'Nowhere left to run': a study of value boundaries and segmentation within the backpacker market of New Zealand.

Abstract

In the tourism literature the phenomenon of the 'long-term, budget' traveller has been conceptualized as a distinctive form of escape from mainstream 'institutionalized' tourism flows. A common characteristic of studies focusing on this market has been the tendency to treat these travellers as a homogeneous consumer group. In Australia and New Zealand these travellers are commonly referred to as the 'backpacker' market. Our case study reveals heterogeneity within the backpacker markets in the Nelson and Marlborough regions of New Zealand. Our discussion of 'traditional long-term travellers' and 'mainstream' backpacker groups examines the diversity of underlying values influencing travel motivations and their respective forms of consumer behaviour. This paper contextualizes the discussion with respect to historical perspectives and the dynamics of associated industry development. We argue that the cultural context of globalization raises important implications for the study of travel motivations within this market.