Amenities

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defines the distance between enclaves. And the other one is the ease of combining with another destination, which is a fusion of other attributes in the model. Figure 4.3 below visualizes the relationship between the attributes in this factor.

Figure 4. 3. The Relationship Between Attributes in Accessibility Source: Researcher’s interpretation based on autoethnography

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Table 4. 4. Findings on The Factor ‘Amenities’

Source: Researcher’s summary on CTA Attributes Selected

Keywords Notable Autoethnographic Notes

Communi-cation

Internet

(0.63%) - - Budget travelers have low expectation on the availability of internet for 24 hours

- ‘Communication’ is shifted and integrated into another attribute: accommodation

Financial Service

Bank (1.63%)

SK (4.83%) LA (4.38%) Tbt (3.31%)

Accommo- dation

Hotel (4.98%)

Most countries

- Backpackers are looking for an affordable place - They might move to another enclave close to the

destination in order to save expense - Hostel functions as a gathering place for

travelers to share stories, form a temporary group, and get immersed within the culture of locals and backpackers

- Travelers with similar cultural background tend to form a group

- Many hostel owners were backpackers - Internet facility is a norm

- Hostels function as the attraction for upper-scale budget travelers (flashpackers)

- Backpackers hostel in high-cost destinations might attract a wider segment of travelers, not only budget travelers

Accommo-dation (2.27%)

MY (3.96%) SG 3.56%) JP (3.48%) PH (3.42%) TH (3.16%)

Food Service

Restaurant

(1.44%) -

- Budget options for food could be found around the enclave and can be incorporated in cuisine-based attractions

Tour Operator

Tour Operator

(0.25%)

Tbt (1.66%)

- Not important in most cases

- Except in destinations where independent travelers are not allowed to enter and the situation where the concept of economies of scale is applied

Travel agent

(0.35%) Tbt (1.66%)

General Infrastructure

CTA reveals travelers concern with financial service more than communication.

Some quite significant keywords representing financial service are ‘bank’ and ‘ATM’ as shown in Table 4.4 above. Meanwhile for communication provider, the keywords appear less on the online forum with only keyword ‘internet’ managed to be rather significant.

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The participant observation suggests that communication, especially the internet, is integral for backpackers. Nevertheless, it is not an obligation to be always in the presence all the time. Many backpackers might not need it 24 hours. They don’t mind to just get connected while staying at the hostel. However, they do have a high expectation on the internet performance there, in which it often becomes a common point to complain in many OTA’s reviews such as Booking.com or Agoda. In other words, the expectation of internet provision is shifted from the communication provider to the accommodation.

Meanwhile for financial service, CTA finds ‘bank’ and ‘ATM’ are quite significant.

The global interbank network technology enables travelers to use a local ATM with foreign cards signed by the logo of Cirrus, Maestro, or Plus on the ATM counters. The mentioned brands have become a standard in relation to financial services, in which it is noted that travelers often look for the logo or ask as follows to the vendor.

“Can I use Visa?” or “Do you accept Visa for payment?”

Furthermore, the presence and technology advancement of ATMs is noted to affect the role of money changers. Some money changers are notoriously known for its risks or potential scams, e.g., unfair rate, tricks of sleight of hand, etc. It usually happens at unofficial money changers that commonly flourishing in backpacker enclaves. The use of ATMs minimizes the risk through an official, safe, and fair exchange rate. Thus, ATMs are seen to become a more favorable option for travelers.

Tourism Infrastructure

CTA reveals that the most significant attribute of tourism infrastructure is the

‘accommodation’, while ‘tour operator’ to be the least significant. The result is consistent with the autoethnography, in which backpackers are extremely-likely to spend a night in

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a backpacker enclave, making accommodation plays an integral part in a destination. It is rare to find backpackers who do day-trip to an enclave without spending a night there.

The typical topics discussed on the online forum related to accommodation are the best area to stay, personally-recommended accommodations, and special requirements (such as in China where foreigners should only stay in designated hostels). The ideal characteristics of accommodations are affordable, close to the main attractions, and have the backpacker’s ambiance in which it is not rare to find that the owner of accommodations is a former backpacker him- or herself. As illustrations, there is no backpacker enclave in Macau, which famous for being an expensive destination.

Alternatively, backpackers stay in the notorious enclave, Chung King Mansions in Hong Kong. Miyajima Island in Japan is another example, whereas budget travelers opt to stay in the mainland or even in Hiroshima to save budget.

In general, it is observed that most backpackers stay at budget accommodations, especially dorms. Usually when travelers stay in a backpacker hostel, they would meet other travelers, share stories, make friends, and to some extent create a group to do sightseeing or activities. The group would be only temporarily formed, as the members have their own itineraries, though some will create a more-quasi group and travel further together to different destinations or countries. It is also noted that when there are enough numbers of people coming from similar nations or ethnicities, they tend to make a group based on that identity. Particularly Asian travelers mingle with other Asians, though it is also observed to happen in the case of some Western travelers. This is probably driven by the idea that they are more likely to share the same nationality, language, customs, attitudes, and preferences toward destinations. Besides, the use of a social website allowing people to stay at local people’s houses, “Couchsurfing.com”, is also noted to be getting popular among travelers looking for accommodation.

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From the perspective of physical facilities, a note is taken on the availability of good internet connection in a hostel as mentioned earlier. As in high-cost destinations, many travelers expect the availability of a kitchen that can be used to reduce their food expenses. Common room is another feature that important in a backpacker hostel since it facilitates the socialization between travelers. It is also identified that backpacker hostels in high-cost destinations like Japan tend to attract more varied segments, not only backpackers. The guests can be regular tourists, a group of senior citizens, families, one-day business trippers coming for job interview, etc. Meanwhile in Southeast Asian destinations, the guests are dominated by backpackers.

Accommodation doesn’t only offer lodging service to backpackers. It might be related to other services that discussed as separated attributes, i.e., food-catering service and tour operator. As for the food service, the field observation suggests a parallel finding with the CTA, that the concerns on places to eat are not discussed very often. It doesn’t mean the backpackers don’t need the budget options of food services, but they have a different perspective toward this attribute. Backpackers assume eating places usually thrive around tourist attractions or backpacker enclaves, offered in the budget hostels, or incorporated into an attraction such as in the case of night market – which perceived to offer a compelling value proposition for backpackers: affordable, unique, and opportunity to get immersed with the locals.

Lastly, the analysis based on CTA and field observation finds that the attribute ‘tour operator’ is insignificant. However, it might be excepted in particular cases. Especially in specific destinations with special administrative or economic requirements.

In conclusion, the research emphasizes that “accommodation” is the most integral attribute in this dimension. It functions as a place to stay, while also as an attraction to

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some extent for backpackers with higher budget or the so-called “flashpackers”, and incorporates functions of other attributes. The attribute ‘catering service’ is quite significant, though its presence can be covered by other attributes, such as accommodation and attraction. So is the attribute ‘internet’ that often integrated with the accommodation, and the availability of financial service is associated more with the attraction. Figure 4.4 visualizes the relationship between attributes in this factor.

Figure 4. 4. The Relationship Between Attributes in Amenities Source: Researcher’s interpretation based on autoethnography