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For decades, hordes of travelers have explored vast sections of the globe with a backpack in tow. Whether they were hitting up the tried and true Banana Pancake Trail in Southeast Asia or memorably losing a journal during those travels, many people have viewed those trips as seminal moments in their lives.
But backpacker tourism faces an uncertain post-pandemic future. Several destinations, like New Zealand, that are popular with backpackers may focus more on attracting high-end visitors.
Moreover, the death of backpacker tourism has already been foreshadowed as the cheap flights many young travelers have relied on may become less frequent as airlines seek to recoup massive losses they’ve suffered.
Dateline Southeast Asia - December 15 to 21, 2020
developing
What you need to know
The unresolved issue of the Rohingya refugess has resurfaced after reports that they were preyed upon in a human trafficking network involving high-seas extortion gangs, corrupt police, and illegal drugs across Indonesia and Malaysia.
Most of the exploitation happens in international waters, along the porous borders of Southeast Asia.
Read about this, as well as, stories about other countries in the region here.
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