Seeking 'older' backpackers for academic study

I am a mature student (nearly 35!) at the University of Glamorgan, South Wales, UK. I am coming to the end of a 3 year degree in travel and Tourism Management, and am in the process of writing my dissertation.

I began by looking at academic literature which exists about the backpacking phenomena. There's a reasonable amount out there but everything seems to concentrate on the youth (18-30) market. I thought it would be interesting to see if the older market differs in its attitudes, and I expect that it does.

I am still setting up the questions I would like to ask, but one that I need to establish straight away is: Have you ever heard of the term 'greypacker'. It doesn't seem to exist in any academic texts and is a phrase I heard in discussion with some local friends who could be considered 'greypackers'. I would be interested to know if you would find the term offensive, funny or simply apt!

Thanks for your time so far. I am likely to be asking about your motivations for travelling, where you go, and have you always, like me, been a nomadic traveller.

At 71 years old I continue to backpack my way around SE Asia and South America. A way of life that has kept me in top physical condition and seen as being much younger. There are many 'older' backpackers, male and female as couples and as individuals with avariety of motivations. Ecology, adventure or just plain love for travel. I think in common you will find we cannot abide being 'couch potatoes' That we enjoy life to its' fullest. Best way to understand is for yourself to backpack and observe and talk with us in the live field setting.

I am 30+, and am interested in being in this study. My first low end travel was in Australasia, aged 30+...

Having run a backpackers in the UK for 6 years and having dealt with guests of various ages I can offer you a few views...

Yes definately. The younger ones are often more concerned with partying and bed hopping than doing touristy stuff; but this depends on nationality somewhat. The young British are, by far, the most prone to drunken, noisy etc.. antics.

There are different types of oldies... and there are different forms of backpacking - short trips and long term travelling. Two types of oldies come to mind... there are the 30 somethings that keep travelling because they are in denial, can't accept mundane real life, cannot find a partner and cannot accept the fact that they are getting old. Then there are the ones who's kids have left home and they are taking the opportunity to do what they always wanted to do, but could not when they were young. Some of them land up rather disappointed when they actually do it

It may sound a bit cyncial, but it's quite close to the truth.

I can't imagine anyone being happy to be called a Greypacker!.

Indeed but as a backpacker who is now a student and over 30, very little research has been done about why people carry on (or even start) backpacking when they are older.

All the academic studies seem to be about school leavers and gappers so I am looking at a different sector. All sectors get 'labelled' and the mature backpacker will be no different. I intend to offer a few options for this 'label' when I put my questionnaire online in the next few days.

Russ

Indeed NOT happy at all. Age has nothing to do with style of travel.

Why not just call people travelers, if one wants to make a distinction between tourists and someone who travels in a modest fashion on one's own? Such a person might travel with a backpack, or a suitcase, what's the difference?

I didn't begin traveling until my 50's and haven't been the least bit disappointed. And in hostels I 've run across people of all age