Travellers 'not being discouraged by credit crunch'

A writer with the Lonely Planet publishing house has claimed that the credit crunch is not stopping people going backpacking and taking other trips around the world.

David Else said that, while the number of people going travelling is not falling, there are signs that travellers are adapting their trips to save money.

For example, visitors to foreign countries are downgrading the quality of their hotels, taking shorter holidays and visiting places closer to home, Mr Else said.

Commenting on the age groups that are most interested in travelling, the writer said: "Many young people travel between finishing university and starting work and at a younger age between school and college.

"But it's not just young people – career breaks and 'gap years for grown-ups' are increasingly popular. They may travel around Europe or around the world."

Mr Else said that travellers are looking for a "complete change" from their everyday life – new experiences, adventures, encounters with new people and insights into different cultures.

According to an online traveller community, the world's top five backpacking destinations are Thailand/Laos, Australia, Amsterdam, Prague and Nicaragua.

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