Current Issues of Backpacking Tourism Development: Profile and Characteristics of “Sharecost” and “Opentrip” Tourist

Aims: The backpacker phenomenon has developed so rapidly and more professionally packaged. Currently, there are two types of backpacker activities that are in great demand, such as "Open Trip" and "Share Cost". The purpose of this study is to identify the profile and characteristics of tourists "Open Trip" and "Share Cost", as part of a type of backpacking tour.

Study Design: The researcher used an ethnographic approach that was carried out by combining observation techniques, interviews, and participatory questionnaires, which meant researchers followed the opentrip and share cost trips as research objects.

Methodology: This approach is carried out by combining observation techniques, interviews, and participatory questionnaires, which means that researchers follow the opentrip and share cost trips as research objects. We included 73 participants each from share cost and opentrip. All participants filled out questionnaires about profiles and their characteristics.

Results: This study found that both the method of travel, both opentrip and Sharecost, have many similarities and are grouped in backpacker types. The similarity that occurs lies in the demographic characteristics of tourists in terms of age and work, but there are differences in gender. Whereas from the travel process, there are some technical differences between preparation, when traveling, until after the trip.

Conclusions: Where both share cost and opentrip have the characteristics of each market. This information is important for tourism industry players to recognize market segments that are now developing among millennials. This information can then be useful as a reference in determining marketing strategies and product development in accordance with the characteristics of these tourists.