Word of mouth the best way to plan your overland adventure?
Can't decide if you'd rather explore the jungles of Laos and Cambodia while travelling around Asia, or get close to lions, elephants and other big game on a South Africa overland adventure trip? Perhaps the best way to choose is by following the advice of those who have been there and done it before.
According to a new survey by the organisers of the upcoming TNT Travel Show in London, despite the modern internet-connected age in which we live, most backpackers still prefer to follow recommendations made by those they know or meet in person when it comes to planning trips.
The poll of travellers aged between 18 and 35 found that 73 per cent prefer speaking to people directly about where to go and what to do, while only 14 per cent prefer using social networks get this information.
In fact, getting away from modern technology may well be one of the appeals of adventure travel to more remote destinations, with the majority of those surveyed saying they would prefer to leave their smartphones at home when they go travelling, despite the convenience of a sat-nav function, a camera and an internet connection that many modern handsets provide.
Some 85 per cent of those who own a Blackberry smartphone and 68 per cent of Apple iPhone users would choose to totally leave their handsets at home.
The Telegraph quotes Kevin Ellis, the chief executive of the TNT Travel Show, as saying: "Our survey shows that even if the good old-fashioned holiday postcard is disappearing into youth tourism's sunset, nevertheless our audience loves human contact.
"They believe it's simply not smart to spend your travel time gazing at a smartphone."
However, there is one piece of modern technology travellers appear unable to do without - with 90 per cent of those polled saying that the standalone camera is their favourite gadget to take away with them.
