JAPANESE BACKPACKING: THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW MARKET SECTOR-A QUEENSLAND CASE STUDY

This article reports on a study of Japanese backpackers conducted in Queensland, arguing that this backpacker sector has a range of characteristics that differ from Western backpackers who, to date, have constituted the main representatives of this segment visiting Australia. The research identified a number of areas where the characteristics of Japanese backpackers varied from those of the overall backpacker population in Australia. One major point of difference was the emphasis placed by this market segment on learning English and a preference for activities that focused on the environment rather than other activities such as soft adventure.