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Leslie DeBusk
Professor Reider
English 101
9 November 2016
The Cheap Traveler
Cheap is a word that gets around. It has vastly different meanings to various individuals
in an array of different contexts. Cheap can be that great deal at the market on something rare
and amazing, or cheap alternately can be apt to describe a vendor at that same market who
refuses to haggle. In the context of travel and adventure, cheap can be the ticket to truly life
enhancing experiences which would otherwise be unobtainable. On the other hand, famously
cheap vacation destinations bear the brunt of the demands of penny pinching tourists and greedy
corporate interests. A positive case needs to be made for the conscientious and cheap traveler;
cheap, as it relates to travel, deserves a better reputation.
The word itself is derived from the Old English noun ceap "traffic, a purchase," but
eventually evolved away from being the noun for a barter or purchase, to becoming an
adjective which describes the transaction by the buyer (Cheap. Online par. 1). This assigned
role of adjective and the buyer-seller context of the word, lends to its adaptability and diverse
colloquial use. Dictionary.com has eight different definitions for cheap; some include the
neutral/positive connotations of costing little labor or trouble, to the decidedly negative of
little account; of small value; mean; shoddy. Cheap can be applied to anybody or almost
anything, as it is used to commentate on perceived value, as in that lipstick makes you look
cheap or it was so remarkably cheap; what a great deal! Cheap is a word that demands
context to fully understand its intended meaning when used. When the word cheap is used in the

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context of traveling, research should be a primary concern for the soon-to-be-traveler.
Information about destinations and service providers will create the optimal context for quality
cheap travel choices.
In an effort to control costs, many excursionists find themselves enjoying a more intimate
experience with the places they are visiting. If restaurants are too expensive for three meals a
day, it is more advantageous to eat at the bazaar which offers the added benefit of interacting
with the locals. Public transportation options, such as trains and buses, are usually a less
expensive way to move around while in country. Hostels or online couch share arrangements
can expand accommodation options outside the beaten tourist traps. Not only do these direct
tourism dollars add to those local economies, it also withholds them from internationally
conglomerated tourism interests which often exploit poor local populations. In, A Small Place,
the author, Jamaica Kincaid, outlines the general sentiments of native peoples contending with
the tourism industry:They are too poor to escape the reality of their lives; and they are too poor
to live properly in the place where they live, which is the very place you, the tourist, want to go
(par. 11). Traveling on the cheap is not often thought of as more beneficial to local people, but it
often is, and that does not always mean staying in hotels run by locals.
Backpacking and camping are also options for the more adventurous and self reliant
explorers. Backpacking tourism has economic effects in the less developed countries that are
frequented. In popular destinations such South Africa, Indonesia, and Bali backpackers typically
stayed on average three times as long as conventional international tourists, implying a larger,
more positive, economic impact (Hampton 51). Mark Hampton, director of (the Centre for
Tourism in Islands & Coastal Areas (CENTICA) in Kent Business School, makes the assertion
that, lower end tourism is more economically useful for local economies (52). Money spent at

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the locally run hostels can have a greater overall economic benefit for local populations than that
of a four star hotel. A writer on the tourist industry and poverty, Caroline Ashley estimates that
in Laos, 17 percent of money spent in up market tourism reaches the poor directly or indirectly
(qtd. in Hampton 53). This is compared to 30 percent of money spent by backpackers while in
country (Hampton 53). Backpackers carry the stereotype of being budget conscious and cheap,
but in return they can have a fuller, more immersive cultural experiences during their longer
stays in their destination countries. The also have stronger local economic impact in less
developed countries while they are there.
Cheap, as it relates to traveling, is all about strategically spending allotted funds, finding
that great price on a last minute flight or an Airbnb that is significantly cheaper than a hotel
room. Some enterprising wanderers (with good credit), have taken to a scheme called credit
card churning which manipulates travel points and bonuses gifted to new account holders,
yielding them impossibly cheap flights (Gallagher 2). Manipulating competitive incentives that
are offered by credit card companies is just another way for the determined, cheap traveler to get
to his or her destination. Some in society would be quick apply the cheap label to these
churners, either positively or negatively. The label can say more about the person applying it,
than it does about the person being labeled cheap. People who use cheap with a positive
connotation are likely less concerned with how others evaluate their own personal value. Those
who use it as an insult are probably more concerned with public perception and evaluation.
American or Westernized society has a conflicted relationship with the concept of cheap.
Capitalism demands a less expensive or labor intensive product; it is about maximizing
cheapness. The crying mouths of the middle class demands accessible goods and destinations at
ever slumping prices. Capitalism happily obliges, but the people bemoan the shoddiness of the

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products. The duality of the connotations of cheap gives the impression of wanting things both
ways. People demand a cheap price, then cuss the stupid cheap product or service when it
doesnt fulfill expectations. Developing countries are exploited for their inexpensive labor forces,
desperate economies, and soon to be adulterated natural resources. More places are available to
more people more often. Being a cheap destination can be a double-edged sword for local
economies too. As a byproduct of the cheap travel industry, local natural resources are
endangered without always benefiting local economies. Vacation destinations go out of style;
people shy away whatever came too cheaply when it becomes dirty or dilapidated, garbage piles
up on beaches, resources such as clean water can become depleted. It can be a poor gamble for
developing countries to court tourism as their primary source for economic growth or stability.
The newest generation of tourists are flowing from China. With its booming growth of
middle class consumers, Chinas tourists are putting a strain on destination countries under the
force of their collective demands. There have been many news articles and online videos
depicting the resulting cultural tresspasses of inexperienced chinese tourists. Utilizing a public
service video, state-run China Central Television endeavors to educate tourists about cultural
awareness and acceptable behavior while traveling (Taylor par. 6). The video shows a few
unruly panda bears engaged in vandalism, public urination, and littering (Ross). Any wise
traveler should learn from this example; it is wise to respect and observe local culture and
customs as much as possible. The gift of the local populations offer tourists of allowing access to
their homes, should not be taken for granted. For some people, their home and its beauty are the
only economic resources they have. For people who are unwilling to learn about or respect travel
destinations, there is always the option of a staycation.

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For some people the best way to relax and get away from it all is to stay home. The
staycation seems to be growing in popularity in a post recession economy (Yesawich par. 1).
Twentyfive percent of travelers in 2010 took a trip no more than 50 miles away from home, as an
alternative to a further destination (Yesawich par. 2). Being a tourist in ones home city is a great
way to be a traveler in life. Many people never take time to consider the interesting historical,
ecological, culinary or cultural aspects of their local area. Expeditions into formerly familiar
territory lend the traveler a better understanding and appreciation of their hometowns and
neighbors. Even in rural settings, there are always options for camping; there is less light
pollution for stargazing and astronomy, and opportunities for wildlife spotting or hiking. The
staycation can provide every bit as much relaxation and exploration for cheaper cost and with
less time spent moving to the destination. It also offers an environmental benefit. If the average
person lessens the distance he or she travels to vacation, this will lessen the amount of fossil fuel
used. Multiply this by a few hundred million and the environmental impact of non-essential
leisure travel can be greatly reduced.
The cheap traveler can embody the role of conscientious traveler, motivated primarily by
acquisition of experiences and connection to other people and places. Cheap travelers need to be
the educated travelers. They need to do research about the culture or government they are going
to visit or are visiting, find cheaper alternate transportation and lodging options within that place,
and take into consideration their economic and environmental impact while there. The epitome
of cheap, to me, is being informed when making decisions and making intelligent choices that
spare effort but do not compromise the final destination and the sheer joy of traveling.

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Works Cited
Cheap. Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001-2016. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.
---. Dictionary.com, 2016. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.
Gallagher, Jim. "Credit Card 'Churners' Travel Cheap." St Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), St. Louis
Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, Mo, 2016. Print.
Hampton, Mark P., and MyiLibrary. Backpacker Tourism and Economic Development:
Perspectives from the Less Developed World, Routledge, New York;London;, 2013.

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Kincaid, Jamaica. A Small Place, Farrar, Straus, Giroux, New York, 1988. Print.
Ross, Dimitri. Be a Good Panda, Be a Good Tourist (Sydney Public Service Ad). Online video
clip. Youtube. Youtube, 17 October 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
Taylor, Adam. "There Are Now 16 Names on Beijings List of Embarrassing, uncivilized
Chinese Tourists." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2015. Web. 01 Nov.
2016.
Yesawich, Peter C. "Numbers Now Back Up the "Staycation" Phenomenon." Hotel & Motel
Management, vol. 225, no. 6, 2010., pp. 25.