The traveller as a destination pioneer

This paper explores the role of budget travellers in pioneering destination development. It is argued that travellers are not a homogenous group, and that differences in travel experience, time and finances have resulted in varying degrees of tolerance with respect to visitor capacity, prices and authenticity issues. In analysing the destinations sought by travellers, any increase in popularity is likely to prompt certain groups to seek new destinations—those with the lowest tolerance being the first to move on. Accordingly, a hierarchy of traveller destinations results, covering those newly discovered to well-established destinations. In the process, those travellers with the lowest tolerances become in effect pioneers, leaving other groups to follow in their footsteps, which in turn attracts the attention of tourism developers and promoters. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.