Gimpel is not alone in his variation on a classic hobby. A survey of 2,561 members who visited HostelWorld.com found that 86 percent travel with a digital camera, 83 percent with a cell phone, 54 percent with an MP3 player, and 21 percent with a laptop.
The industries that cater to backpackers are rising to meet this new development in the travel hobby, acquiring high-tech hookups and amenities for travelers who are carrying their tech gear.
Auckland Central Backpackers' manager Campbell Shepherd said, "We've just put in a brand new internet cafe, we got Sky (satellite TV), we've got chip readers for photo cameras, we've got video cameras so you can watch a person on the other side of the world -- these guys know how it all works and we've got to provide it."
Hostelling International in New York is hopping on the bandwidth bandwagon by providing dorm-style or private rooms starting at $29 a night with internet access and more than eight electrical outlets.
As assistant general manager Louis Cutri noted, "Just because you can afford a cell phone and a laptop doesn't mean you can afford a $350-a-night room in Manhattan."
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