Backpacking Trend Increases Malang’s Small Hotels Occupancy

The world’s backpacking trend really increases the occupancy of small hotels in Malang. Malang is one of the destination for the backpackers or tourists who do not have enough money to stay in big hotels or simply do not want to spend much money on their travel. They usually only bring backpack to carry their stuffs. Since they don't have enough money, they stay on small hotels. This condition keeps the small hotels’ occupancy stays high.
Helios Hotel is a small hotel in Malang. Helios Hotel’s Supervisor, Agus Suprianto, said that its occupancy is about 90 percent per month. That’s quite high. The backpackers are really a gift for the hotel. Mostly, they came from Holland and French. There are also local backpackers from Surabaya and Jakarta. They come individually or in groups.

The backpackers usually stays for two nights in Malang, before they go to other places, like Bali or Jogjakarta. While they are staying in Malang, they choose to visit two East Java’s tourism icons, Bromo and Ijen.
Sometimes, backpackers hotels are used as the base camp to share information before they visit the tourism spots. So that when they finally go there, they already have something in mind.
Backpackers are different from regular tourist that mostly only come on holidays. There are always backpackers all year long. From March to October, the European backpackers usually come, and then from December to February, Asian backpackers take the place.
source: http://malangraya.web.id/2009/08/15/terdorong-trend-backpacking-okupansi-hotel-melati-naik/