A Backpacking and Youth Travel Trends Publication was recently launched at Lebo's Soweto Backpackers in Orlando West in Soweto, South Africa.
This publication was compiled by the Department of Trade and Industry (dti), in conjunction with Backpacking South Africa.
Lebo's in Soweto - Experience Township Life
Lebo's in Soweto, one of the few black-owned backpackers establishments in a black community, is becoming one of the more popular places for people wanting to experience "township" life, listen to great African jazz and visit historic Sowetan places.
Value of Backpacking and Youth Travel
Backpacking and youth travel is recognized as a valuable nice market in South Africa and to date there hasn’t been a database of information available.
This Backpacking and Youth Travel Trends publication is aimed at creating awareness about backpacking and youth travel, particularly amongst existing tourism businesses.
The travel industry in South Africa has just caught on that backpacking and youth travel is big business and that it makes a significant contribution to the global tourism economy. According to the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation, young travelers aged 16 to 24 are the travel industry's fastest growing segment. They represent over 20 percent of all international visitors and generate over 100 billion US dollars each year.
Backpacking and Youth Travel - the South African Market
South Africa's market is estimated at about 90 000 backpacking and youth travelers each year. Despite their average daily spend being less than that of many other tourists, their total trip spend is on a par and sometimes more, because of their longer length of stay. International backpackers and youth travelers to South Africa stay an average of 42 days. Their interest in rural areas and authentic experiences directly benefits certain of the country's poorer regions and communities.
One of the favorite areas of the backpacking and youth travel community is the Wild Coast where the backpacking industry has already made a significant contribution to local economic development.
