The arrival of the internet caused many changes to how people live their lives. Information about anything is now instantly available and many kids have never heard of the Dewey Decimal System. In addition, computers are becoming smaller and more portable so even traveling has changed completely. Backpacking as a rite of passage for young people is very different now that they can do their travel research online as they go along.
It used to be that backpackers were the easiest people to spot in a budget restaurant in some exotic location. They would be the scruffy-looking, slightly smelly individuals playing solitaire with a deck of cards, writing postcards to their mom or making notes in a tattered travel diary. Now they're the scruffy-looking, slightly smelly people surfing the internet, Skyping their mom or updating their Facebook status.
The guidebook is taking on a new role too. The backpacker of today hardly ever consults the book for information about attractions or even hostels. It's much easier to consult the internet.
For a hostel to be successful these days, it needs more than comfortable beds and a clean bathroom. Many backpackers will happily sleep on lumpy mattresses as long as they can have free Wi-Fi and a fast internet connection. Having a computer hook-up in the corner doesn't cut it anymore either, since most backpackers are traveling with their own computers. Having somewhere to plug these in is more important to them.
The great thing about traveling with your computer and being able to go online almost anywhere is that it makes research about your destination so much easier. You can find and book a hostel, a flight and a bus ticket with only a few clicks. You can check the weather and look at pictures and satellite images of the place. You may even do background research on the destination's history or learn some phrases in the local language.
Computers have also made it possible to work while on the road. You don't have to get a job as a bartender when you money runs out. Simply replenish your funds with online work. With so much information available on the internet, more and more people are now even getting paid to write travel articles about places they've never been to.
As useful as the internet is to travelers, it also has several disadvantages. One of the most important is that the information you'll find in cyberspace isn't always the most reliable. Those so-called independent, impartial reviews are often paid for by the establishment or have been written by the owner's friends, if not the owner himself. Competitors use fake negative reviews of an establishment to steal its customers too.
The best way to make sure that you won't be disappointed with an establishment is to use a variety of resources. By all means, do the bulk of your travel research online but also consult guidebooks. Even better, talk to fellow travelers about the places they've been to and use their recommendations.
It used to be that backpackers were the easiest people to spot in a budget restaurant in some exotic location. They would be the scruffy-looking, slightly smelly individuals playing solitaire with a deck of cards, writing postcards to their mom or making notes in a tattered travel diary. Now they're the scruffy-looking, slightly smelly people surfing the internet, Skyping their mom or updating their Facebook status.
The guidebook is taking on a new role too. The backpacker of today hardly ever consults the book for information about attractions or even hostels. It's much easier to consult the internet.
For a hostel to be successful these days, it needs more than comfortable beds and a clean bathroom. Many backpackers will happily sleep on lumpy mattresses as long as they can have free Wi-Fi and a fast internet connection. Having a computer hook-up in the corner doesn't cut it anymore either, since most backpackers are traveling with their own computers. Having somewhere to plug these in is more important to them.
The great thing about traveling with your computer and being able to go online almost anywhere is that it makes research about your destination so much easier. You can find and book a hostel, a flight and a bus ticket with only a few clicks. You can check the weather and look at pictures and satellite images of the place. You may even do background research on the destination's history or learn some phrases in the local language.
Computers have also made it possible to work while on the road. You don't have to get a job as a bartender when you money runs out. Simply replenish your funds with online work. With so much information available on the internet, more and more people are now even getting paid to write travel articles about places they've never been to.
As useful as the internet is to travelers, it also has several disadvantages. One of the most important is that the information you'll find in cyberspace isn't always the most reliable. Those so-called independent, impartial reviews are often paid for by the establishment or have been written by the owner's friends, if not the owner himself. Competitors use fake negative reviews of an establishment to steal its customers too.
The best way to make sure that you won't be disappointed with an establishment is to use a variety of resources. By all means, do the bulk of your travel research online but also consult guidebooks. Even better, talk to fellow travelers about the places they've been to and use their recommendations.
About the Author:
Read more about How Backpackers Doing Their Travel Research Online Have Changed This Rite Of Passage.
