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Updated: 02/03/2020 | February 3rd, 2020 | Originally Updated : 04/08/19 | Originally Posted: 07/29/2009 Note: So much has changed since I originally wrote this post 10 years ago (also, isn’t it crazy that I’ve been blogging for so long?) that I thought that this funny little article needed an update. The Flashpacker is long gone. The Digital Nomad has risen. Others have remained the same. I redid this entire post on the curious species that is the backpacker after having embedded myself in their culture and learned their curious ways. *** You always hear about the distinction between tourists and backpackers, but even among backpackers, we love to group each other into categories by who is the “better” traveler. Check into any hostel, and you will find a variety of travelers wearing their distinctive tribal gear and people going “Yeah, that guy over there? Definitely the partier.” So who are the backpackers? What kind of types have I identified ...

Posted: 01/21/19 | January 21st, 2019 I’ve wanted to own a hostel since I first started traveling. During my month on Ko Lipe in 2006, I spent my lazy days on the beach dreaming of opening one in New Zealand with some friends. It was going to be eco-friendly and called “The Greenhouse.” A few years ago, I actually ended up owning a hostel in Austin. During that time, a lot of new hostels were opening in the city. Competition for guests heated up. Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country after all. As my friend and I were thinking of ways to draw in guests, we stumbled onto the Hostelworld Elevate program. (OK, he did. Then texted me all about it!) What does this program do? It gouges hostels owners — and lines Hostelworld’s pockets. As a consumer, I’m well aware that booking websites charge a commission for properties to be listed in their results. That’s how they make money. And also that “featured” properties pay more for special placement on top of regular...