Travellers need internet cafes

PING! Email newsletter arrives from trendy guidebook giant Lonely Planet with news on some research they’ve carried out with Mintel.

Apparently 95% of young travellers say a camera is the most important piece of technology on the road. No surprise there, of course.

A close second, however, is the internet café. So all-encompassing has the web become in the lives of travellers that they can’t do without it.

Interestingly the mobile phone (you never know when you’ll need one in the jungle) was further down the list, with over a third saying they did not feel it was an important item.

So what did travellers say is the most enjoyable part of travelling? Most said “exploring other cultures”, “interacting with locals” came high on the list, and the dreaded “finding myself” also featured strongly.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution