Targeting the backpacker segment may be an effective means of diversifying Hong Kong's tourism market and promoting sustainable tourism, according to Dr Wantanee Suntikul, Dr Denis Tolkach, Dr Elizabeth Agyeiwaah (Ph.D. graduate) and Mr Ching-Nok Lung (BSc graduate) of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In a recently published article, the researchers revealed that, according to survey results, "backpackers are pushed by the search for new ideas and pulled by the unique food culture of Hong Kong". Destination marketers in the city should also be aware that backpackers are more likely to support the local economy than other types of tourists, many of whom visit because of its reputation as an international shopping destination.