Encountering begpackers

Denis Tolkach ^[1] ; Matias Thuen Jørgensen ^[2] ; Stephen Pratt ^[3] ; Wantanee Suntikul ^[1]
1. [1] Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  
  Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  
  RAE de Hong Kong (China)
2. [2] Roskilde University
  
  Roskilde University
  
  Dinamarca
3. [3] University of the South Pacific
  
  University of the South Pacific
  
  Fiyi
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Localización: Tourism recreation research, ISSN 0250-8281, Vol. 44, Nº. 1, 2019, págs. 17-32
Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
- ‘Begpacking’ refers to the practice of tourists begging, busking or selling trinkets at their travel destinations to finance their travel. Instances of begpacking have recently caused condemnation in mainstream and social media, fuelled by the perception that begpackers come from the rich Western world to take advantage of host communities in Asia. We undertake exploratory research of this phenomenon via qualitative research with begpackers in situ, combining this with social experiments in which a researcher-begpacker simulates begpacking to seek out reactions from the host community. We use our findings to characterise and conceptualise begpackers, and to investigate the interaction between begpackers and the host community. Finally, we discuss differences in perception of the phenomenon by media, the local community and the begpackers themselves.