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.
Meet the Global Youth Travel Awards nominees: Peregrine Risk Management
Nominee for Global Youth Travel Award for Notable InnovationInnovation: ForesightGuest: Wayne Britton, Co-Founder and Director, Peregrine Risk Management Peregrine Risk Management is a security...
Meet the Global Youth Travel Awards nominees: Reach for the Sky (Edge at Hudson Yards)
Nominee for Global Youth Travel Award for Notable InnovationInnovation: Reach for the SkyGuest: Haley Ward, Vice President of Sales, Edge at Hudson Yards Edge at Hudson Yards is the highest outdoor...
AIFS welcomes its first group back to Australia
After almost two years since the last AIFS participants arrived in Australia, earlier this week the first group of arrivals touched down in Melbourne. With more groups scheduled in the coming weeks,...
An end of year message from WYSE Travel Confederation’s Director General
Dear Members, Friends and Colleagues, As 2021 draws to a close, I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas holiday season and most of all, a prosperous New Year. 2021 was...
WYSE Travel Confederation calls on governments to support international travel businesses
Government support for the travel industry is urgently needed as we move into a third year of restricted movement related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses that have managed to stay afloat are...
WYSE Travel Confederation welcomes four new panel members
The WYSE Travel Confederation Extraordinary General Meeting, held on 16 December 2021, saw the appointment of four members to the WYSE Sector Panels. The Nominations Committee, comprised of Robyn...
How to be a cool employer that attracts and retains good staff
WYSE Travel Confederation Accommodation Members share tips and tactics for dealing with hospitality labour shortages during a Panel Connect Session Labour shortages have had severe impacts on...
BUNAC selects iTEP English test for UK Interns
Have you signed up to one of our industry events yet? Click the logos to find out more. Academic Language Solutions, the exchange program distributor of the iTEP (International Test of English...
CIEE and InterExchange to administer 2022 Ambassadors Fund for Summer Work Travel Scholarship Program
The Council on International Educational Exchange(CIEE) andInterExchange have announced that they have been selected to administer the Ambassadors Fund for Summer Work Travel (SWT) Scholarship...
Global Tourism Sees Upturn in Q3 but Recovery Remains Fragile
After a weak first half of 2021, international tourism rebounded during the Northern Hemisphere summer season, boosting results in the third quarter of the year, especially in Europe. ...
Australia celebrates the return of Working Holiday Makers
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s announcement on 22 November 2021 signalling the return of Working Holiday Makers was celebrated by one of Australia’s largest youth tourism company’s and...
An update from the Accommodation Panel
Dear Accommodation Members, I am sure all of us have seen highs and lows over the past few months. The hospitality industry has been forced to be constantly adjusting, which is a major challenge....
Alliance Abroad Group (AAG) announces global expansion and the appointment of new CEO
Victoria Lynden, Founder of Alliance Abroad Group, a leading global exchange provider, has announced a major transformation of the business that will see the establishment of a new Holding Company...
Crisis Management: Winter Work & Travel 2021
In this case study on crisis management, Rafael Espinoza, Founder of Universal Student Exchange (USE), explains how USE reacted proactively to the pandemic, working together with sponsors and...
Youth tourism welcomes border reopen
Australia’s youth tourism industry group, BYTAP welcomed news today that New South Wales (NSW) will remove hotel quarantine for all fully vaccinated travellers through the gateway of Sydney from...
What’s the message 18+ months into COVID-19?
For youth and student travel organisations, uncertainty on the economic and political fronts seems as certain as their propensity to modify terms & conditions and cancellation policies during...
Youth and student travel 18 months into the global COVID-19 crisis
There appears to be an improved business outlook amongst travel and tourism organisations, but let’s face it – 2020 was a pretty bad year. If your business is still around after 18+ months of a...
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...
Welcome to our new member – Kiwi Experience
Kiwi Experience is New Zealand’s only dedicated Hop On Hop Off and Small Group Operator.
Welcome to our new member Leisure Accommodation Collective
The Leisure Accommodation Collective is a collection of youth travel and accommodation venues across Australia and New Zealand. 1. To add to the above, can you elaborate a little more on who you are...
Educatius UK Achieves Prestigious BSA Preliminary Accreditation
Educatius UK, a leading provider of high school exchange programs, is proud to announce its Preliminary Accreditation by the Boarding School Association (BSA). This renowned accreditation recognises Educatius UK’s adherence to the highest standards of student welfare and safety.
WeTravel releases second annual travel trends report
Drawing insights from over 600 global travel businesses, the report shows significant changes in booking and payments since 2023, showcasing a remarkable 181% increase in travellers making total payments at booking.
Welcome to our new member – Haka House
An amalgamation of assets between GCP Hospitality and Haka Tourism Group, created Haka House Hostels which will operate 13 hostels across 11 centres throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
Isabelle Gruner takes over management of Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof
As of January 2024, Isabelle Gruner will take over the management of Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof, a hostel with 190 beds in the heart of Interlaken, Switzerland.
New year, new looks: extensive hotel renovations at three MEININGER Hotels in 2024
The European hotel group is investing in comprehensive renovations of three properties: one in Munich and two in Vienna, as part of over 10 larger-scale hotel refurbishments in 2024.
WYSE Travel Confederation invites members to co-exhibit at ITB Berlin 2024
The World Youth, Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation is pleased to announce that it will once again host the WYSE Village at ITB Berlin, the world’s leading travel trade show, on 5-7 March 2024.
Meet the new WYSE members of 2023
Welcome to all our new members of 2023. We are delighted to see our network continue to grow, allowing us to offer you even more opportunities to trade and forge global partnerships to develop your business.
Top 10 WYSE news articles from 2023
WYSE Travel Confederation: Growth and developments in the digital nomad market since COVID-19. The rise of digital nomads, identified as a niche market in 2017, has surged to around 35 million.
Design-driven hostel brand launches to cater to emerging tourism segments
The launch of a new hostel brand is set to help NZ cater to growing local and international demand from flashpackers, digital nomads, and other emerging market segments seeking community-driven travel experiences.
Be part of our growth: Alliance Abroad announces recruitment for key senior positions
Alliance Abroad, winner of this year’s Best Work Experience Provider at the Global Youth Travel Awards, is adding several senior positions to its global team to meet the increasing demand for international cultural exchange opportunities.