If you are referring to Shoestring, the famous British television series starring Trevor Eve as private investigator Eddie Shoestring, it first premiered on September 30, 1979. The show was a massive success in the UK, following the life of a former psychiatric patient who becomes a "private ear" for a local radio station in Bristol. If you are referring to the travel concept or specific companies like "Shoestring Travel," the term "shoestring" has been used since the early 19th century to describe something done on a very tight budget. Many budget-focused travel agencies and guidebooks adopted the name in the early 1970s (notably the original Southeast Asia on a Shoestring by Lonely Planet in 1975) to cater to the growing "hippie trail" and backpacker movements. In the modern context, "Shoestring" remains a global brand for group tours and budget-friendly adventures, though the 1979 TV series remains the most famous cultural touchstone for the name in the United Kingdom.