American ‘begpackers’ are taking over the streets of Asia, locals aren’t happy
Some American travelers have found a way to come up with funds while trekking through Asia, and locals aren’t too happy about it.
The term “begpackers,” as described by CNN, is an amalgamation of the words “begging” and “backpacking.”
The influx of unkempt, Western travelers peddling bracelets, playing the bongos, or even begging in some of the world’s poorest countries is a nuisance to natives.
The outlet added these shameless tourists are typically seen in “southeast and south Asian destinations like Thailand, India and Indonesia.”
According to Relaxnews, the Organization for Economic Cooperation reports the Asian continent is home to two-thirds of the world’s poor. More than 1 billion people live on less than 2 dollars a day. The financial fallout from the pandemic pushed more than 75 million people below the poverty line.
Stephen Pratt, department chair of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida, studied the practice from an academic perspective.
He posted as a begpacker to see how people would react to him.
Pratt took his ukulele and a sign reading “Please help me with my trip around the world” to a busy park in Hong Kong’s Kowloon district.
Pratt’s experiment proved that begpackers could be divided into three categories: Buskers (playing music/performing), selling something/providing a service, and simply asking for money.
He saw that people were more compelled to give to the busker “or someone who made an effort.”
While the method of acquiring money is questionable, it is legal for those performing or selling an item. However, begging is illegal in Thailand, India and Indonesia.
Some countries are beginning to direct backpackers to their embassies for assistance rather than begging on the street.
The logic behind “begpacking” is more than just a way for the people with passport privileges to make coffee money while traveling - it’s based on entitlement.
Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her favorite things to cover include “person of interest” pieces, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything about Beyoncé. Her bylines can be found in Blavity, Black Excellence, Signature Bride, Black Wall Street Times, and HipHop Weekly. Martie can be reached via email at martiebowser@detourxp.com.