Australia wants to minimize the use of the word backpacker:
"Tourism operators are moving to minimise the use of the term backpacker, with its cheap, young and drunken connotations, in a bid to increase visitor numbers and maintain their market.
More news about the closing of youth hostels in the UK:
"Business owners in Greenhead and Acomb say the villages will be "hit very hard" when their youth hostels close later this year.
Irish hostels expect business to increase this year:
"Two thirds of hoteliers across the country expect business this year to be well ahead of last year, according to the latest tourism industry barometer survey by Failte Ireland.
Hostel news about the Chinese Taipei Youth Hostel Association of Taiwan:
"The International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF) has accepted the Chinese Taipei Youth Hostel Association of Taiwan as a member, a spokesman for the local association said yesterday.
Base Backpackers and Beyond Backpackers are merging:
The Bangkok Post reports that although the overall number of visitors declined by 1.15% in 2005, hostelling is up:
An article in the Vancouver Sun talks about a successful hostel in the Canadian Rockies:
The New York Times is running a story about travel writers.
