Essential
market insight
Our members gain an advantage over industry competitors with free access to the industry’s most comprehensive insights into the youth and student travel market.
Our publications are also available for individual purchase by non-members; please contact us to request a publication.
WYSE Travel Confederation calls on members and industry to lobby their ambassadors to revoke Presidential Proclamation 10052.
WYSE Travel Confederation calls upon its members, US Sponsors and their agents and the industry as a whole, to lobby their US ambassadors to revoke Presidential Proclamation 10052. The BridgeUSA J-1...
Responsible youth travel and COVID-19
Getting off the well-worn tourist path has always been a tenet of independent youth and student travel. Backpackers, international exchange students, gap year students and working holidaymakers have...
BYTAP calls on government to protect the future of Australia’s youth tourism industry
The results derived from a recent nation-wide survey of over 200 youth tourism operators conducted to measure the impact the expiration of JobKeeper will have on the inbound youth travel industry...
Projecting the recovery timeline for youth travel
Countries are making progress in vaccinating their residents against COVID-19, but travel restrictions remain for much of the world. The travel and tourism industry is eager to get back to business...
WYSE Travel Confederation’s top 10 news articles of 2020
2020 was, to say the least, an unprecedented year. We saw readers flocking to articles ranging from the COVID-19 Travel Business Impact Survey results to BUNAC securing investment following the fall...
a&o Hostels sets up COVID-19 test centres in selected properties
a&o Hostels has partnered with Berlin startup Das Lab to offer COVID-19 testing facilities at selected properties. Those wishing to travel over the Christmas period may be required to show proof...
Sustainable Development Goals and the youth travel industry
The Sustainable Development Goals form the core of a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future” and are part of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda...
London hostel performance update, October 2020
By Kelsey FenertyLondon may have been one of the last accommodations markets to lock down in Europe, but the duration and severity of the government mandate meant it has been one of the last hostel...
Hostel accommodation in 2021, according to buyers
Social distancing has been a difficult challenge for hostels. WYSE Travel Confederation estimated that social distancing has equated, on average, to a 52% reduction in capacity and a 66% drop in...
Travel product development in the face of the pandemic
As of September, the expected change in demand for 2020 compared to 2019 seems to have levelled out at -70%. After a slight show of optimism (-62%) in June, there has been little change and the...
HI USA to re-open select hostels
The United State's largest hostel network opens its doors with reduced capacity, and has introduced a new "Let's Stay Safe, Together" Health and Safety Program, and savings for guests. Hostelling...
When and where will recovery begin?
After a bit of optimism in June about demand for travel and tourism services for the remainder of the year, youth travel businesses adjusted their expectations slightly in July, saying they...
Investment in digital shift stymied drop in demand for youth travel programmes
Investment in digital shift stymied drop in demand for youth travel programmesInternships, language immersion courses, study abroad semesters and many other travel-based educational and cultural...
Viajero Hostels opens 12th property in Latin America
Viajero Hostels has opened the doors of its new property in Medellín, Colombia's second largest city. Medellín is the quintessential youth traveller's preferred travel destination in Colombia due to...
The impact of visas goes beyond cultural exchange programmes
While some businesses active in the youth travel industry are slowly getting back in operation after COVID-19 closures, organisations facilitating travel for educational and cultural exchange...
Social distancing equates to 66% drop in revenue for youth travel accommodation
Some providers of accommodation, tours, activities & attractions and youth travel programmes are back in operation with social distancing measures implemented and others are still anticipating...
Students want to come back! How New York City’s 92Y Residence is holding steady during the storm
For students moving to the Big Apple and needing affordable accommodation, 92Y Residence is a hidden gem of New York City. Situated at 92nd Street and Lexington in the Upper East Side of Manhattan,...
Spotlight on educational and cultural exchange travel after the US suspends visas for one of the most popular programmes for youth globally
Organisations dealing in educational and cultural exchange travel programmes for the student market have remained slightly more positive than the youth and student travel industry as a whole since...
WYSE Travel Confederation opposes the inclusion of J-1 visas in the Presidential Proclamation on Immigration
On 22 June 2020, the White House issued a Proclamation suspending certain nonimmigrant visas until the end of the year. In conjunction with the current closures of the US consulates and embassies,...
June a small turning point for the youth travel industry, but hopes are mostly set on 2021
A slightly more optimistic view from travel and tourism companies operating in the youth market was detected in June after three months of increasingly negative outlooks. The fourth edition of...
Love and travel, plus another Zoom call, in the time of Coronavirus
It has always been essential for the youth travel sector to focus on the unique characteristics and conditions that make tailored travel experiences possible for young people, but the COVID-19...
Experiencing Dublin from your bedroom in Ohio: Study abroad challenges during COVID-19
WYSE Travel Confederation hosts global events for the youth travel industry. Click the logos below to learn more. COVID-19 Resource Centre > Letter to governments Resources by country...
Tiritose Sustainable Travel supports local communities in response to COVID-19 impacts
WYSE Travel Confederation hosts global events for the youth travel industry. Click the logos below to learn more. COVID-19 Resource Centre > Letter to governments Resources by country...
Marketing youth travel in the shadow of global crisis
8 June 2020, Wendy Morrill and Prof. Greg Richards Marketing has obviously been on the back burner for many travel and tourism businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic because travel has been...
Welcome to our new member – Adventures in Borneo
Adventures in Borneo’s commitment to delivering exceptional adventure travel experiences, promoting environmental conservation, and supporting local communities allows us to make a positive impact in the travel industry.
WYSE Travel Confederation launches fifth New Horizons study on global youth and student travel
New Horizons combines information on the social and cultural aspects of young travellers (backgrounds, motivations, and experiences) with data on travel behaviours (purchasing, booking, product search and destinations visited).
Culture and the importance of youth travel
David Chapman, Director General of WYSE Travel Confederation spoke at the Bridging Cultures Through Travel Conference hosted by CultSense and ATLAS, the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education and Research, on Wednesday, 14 June.
Tourism Adventure Group appoints new CEO
Tourism Adventure Group (TAG), a world-renowned player in the youth travel experiences market, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Tom Cooney as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Giant inflatable flamingo or portable disco ball?
If you could pack one of those non-essential items for your next trip, which would it be? Or maybe one is essential to your next trip?*
Potential millennial demand for creative tourism experiences – research from South Africa
Creative tourism, or the active participation by tourists in creative activities in the destination, was one of the growth areas for youth tourism identified by WYSE Travel Confederation as far back as 2005 (WYSE/UNWTO, 2005).
Welcome to our new member – Amistat Hostels
With brand-new refurbished hostels in major South European capital cities, Amistat stands out by delivering exceptional experiences and facilitating connections among travellers.
Welcome to our new member – Alliance Visas
With a focus on client needs, safety, and innovation, Alliance Visas offers unique solutions in youth travel.
Five ways to get involved with New Horizons 5
It’s time for the New Horizons 5 survey, our community’s global study of youth and student travel.
Dubai Welcomes Global Hospitality Recruitment Powerhouse, Alliance Abroad
Alliance Abroad, the renowned leader in global hospitality recruitment and cultural exchange, expands its presence with a new office in Dubai.
Welcome to our new member: CHE Intercultural Exchange
CHE Intercultural Exchange specializes exclusively in serving the Japanese market, providing educational tourism for 12–17 year olds.
Welcome to our new member: Worldwide Friends
Worldwide Friends Iceland (WF) was founded in 2001 as a non-governmental, non-profit organisation promoting nature and peace-oriented activities among people.