Backpackers haul £1bn of gadgets abroad

More than £1 billion worth of gadgets and other possessions are carried around by backpackers every year, new research has revealed.

This equates to belongings worth £450 each, the study by the AA found, with mobile phones found to be the most common essential item that backpackers take on holiday with them.

Other gadgets that these travellers cannot go abroad without include digital cameras, mp3 players, laptops and hairdryers.

The findings mark a shift away from the stereotypical image of a backpacker who only jets off with just a map and a change of clothes, the AA remarked.

However, "it's understandable that modern travellers want to be able to stay in touch and be able to record memories of the people and places they see", commented Christian Young of the AA.

Last month, Tom Griffiths of gapyear.com said that Africa is one of the most popular destinations for backpackers heading abroad on a gap year.

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