2009 was a good year for the backpacker industry

New Zealand Tourism Research Institute director Prof Simon Milne was interviewed by the Otago Daily Times to talk about the transformation of the backpacker market in New Zealand. Backpackers are a subset of "free and independent travellers", which also include cyclists, and those touring in campervans. Traditionally, backpackers were viewed as young, hard-drinking travellers who did things on the cheap, but this was no longer the case. Backpackers today were technologically savvy, environmentally conscious, and often travelled cheap so they could spend money on adventure tourism in places like Queenstown. Whereas visitor numbers dropped by 1.8% in the year to September 2009, 183,063 backpackers visited New Zealand during the same period, up 6% from the previous year. 

The more than 450 backpacker accommodation providers are being supported by a Tourism New Zealand marketing campaign, which is targeting the youth and backpacker market with the "Go All The Way" campaign. The campaign is timely, considering the changing face of the sector, with fewer British backpackers, from around 30% to 20% of the overall total, coming to New Zealand. Offsetting their numbers were Scandinavians, New Zealanders, babyboomers, and emerging markets such as the Chinese, Thai and Indonesians.

Read the full article here http://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/travel/88490/different-types-choose-option