WYSE stand attracts record visitors at ITB Berlin 2016

Leading travel and technology brands joined WYSE Travel Confederation today, as it represented all aspects of youth and educational travel at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show.

Co-exhibiting WYSE members had a busy day of meetings at the stand with a range of potential trading partners and industry colleagues. Co-exhibiting members were: STA Travel, Contiki, Alliance Abroad Group, Colourful Ecuador Travels, Bus2alps, Bamba Experience, Cloudbeds, Clink Hostels, Freehand, GuestCentrix/CMS Hospitality, Global Encounters, SANDEMANs NEW Europe, G Adventures, Hans Brinker, MEININGER Hotels and St. Christopher’s Inns.

David Chapman, Director General, WYSE Travel Confederation said:

“We have a unique position at the heart of the industry – connecting businesses to network and trade, delivering research and education, and supporting the industry as it looks to innovate and tailor new products to Generation Z. Hosting members at ITB creates a united platform showcasing just how important youth travel has become – in 2014 USD 285 billion towards global tourism receipts’.

WYSE Workshops – millennial foodies, Snapchatters and tips for tour operators

The WYSE workshops kicked off Wednesday, luring in hungry ITB-ers with “Eat like a local: The hungry millennial traveller abroad.”

“Consuming the food is consuming the local culture,” said Professor Greg Richards during a presentation of key findings from the WYSE Travel Confederation Food & Travel survey. The survey found that youth travellers can spend up to 40% of their travel budget on food and food experiences while travelling, confirming the important role that food plays in the millennial travel experience.

If you came to Nick Hall’s “Digital natives: Differentiation in mobile” workshop and you had never used Snapchat before, you are likely to be snapping your way through the rest of ITB. Nick discussed the rise of messaging apps like Snapchat and the imperative role that developing a mobile strategy must play within your organisation in order to attract the attention of not only millennials, but now Generation Z travellers. The conversation on digital will continue on Thursday, 10 March with Google, Promote Iceland, Enterprise Estonia and WYSE Travel Confederation’s David Chapman during a panel discussion “Digital transformation in travel”.

Michael Pötscher convinced tour operators of the importance of reviews for attracting the under 35 traveller and shared tips for amplifying online visibility and sales in his session “Quick wins for tour operators”.

Audrey Scott and Daniel Noll of Uncornered Market discussed the importance of communicating travel as a meaningful experience for the millennial travel market during “Travel as a force for good: Marketing the experience”. The public can enjoy their powerful travel storytelling through photographs in the PLANET HER exhibit currently at the Gallery for Good in Berlin.

Insights on the bustling hostel market closed Wednesday’s WYSE workshops where Professor Greg Richards discussed key findings from STAY WYSE research on youth travel accommodation. A panel discussion with representatives from Clink Hostels, MEININGER Hotels and Generator Hostels “Hostels: Dirty word or revolutionary lodging segment?” will take place on Thursday 10 March at ITB Berlin.

Thursday’s sessions to continue the discussion on mobile

Professor Greg Richards starts off Thursday’s WYSE workshops with a discussion of ‘the local’ in travel, Kevin O’Shaughnessy of Indigo and CityHook will talk about what Mobile in 2020 could look like and Thomas Landen of Revinate will discuss how guest reviews can help accommodation providers to generate direct bookings.

Click here to see photo gallery