FYI, Tim
> > THE BEACH: SKEWED VIEW OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL?
> >
> > AirTreks.com Offers Alternative Points of Departure
> >
> >
> > SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1, 2000 -- With interest piquing
> > for the premiere of
> > "The Beach," the ethos of international travel is
> > about to go under the
> > microscope.
> > "The Beach" is the controversial new Leonardo
> > DiCaprio film depicting the
> > lifestyle of young American backpackers in Southeast
> > Asia. It is scheduled
> > for release on February 11. While the film's
> > entertainment value is a
> > matter of personal taste, its portrayal of today's
> > world traveler stretches
> > even the most expansive definitions of artistic
> > license, according to
> > international travel authority Edward Hasbrouck.
> > Hasbrouck is senior travel manager for San
> > Francisco-based AirTreks.com, one
> > of the leading international firms sending travelers
> > around the world. He
> > offers an alternative point of view.
> > "The message in the bottle that we find washed up
> > on "The Beach" is that
> > international travelers are, on the whole, a rather
> > amoral, hedonistic and
> > rapacious lot," says Hasbrouck. "My experience, won
> > from extensive travel,
> > research and interaction with our clients, tells me
> > that this is an
> > incredibly simplistic and distorted view.
> > "The real trend we've noted is a sharp increase in
> > American world travelers
> > who are younger, tend to travel independently and
> > visit more and more
> > developing countries," Hasbrouck adds. "How are Gen
> > X/Y/Z backpackers
> > approaching their travels differently than their
> > Baby Boomer parents, who
> > really authored this style of travel? What are
> > their motivations and how
> > are they growing and benefiting from their world
> > treks?"
> > Hasbrouck points out that The Beach's bleak,
> > "dystopian" view of world
> > travel does stem from both real and potential
> > dilemmas. "With larger
> > numbers of travelers taking extended, multi-country
> > international trips, the
> > inevitable wear-and-tear of mass tourism must be
> > countervailed by conscious
> > practice of socially responsible travel and a
> > commitment to prevent
> > environmental degradation wherever possible.
> > "At the end of the day, taking a trip around the
> > world has vast potential
> > for education and personal growth, and that's the
> > message we try to share
> > with our clients," says Hasbrouck.
> > AirTreks.com is the hottest place on the Internet
> > for planning, booking and
> > buying affordable multi-continent and
> > around-the-world air travel -- "air
> > treks" -- and the source for tips, talk, information
> > and advice on
> > international travel.
> > A service of High Adventure Travel, Inc.,
> > AirTreks.com uses advanced
> > technology, an extensive network of airline
> > relationships and a staff of
> > world travelers to offer "insider" air fares of
> > compelling value. The Web
> > site also contains a suite of interactive tools like
> > free e-mail, trip
> > journals and more for its multi-stop air trekking
> > clients. For more
> > information check in at http://AirTreks.com or call
> > toll-free, (877)
> > AIR-TREKS (877-247-8735).
> > # # #
> > Note to Producers/Editors: Hasbrouck, who wrote the
> > book on the subject (The
> > Practical Nomad: How to Travel Around the World,
> > Moon Travel Handbooks), is
> > available for expert interview & panel participation
> > on the following
> > subjects:
> >
> > Analysis of international travel/travelers as
> > depicted in "The Beach"
> > International Airfares
> > Role of Travel in Personal Growth
> > Travel and the Internet
> > International Backpacker/Budget Travel Trends
Tim Wallace
Box 8107, Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8107
919-515-9025; fax: 919-515-2610
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