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Backpackers: The next generation?
Eight individuals earned between $50,000 and $75,000; three earned more than
$75,000; and two earned over $100,000 annually. The two who earned most were
the least travelled internationally other than for work.
Newlands’ (2004, pp. 223-224) study of NZ backpackers revealed high levels of
education; this research extends those findings, with 15 of 16 subjects having
obtained at least university degrees. While 53.7% of Newlands’ backpackers
earned less than $US 20,000 per year, 10.7% earned $US 20-30,000, 7.1% earned
$US 40-50,000, and 28.5% earned over $US 50,001. An extensive study in
Australia revealed that 17.8% of backpackers earn more than $AU 100,000
(Research Works, 1999). The data for the age group of the current interviewees
shows significantly higher annual earnings as well, more closely reflecting baby
boomer economics than those found in other backpacker studies, potentially
suggesting the need to differentiate this market by age in future studies.
Participants in the current research ranged in age from 42 to 63 years, with an
average age of 52.8 years. Two individuals were native New Zealanders, but of
the remaining fourteen travellers, seven were spending their entire holiday in
this country; five considered New Zealand their primary destination, and only
three considered their travels in New Zealand to be a relatively short part (28%)
of their overall trip. As noted in Figure 1, three individuals in their 40s were
travelling an average of 147 days, with 54 of those days spent in New Zealand.
Eight people in their 50s were travelling for an average of 99 days, spending 96
days of that time in this country. Three individuals in their 60s were travelling
for 99 days with 39 days average in New Zealand. The overall average length of
stay in New Zealand for the interviewees was 76 days.
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