/** Backpackability: Find the Cheapest Places to Travel

Find the Cheapest Places to Travel

World backpacking and budget travel destinations


Most Desirable International Travel Destinations 2009 Poll

Rankings — by Nick

Survey extraordinaires Harris Poll came out with their 2009 version of the poll Top 15 International Vacation Destinations for Americans. I was first excited to see how the good ole recession and swine flu scares have been affecting Americans’ choices of international destinations…but after reading the finer print the poll actually asked participants to leave out the whole cost issue when ranking their top international travel destinations.

Well that’s almost practical. Harris Poll Fail.

But it’s still interesting nontheless (and surely for that .1% of Americans who don’t care about money). So I give you the most desirable international vacation destinations for Americans in 2009.

  1. Australia
  2. Italy
  3. Great Britain
  4. France
  5. Ireland
  6. Germany
  7. Japan
  8. Greece
  9. New Zealand
  10. Spain
  11. Canada
  12. Switzerland
  13. Mexico
  14. Brazil
  15. Jamaica

Not surprisingly, the most economical and backpackable destinations for ‘vacations’ probably appear a the bottom in Canada, Mexico, and Jamaica, while the ritzy destinations dominate the higher ranks.

For some history on the poll, I guess the destinations are pretty much all locks for the top 15 or so and I guess their ranks rarely shift more than a rank or two year to year.

As far as the breakdown goes, here are the demographic breakdowns:

  • Australia is a favorite among Men and matures
  • Women, echo boomers (me!), gen Xers, annnnd Baby Boomers like Italy
Respondents were cited saying that cost ‘would be a factor’ in their actual travel planning and choice of vacation destination.  Odd. Check out the Harris travel poll for yourself.

Backpacking Cost per Day Calculator - Travel Budgeting

Travel Sites & Tools — by Nick

I started Backpackability some time ago hoping to create an authoritative world travel cost index for backpacking destinations, but it really was a little too aggressive and I just don’t have the resources. The dream still remains alive for me, but I think it could only be accomplished with some partnerships with the authorities in travel.

Nevertheless, a fav travel site of mine, Tripbase, has come out with a simple Cost per day calculator loosely resembling my dream. The Tribpase Travel Cost Calculator just makes you enter a destination and type of trip (budget, mid-range, or luxury) and it spits out a value which seems pretty good that is suppose to cover daily lodging, meals.

It’s a great place to start when budgeting your backpacking trip, but it would be mor advantageous to see an actual breakdown of meals, hostels/hotels, and beer or alcohol (of course).

Along the same lines, Tripbase also has a variety of other calculators that are fun to toy with that give simple, objective answers that I love.  These other travel planning widgets include Travel Weather Predictor and Travel picture of the day.

So keep Tripbase’s tools in mind when making a rough, preliminary budget for you world travels.

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