Global Youth Travel Awards
Celebrating excellence in youth, student and educational travel
The Global Youth Travel Awards (GYTAs) formally recognise outstanding performers in across several fields of international youth travel and reward WYSE Travel Confederation members and other stakeholders in the youth, student and educational travel industry that make an noteworthy contribution to our industry.
Voting closes on 29 January 2021, 23:59 CET.
The 2020 edition of the GYTAs is sponsored by:
Award categories
Excellence in Travel Industry News Coverage
This award recognises a provider of travel and tourism industry news that is:
- a reliable source of information on how COVID-19 is affecting the travel and tourism industry
- providing insight on topics of relevance to businesses working B2C and B2B
- clearly communicating the overarching global dynamics of the industry with attention to specific regions, sectors, products and issues, including youth travel
- accessible to diverse voices in travel and tourism
- continually demonstrating integrity in reporting.
Nominees:
Productive Cross-Industry Collaboration
This award recognises two or more organisations, one of which must be within travel or tourism, that have entered into a collaborative partnership that is:
- Provoking measurable change in the face of challenge(s)
- Producing benefits to all stakeholders, including young travellers, as a result of the change
- Developing a potentially replicable blueprint for cross-industry collaboration
Nominees:
- Backpacker & Youth Tourism Advisory Panel (BYTAP) and National Farmers’ Federation for their work to develop the COVIDsafe pathway proposal
- US Chamber of Commerce and affiliates (National Association of Manufacturers, National Retail Federation, Technet and Intrax, Inc) for their lawsuit against President Trump’s proclamation
New Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
This award recognises a travel or tourism organisation that has successfully implemented a new programme in 2020 to measure and improve diversity and inclusion in its operations
Nominees:
- CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion for fostering collective action on diversity and inclusion in business
- CIEE for the Inclusive Excellence Taskforce and the Frederick Douglas Global Fellowship
- PhocusWire for adding Diversity & Inclusion and Women’s Leadership to their list of “Hot Topics”
- Teens of Color Abroad for TOCA Online
Notable Innovation
This award recognises a travel or tourism organisation that has:
- developed an innovative product or service that was new to the youth and student travel industry in 2020 or
- harnessed new technologies/ used current technologies in innovative new ways or
- developed a new business model that has allowed the organisation to continue operating during the pandemic
Nominees:
- Clink Hostels for Shut Up & Listen
- iTEP for Fotosure
- Selina for Selina CoLive
- YELLOWSQUARE for YELLOWSHARE
Effective Use of Marketing
This award recognises a travel or tourism organisation that has effectively used marketing or advertising to and/ or:
- keep young customers engaged with the brand during 2020
- reach a new target audience
- showcase a new product
Nominees:
- Hostelworld for Virtually A Hostel
- Promote Iceland for Let It Out
- YELLOWSQUARE for YELLOWSHARE
Offline to Online Transformation
This award recognises a small- or medium-sized (SME) travel or tourism organisation that has successfully integrated digital technology into the operations of its traditional business model, such as taking an educational programme online, launching a virtual internship or remote volunteering opportunity
Nominees:
- EduAfrica for virtual exchanges
- InternsPlus for remote internships and virtual exchanges
- SANDEMANs New Europe for Tour Guide In Your Living Room and SANDEMANs Live
Excellence in Travel Industry News Coverage
This award recognises a provider of travel and tourism industry news that is:
- a reliable source of information on how COVID-19 is affecting the travel and tourism industry
- providing insight on topics of relevance to businesses working B2C and B2B
- clearly communicating the overarching global dynamics of the industry with attention to specific regions, sectors, products and issues, including youth travel
- accessible to diverse voices in travel and tourism
- continually demonstrating integrity in reporting.
Nominees:
Productive Cross-Industry Collaboration
This award recognises two or more organisations, one of which must be within travel or tourism, that have entered into a collaborative partnership that is:
- Provoking measurable change in the face of challenge(s)
- Producing benefits to all stakeholders, including young travellers, as a result of the change
- Developing a potentially replicable blueprint for cross-industry collaboration
Nominees:
- Backpacker & Youth Tourism Advisory Panel (BYTAP) and National Farmers’ Federation for their work to develop the COVIDsafe pathway proposal
- US Chamber of Commerce and affiliates (National Association of Manufacturers, National Retail Federation, Technet and Intrax, Inc) for their lawsuit against President Trump’s proclamation
New Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
This award recognises a travel or tourism organisation that has successfully implemented a new programme in 2020 to measure and improve diversity and inclusion in its operations
Nominees:
- CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion for fostering collective action on diversity and inclusion in business
- CIEE for the Inclusive Excellence Taskforce and the Frederick Douglas Global Fellowship
- PhocusWire for adding Diversity & Inclusion and Women’s Leadership to their list of “Hot Topics”
- Teens of Color Abroad for TOCA Online
Notable Innovation
This award recognises a travel or tourism organisation that has:
- developed an innovative product or service that was new to the youth and student travel industry in 2020 or
- harnessed new technologies/ used current technologies in innovative new ways or
- developed a new business model that has allowed the organisation to continue operating during the pandemic
Nominees:
- Clink Hostels for Shut Up & Listen
- iTEP for Fotosure
- Selina for Selina CoLive
- YELLOWSQUARE for
YELLOWSHARE
Effective Use of Marketing
This award recognises a travel or tourism organisation that has effectively used marketing or advertising to and/ or:
- keep young customers engaged with the brand during 2020
- reach a new target audience
- showcase a new product
Nominees:
- Hostelworld for Virtually A Hostel
- Promote Iceland for Let It Out
- YELLOWSQUARE for
YELLOWSHARE
Offline to Online Transformation
This award recognises a small- or medium-sized (SME) travel or tourism organisation that has successfully integrated digital technology into the operations of its traditional business model, such as taking an educational programme online, launching a virtual internship or remote volunteering opportunity
Nominees:
- EduAfrica for virtual exchanges
- InternsPlus for remote internships and virtual exchanges
- SANDEMANs New Europe for Tour Guide In Your Living Room
About
What are the Global Youth Travel Awards?
The GYTAs began at the World Youth Student and Educational Conference (WYSTC) 2011 in Barcelona, with a focus on bringing to light the great experiences being provided by members of our community. In subsequent years – 2012 in San Diego, 2013 in Sydney, 2014 in Dublin, 2015 in Cape Town, 2016 in Belgrade, 2017 in Montreal, 2018 in Edinburgh and 2019 in Lisbon – the awards have evolved to include members of the wider youth travel industry and a greater number of awards.
What is WYSE Travel Confederation?
The World Youth Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation is a global not-for-profit membership organisation dedicated to promoting and developing opportunities for young travellers and the youth, student and educational travel industry that serves them.
How can I contact WYSE Travel Confederation regarding the GYTAs?
If you have any questions regarding the Global Youth Travel Awards, please contact awards@wysetc.org.
Selection of nominees
Nominees for the 2020 Global Youth Travel Awards were selected by WYSE Travel Confederation’s Board of Directors and staff. The nominees are therefore put forth by WYSE Travel Confederation for public vote.
Declarations of interest
In the process of selecting nominees, WYSE Travel Confederation’s Board of Directors and staff were required to declare any relationships with nominees which could be considered to represent a potential bias in opinion or conflict of interest, such as family or personal connections, work activities and/or financial interests.
Removal of nomination
If a nominee would like to be removed from consideration for an award, the nominee may do so by informing Zoë Leno at awards@wysetc.org.
Voting
Do I need to be a WYSE Travel Confederation member to vote?
No. However, if you are operating in the youth, student and educational travel industry we would highly recommend that you join WYSE Travel Confederation as membership offers you a range of benefits, including access to the latest research, regular webinars, news and discounts on major industry events. To learn more about membership benefits, click here.
When does voting close?
Voting closes on Friday, 29 January 2021 at 23:59 CET.
Evaluation
How does the judging take place?
The winners of each award will be based on the highest number of valid votes received by the deadline of Friday, 29 January, 23:59 CET.
Awards Ceremony
When and where will the awards be presented?
The Global Youth Travel Awards 2020 will be presented via a virtual awards ceremony on 18 February 2021. Time TBC.
Can I attend the virtual awards ceremony?
Yes. Details on how to attend the virtual awards ceremony will be released in the coming weeks.
Terms & Conditions
Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully before voting in the Global Youth Travel Awards.
