The Factors Constraint Backpacker Access to South-East Asian Countries

Abstact: This paper is to discuss internal and external factors limit the backpackers entering to those South-East Asian Countries; it is essential to understand the factors inhibiting backpacker entering and hazards facing by tourist at these countries; and this paper also guide the overland backpacker travel to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Philippine.

Keywords: Overland backpacker, South-East Asia, Internal factors, External factors.



According to Mintel (2006) almost 8 million were keen to go on a backpacking holiday in Southeast Asia, and much of the backpacker research has been undertaken in countries where the impact of backpacking is particularly evident, notably in Southeast Asia (Elsrud, 1998; Hampton, 1998; Ross, 1997). However, Elliott and Klass (1998) pointed out that backpacking through Southeast Asia does pose some risks and challenges, ranging from abduction by terrorists to bus accidents. Occasionally tourists are murdered during their backpacking holiday, and these incidents receive world-wide publicity, particularly when the victims are women. According to Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2010) the main risks and problems for travel to Southeast Asia are usually from the health related issues, which include malaria, stomach bugs and fever. Furthermore, the natural disaster and domestic war occurring in Southeast Asia countries often pose a threat to backpackers (Elliott and Klass, 1998), thus the factors constraint the backpacker access to these Southeast Asian countries, which attract an intensive concentration from the adventure tourists (Buckley, 2006). In addition to that, it is essential to understand the factors inhibiting backpacker entering and hazards facing by tourist at these countries; and this paper also guide the overland backpacker travel to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Philippine , as it provides numerous factors that might affect the access to these countries.

In Thailand, the safety and security issues in Thailand are concerned by numerous young backpackers; according to Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2010) "there is a high threat of terrorism in Thailand. Bomb and grenade attacks have been indiscriminate, including in places visited by expatriates and foreign travellers, which extremely constraint the backpacker access to Thailand. In addition to that, the border issues between Thailand and many Southeast Asian countries usually constraint the overland backpacker access to Thailand. Apart from the safety and security issues, the weather caused natural disaster is another factor that affects the backpacker entry to Thailand. On the other hand, according to Arrowood (2006) the backpackers usually try to understand the local security issue before access to these regions.

In terms to Laos, the overland backpackers from Thai to Lao can safety passing the border (Muzaini, 2005), However, there is no airlines from Laos operate to the UK or the EU, and the roads in Laos are in poor condition, and the numbers of road accidents and fatalities in Laos have risen sharply in recent year (Richards and Wilson, 2004). Apart from these factors, rainy season in Laos normally lead to mountain areas are particularly vulnerable to landslides, and flooding may occur along the Mekong river basins and elsewhere (Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2010), this suggest that the weather might largely limit the overland backpacker entry to this country.

On the other hand, Arrowood (2006) stated that there are restrictions on internet usage in Vietnam, which can affect access to websites such as Facebook and Twitter, thus some of foreign backpackers are difficult to contact with home and friends. Besides, overland backpackers are restricted travel near military installations and some areas of Vietnam are fairly inaccessible (Boobbyer et al. 2008). Moreover, independent backpackers in Vietnam are extremely restricted access isolated and rural areas if a typhoon system is forecast (Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2010).

In terms of Malaysia, the Malaysian authorities are running a vigorous campaign against illegal access. Beside, criminal and terrorist groups are planning violent acts against foreign tourists in eastern Sabah, and the local authorities are prohibit foreign backpacker access resorts located in isolated parts of eastern Sabah (Hannam and Ateljevic, 2008). While in Singapore the tropical storm and flooding at Monsoon season also constraint the backpacker access to this country (Chang, 2010), and some behaviours might lead to imprisonment or the death penalty as the Singapore strictly legislation.

Turing to Indonesia, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2010) pointed out that there is a high threat from terrorism throughout Indonesia, which cause backpacker fear for attacked by terrorist in this country, Spreitzhofer (2002) also argued that travel overland or by boat to Malaysia or the Philippines, the Philippines based terrorist groups also pose a risk to overland backpackers, thus the Indonesian government advice against all travel from Indonesia to Mindanao, in the Philippines because of ongoing terrorist activity. What's more, Reader and Ridout (2010) stated that some of backpackers are hesitated access to Indonesia as they fear for the infection of HIV. Apart from the external factors, the internal factors also inhibiting backpacker access to these countries, such as the budget, self-health problem and languages.







Reference:

Elliott, M. and Klass, W. (1998) Asia Overland: A Route and Planning Guide. London: Trailblazer Publication.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2010) Information literacy: travel and living abroad [online]. London: FCO. [Accessed 5 April 2011]. Available at: < http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad>.

Swarbrooke, J., Beard, C., Leckie, S. and Pomfret, G. (2003) Adventure Tourism: the new frontier. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.

It is very interesting to read that the literature suggests that it is so unsafe to go backpacking in the South East Asian countries. I completely understand that the opinion of the Foreign Office is relatively skeptic and even somewhat intimidating in the sense that if one was to read only their information about the countries in question, plans to go there on holiday would most likely be altered to somewhere 'more safe'.

Though the existing terrorist threats and the possibilities of natural disaster are constantly present in certain places, I do not think that the authors of the literature used have fully understood the motivation of backpackers' travel. I would think that before one (in this case someone from Europe or North America) goes on such a trip for an x amount of time to exotic places such as Laos, Indonesia or Cambodia, the preparations have been made to quite an extent taking into account the above mentioned threats. After all, if one wanders off into the jungle in a region known to accommodate rebels, it can be put up to plain stupidity... I would also think that these travelers would fully grasp the threat of malaria and other tropical diseases and take the appropriate precautions before the trip commences.

I have a lot of friends who have been in these areas on many occasions even with hostilities in neighbouring provinces and/or countries and have not been affected by it. I don't actually believe that I have heard anything bad about the countries mentioned in this paper apart from the chronic diarrhea and the likes that many travelers have to deal with, though I don't personally consider that a reason not to visit an area.

All in all, this is an interesting piece of work, especially, like said, in that the literature seems to encourage people not to travel to the region. Or at least that is the feeling I got from reading this.