WYSE Travel Confederation and UNWTO announce the release of the Global Report on the Power of Youth Travel, volume thirteen of the UNWTO Affiliate Members Report series.

The Global Report on the Power of Youth Travel is a collection of articles and case studies documenting the economic and social impact of youth, student and educational travel. The announcement was made by Ms. Isabel Garaña, UNWTO’s Regional Director for Europe, at ITB Berlin 2016 during a panel discussion on the next generation of travellers, “From Y to Z: Are you ready for Generation Z?”

First published in 2011 as volume two of the Affiliate Member report series, the 2016 volume is available as a free download and showcases research findings, best practices and reflections from more than 20 public and private sector organisations from the across the globe. The volume highlights the positive impact that travel has on young people and the destinations that they visit.

“We are very happy to launch a second edition of the Power of Youth Travel during the 10^th anniversary year of WYSE Travel Confederation,” said David Chapman, Director General of WYSE Travel Confederation. “Youth travellers make valuable contributions to destinations, on average staying longer and spending more than other travellers. We hope that governments, tourism authorities, and mainstream tourism will consider putting youth and students at the centre of their strategies in the coming years.”

The Global Report on the Power of Youth Travel follows the updated estimate of the size of the global youth travel market announced by WYSE Travel Confederation and UNWTO at the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) in September 2015. The analysis, done by WYSE Travel Confederation in collaboration with UNWTO estimates that travellers aged 15 to 29 represent 23% of international tourist arrivals.

Download the Global Report on the Power of Youth Travel