMAGE HERE, CROP THE IMAGE TO FIT FORMATTING PALATTE: PICTURE: CROP TOOL. PLACE YOUR IMAGE HERE, CROP THE IMAGE TO FIT FORMATTING PALATTE: PICTURE: CROP TOOL. PLACE YOUR IMAGE HERE, CROP THE IMAGE TO FIT FORMATTING PALATTE: PICTURE: CROP TOOL.

2. Acknowledgements We acknowledge the support of the Backpacker industry through its role in assisting in the formulation of the project outline and through the reference group supporting the work. The Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, established and supported under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centre's Program, funded this research. We acknowledge James Cook University and Victoria University for their multiple levels of support.

5. Our Assumptions It makes sense to continue to use the term backpackers, even though many subdivisions and extensions to the market can be defined (flashpackers, techpackers, etc) Backpacking has a healthy future – the roots driving the phenomenon will continue to nourish demand The demand will change-technologies, communication and sustainability are altering market sources and competitor destinations world wide

13. Link Education and Backpacking Assess the backpacker potential for the emerging international youth markets from China and India which are disproportionately large in education statistics but limited in travel behaviour around Australia. This strategy could include more formal relationships between providers of international education and backpacker businesses to establish mutually useful marketing opportunities including visa extensions for student travel

14. Create a New SHM Visa Category Design a new “after graduation” student holiday maker visa (SHM) for 3 months to tap into the international student market. The purpose of this SHM is to motivate students already in the country to extend their Australian stay as tourists and or backpackers

15. Develop a Technology Watch Form a backpacker industry working party to maintain a technology watch and research agenda with a particular task to report on technology changes. This group should direct the design of skill building workshops and industry communication opportunities including informative web sites and training sessions for backpacker operators

16. Develop Specialist Technology Training Services FOR BUSINESSES: Create training courses, information services and special workshops for operators focussing on new communication technologies

17. A Side Note: Techpacker Havens Some backpacker businesses may become leaders and training centres attracting “techpackers”- those backpackers who seek the most up to date facilities and technology enabling travel experiences.

18. Volunteer Summit Stimulate partnerships through a Backpacking - Volunteering summit, in effect a major workshop between backpacker operators and multiple care agencies for volunteer opportunities in Australia. The parties should meet to discuss packaging and mutual opportunities and should include social and community interest groups as well as environmental agencies where volunteering is a developing activity

20. More Country Specific Promotional Sources Design more specific country by country promotional material for backpackers taking into account emerging international differences in technology use and interest areas. For example, strong differences exist in the study findings among Irish, German, Scandinavian and UK markets and more specific promotional efforts such as 100 famous Australian experiences for each market national group should be developed. This approach together with new suggested touring routes could be directed at better regional distribution of backpackers

21. Create Australian “Backpacker Houses” Create a more accessible international presence for backpacker tourists in key source markets (Germany Ireland, UK, Sweden) and in a stop-over destination such as Thailand, Singapore through Australian Backpacker “houses” to act as a one-stop shop for the provision of information to potential backpackers

22. Pursue Quality Labelling for Customer Confidence Pursue quality control mechanisms to underpin the image of Australian backpacking This approach should be incorporated into the national tourism accreditation framework (NTAF) specifically for the backpacker world and backpacker attention, particularly focussing on cleanliness, accommodation quality, sustainability issues and professionalism The incorporation of superior green business practices would be a contribution to the quality standards Mixing customer responses and external evaluation should be considered

24. Other Ways to “Read” the Study This presentation has concentrated on strategies - a broad view The study can be “mined” for other ways to read the data about future preferences and directions Not discussed so much in the report but could be tailored with consultation to specific businesses and regions.

27. Questions

28. STCRC Partners