KATE HOLMQUIST
BACKPACKERS tend to be ahead of travel trends, predicting which destinations the rest of us will be paying a lot more to visit in a few years' time. Since 2007, hostel bookings have doubled for Livingstone in Zambia, Essaouira in Morocco, and Aswan in Egypt, according to Hostelworld.com, which has its headquarters in Dublin.
First on the company's list of the top 10 hostel destinations is Essaouira, situated on a curling beach, with French- and Portuguese-inspired architecture. "This coastal fishing village is still in the very early stages of tourism, meaning visitors are guaranteed more of an authentically local experience," says Hostelworld.com.
At number two is Aswan, Egypt, on the east bank of the Nile, 130km south of Luxor, and third place goes to Bratislava, Slovakia, dubbed "the new Prague".
Kyoto, in Japan's heartland, saw the largest increase in backpackers - up 160 per cent on last year, and takes fourth place on the list. Visitors to the city's Backpackers Hostel House can sleep in traditional Japanese style in private accommodation, as well as in air-conditioned dorm-style rooms.
Argentina continues to draw Irish and European backpackers - 82 per cent more than last year - and the highlight for many is Puerto Iguazú, with its subtropical climate and national park. It takes fifth place.
In ninth place is the capital city of Shaanxi province in Xi'an, China, where there is an international youth hostel which, it is said, the brother of a Song dynasty emperor once lived. Bookings have doubled there too as backpackers take in local sites, such as the renowned Terra Cotta Warriors.
Also on www.hostelworld.com's top 10 are Bratislava, Slovakia (up 66 per cent), Cascais, Portugal (up 68 per cent), Zagreb, Croatia (up 90 per cent) and Amman, Jordan (up 89 per cent).
The Zambian hostel awarded as sixth-best destination was Jollyboys Backpackers, eight kilometres from Victoria Falls, which was praised in the list for its spotless rooms.
See Manchán Magan on
Zambia, pages 12-14