I thought I was greatly daring when I stayed in a backpackers’ hostel in Athens a few years ago.  But apart from the depressing fact that I raised the average age of the guests by 20 years, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The hostel, a ramshackle place just off Syntagma Square with a rooftop bar and a view of the Acropolis, was clean and cheerful.  I got a wink from the barman who poured me a complimentary blackberry juice, and I spent a pleasant evening swapping travel tales as the lights came on over the ancient city.

The following year, when my destination was Scotland, I discovered that the Scots have an exceptionally good network of youth hostels.  Far from being the insalubrious drug-dens that I expected, I found them astoundingly good quality.  You might have to make up your own bed and share a bathroom, but otherwise I stayed in a converted castle at Loch Lomond, had my own room a block away from the Royal Mile in Edinburgh during the Festival, a convivial dormitory at Loch Ness, and an old farmhouse on the island of Arran. All of these at a fraction of the price I would have paid for a hotel or even a B&B. As a result I will always look for a hostel or backpackers whenever I am planning a trip.  After all, when I travel I want to spend my money on excursions and attractions and shopping, not on a place where I am only intending to sleep. For years I hugged this information to myself, thinking that I had hit on the secret of fabulous travel.  But this is not the case – I am merely another statistic in a growing trend. “We have seen the backpacker market change over the last few years,” says Elmar Neethling, owner of Gibela Backpackers in Durban.  “People are cutting back on accommodation costs so that they have more money to spend on other things.  Here at Gibela we are seeing middle-aged couples; young executives; moms and dads following a trail blazed by their children. “They are not staying at backpackers because it is all they can afford – they are staying at backpackers because they want to save money on accommodation so that they can spend it on other things.  They go on plenty of trips and adventures, do a lot of shopping, and eat in restaurants.” Another travel trend, according to Neethling, is that people are taking shorter holidays.  “We’re calling them flashpackers,” he says.  “They pack more adventure into a shorter space of time, and that is why their accommodation becomes less important.  They really just want a bed to sleep in.” Another aspect to backpacking is the social factor.  In an hotel or B&B, you can either talk to your hosts and fellow guests or not, depending on your temperament.  But in a hostel, you can’t really escape the friendly chats and recommendations. “There is a huge social element to hostelling,” continues Neethling.  “We get most of our guests through word of mouth, and guests are always comparing notes about things to do and places to go.  Their itineraries are usually a lot more flexible than the more formal traveller, so when they hear about something good, they will go on the spur of the moment – and many a trip is planned in the lounge or the pub or the dining area of the lodge.” Today’s traveller is also connected.  Many people travel with enabled phones or laptops, and a lodge or hostel must be wired to appeal.  The days of travel now depend on the Internet, especially for people already on the move. “We have people contacting us the day before because they met someone at another lodge who recommended us,” says Neethling, “and they look us up on the Internet and book the day ahead.  It is vital nowadays to be Internet accessible.  The Internet has made travel so easy.” The typical ‘mature’ backpacker is affluent but doesn’t mind roughing it; usually takes a self-drive holiday; likes adventure and the unexpected; is older and wiser and well-travelled.  They are also more environmentally aware and find ‘grass-roots’ travel appealing. “I think our lodge is successful because we are quite upmarket,” says Neethling.  “We have been called a ‘boutique hostel’.  We are 100% non-smoking, and a lot of people appreciate that.  And this is not a party place with loud music and rough clientele – it is quiet and friendly, with a good location and we pride ourselves on giving above-average service.” For a place to be designated a hostel, it has to have dormitories and a self-catering kitchen.  Everything else is a matter of the owner’s choice.  But Neethling is also a tireless promoter of his business through the Internet, which has obviously paid off.  The lodge is a charming place, neat and colourful and just quirky enough to set it apart from other hostels.  Hostelling is therefore a trend that can only grow. “I was fully booked a year ahead for the Lions’ tour last year,” says Neethling, “and I am fully booked for the World Cup.  I don’t really know what to expect for the World Cup – I don’t think anybody knows what is going to happen.  It’s a first for everyone.”