In recent years, it has become increasingly common for travelers to organize their own trips, and outdoor forums often feature user-initiated short-group travel activities. But what are the advantages of this "seemingly perfect" way of traveling that attract so many adventurers, and what potential safety risks does it pose? Reporters spoke to industry experts about this.
The advantage of "backpacker tours" is freedom
Chen Zhihui, an expert known as the "Zhuge Liang of Shantou’s tourism circle," told reporters that there are several benefits to joining a backpacker tour: First, unlike traditional tour groups, backpacker tours don’t force shopping, allowing travelers to explore freely and return satisfied. Joining a package tour can save you a lot of hassle—such as arranging meals, accommodation, and transport—but it also comes with many restrictions. Once on a tour, there are usually unavoidable extra paid activities and mandatory shopping stops. Moreover, if you don’t "contribute" enough, the guide might not be very pleasant. Second, package tours are very restrictive in terms of time and itinerary, often resulting in only a superficial visit to each location. Therefore, compared to traditional group travel, adventure enthusiasts believe that designing your own route, choosing your own destinations, and arranging your own schedule offer greater freedom, a more relaxing experience closer to nature, and a better way to unwind.
The downside of "backpacker tours" is lack of personal safety guarantees
So what are the downsides of joining a "backpacker tour"? Chen Zhihui explained that first, these tours are unregistered yet profitable. Some members of the public believe that such backpacker tours, which started as a pay-your-own-way (AA) system but later began charging group fees, are essentially profit-driven. While they typically don’t openly advertise their for-profit nature online, they still collect "organizing fees" under the guise of AA contributions, with some kickbacks involved. Although the individual costs may not be high, once the group reaches a certain size, the profits can be significant. Staff from the Industry Management Division of the Shenzhen Municipal Tourism Bureau stated that "being unregistered yet making a profit essentially makes this form of travel organization illegal." Particularly when such activities are organized repeatedly online like an "internet travel agency" without the necessary licenses, it constitutes "unlicensed operation."
Second, backpacker tours carry numerous safety risks. Groups formed spontaneously online tend to be loosely organized, with members who don’t know each other. Some organizers lack a sense of responsibility or even the basic ability to manage outdoor activities, often forming teams impulsively based on enthusiasm alone. The self-guided travel model remains unprotected and unregulated, and the state has not yet established clear regulations defining the responsibilities and obligations of all parties involved. Travelers must be wary of both natural and legal risks. With the rise of self-guided travel year after year, incidents of domestic tourists suffering accidental injuries or property losses have been on the increase, with frequent news reports of backpackers being stranded in outdoor scenic spots and requiring rescue.
Third, backpacker tours market themselves as non-profit, attracting customers with low prices, which severely impacts traditional travel agencies. Opening a legitimate travel agency requires a 200,000 RMB (for domestic tours) guarantee deposit, and even more for outbound tours, not to mention the considerable costs of office space, renovation, equipment, business registration, taxes, and staff salaries. In contrast, organizing a backpacker tour might only require a computer, and at most a fax machine. The operational costs are far lower than those of a formal travel agency.
Fourth, in recent years, some backpacker tours have shown signs of losing their original spirit. Many people, seeing the profit potential, have jumped into the business. When they fail to form a group, they sometimes "sell passengers off" to other tours. And if anyone raises objections, they’re quickly excluded from the group under the excuse of not being able to endure hardships. Some "backpacker tours" even promote themselves as "no-complaints outdoor experiences" to evade business accountability.
Self-guided travel needs oversight and regulation
What’s driving the craze for self-guided "backpacker" travel? Observers point to several reasons: First, with economic development, rising incomes, and more leisure time, more people now have the means to travel according to their own preferences. Traditional, agency-led mass tourism can no longer satisfy people’s growing demand for personalized experiences. As an emerging travel style, backpacker-style self-guided tours are gradually gaining acceptance and recognition among travelers. Second, the current era of open information and internet development has also fueled the rise of self-guided travel. In the past, travelers who didn’t join a tour had difficulty achieving their travel goals, but today transportation and hotel information are easily accessible, eliminating the need to rely on travel agencies. Third, rapid socioeconomic development has provided a solid foundation for travelers. For example, improved transportation, standardized development of scenic areas, and social stability have reduced both the cost and safety concerns of travel, all of which have contributed to the rapid growth of self-guided tourism.
Although self-driving tours and backpacker tours offer the freedom and flexibility that appeal to many adventure enthusiasts, compared to organized travel agency trips, the potential risks of self-guided travel remain higher. In recent years, the media has repeatedly reported safety incidents involving backpacker tours, with participants often left without any means of compensation—something that cannot be ignored by the relevant authorities. Representatives from travel agencies in Shantou noted that while this alternative form of travel has many aspects worth learning from, and many local agencies have already begun offering personalized products to meet traveler demands, tourism management departments recommend that fee-based backpacker clubs move toward a formalized, agency-style operating model. At the same time, guidance and oversight by relevant departments—including tourism bureaus, industry and commerce administrations, and internet regulators—are essential.
