Views on backpacking and youth tourism

Compare the views of tourism expressed in text 2 with those of some of the other texts.

In text 2, Sarah Hall (the narrator) has a very distinct opinion about backpackers. She has interviewed Heba Aziz, a lecturer in tourism, about her research concerning backpackers. Young backpackers aren’t experiencing the world as they are supposed to, according Sarah Hall and Heba Aziz opinion. Instead of “finding themselves” means Heba Aziz: “In reality, today’s backpackers are more concerned with smoking dope, sleeping around and congregating in well-established travellers’ ghettos, according to new research”. (Line 6-8, text 2) Heba Aziz continues with more information from her two-year research in the Egyptian beach town Dahab, where 50.000 backpackers have visited: “The reality of backpackers is contradictory. They have long been depicted as non-conformist travellers…” (Line 17-18). Being a backpacker in the world today isn’t what it seems to be. Through Sarah Hall’s article she gives the impression that the only things, young people want to explore are: Sex, drugs and hippy ghettos.

In text 3, Mark Moxon describes a religious experience he had had at a friend’s house. The friend showed him his perfect peach-coloured bathroom. The bathroom made him realise that he had to leave his life behind and travel out in the world: “I realised then and there that if I didn’t do something pretty radical, I was going to end up with a peach bathroom all of my own, and the thought filled me with dread”. (Line 8-9, text 3) Mark leaves his comfortable British lifestyle and buys a one-way ticket to Sydney, and plans not to come back. He didn’t either: “It’s the story of a journey which was challenging, difficult and amazingly rewarding, a 33-month journey through one corner of the world…” (Line 19-20) Mark sees the world through totally different eyes and experiences the real meaning of backpacking.