The Effect on a Peripheral Destination from Changes to the Working Backpacking Market in Australia Alana Iles and Bruce Prideaux James Cook University, Australia Email: Alana.iles@jcu.edu.au Postal Address: Alana Iles Research Coordinator 555 La Trobe Street Melbourne 3000 Abstract This study examines aspects of the backpacker market in Cairns in Far North Queensland, Australia using the push‐pull model. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with hostel managers and focus groups were run with backpackers to identify gaps between the destination supply side and the demand side using the push‐pull model. The main findings were that the backpacker market to Australia has changed in recent years as the ‘push’ or motivating factors of backpackers have shifted. At the same time the attributes or ‘pull’ factors of Cairns as a destination have not changed sufficiently to meet these changes. Three main areas contributing to this gap were identified: communication, product and services. Strategies to address these issues were explored and the implications for other periphery destinations were discussed in light of this gap. The study also identifies areas for further research including using the results to provide the basis for quantitative studies into the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors identified in the research and measuring the impact of the identified gap on other outlying peripheral destinations. Keywords: backpackers, push‐pull, periphery destinations, Cairns