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.
Dining platform VizEat rebrands to newly acquired Eatwith
VizEat, a WYSE Travel Confederation member and the world’s largest community for local food experiences, is officially rebranding to Eatwith, following its recent acquisition of the San...
Hello Kitty appointed Special Ambassador of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism Development 2017
Sanrio's best-known character, Hello Kitty will help promote UNWTO's 2017 “International Year of Sustainable Tourism Development” campaign “Travel. Enjoy. Respect”. “Travelling opens our minds and...
WYSE Travel Confederation recognised for creating an ‘incredible impact’
WYSE Travel Confederation has been recognised by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and BestCities Global Alliance as a leading example of excellence within the meeting...
Feeling happy or feeling old? You must be travelling
Some say travel is like cheese or wine – it gets better with age. Others say travel is best when you’re young. The question of optimal age for travel was tackled from the perspective of a Millennial...
UK campaigns to send more students abroad
Universities UK International has launched a three-year campaign to increase the number of United Kingdom students studying, working and volunteering abroad for two or more weeks as part of their...
New Horizons survey gathers 57 thousand responses
The fourth edition of the New Horizons global survey of the youth and student traveller has brought in a record-breaking number of responses. More than 57,000 survey responses have been counted, and...
Turkish students eye alternatives to US Universities
Turkish students are exploring the possibility of studying in the UK and Canada following the visa row with the United States, according to recent reports.“I was going to the US with the Work and...
Welcome to our newest member – Steep International Ltd. from Jamaica
Students, Tourists, Educators Exchange Program (STEEP) International is a private non-governmental organisation, designed and established to develop student and youth tourism throughout Jamaica and...
UNWTO: Social media changing destination branding
Ministers of Tourism and private sector leaders meeting at the 9th UNWTO & World Travel Market (WTM) Ministers' Summit agreed that destination branding and the way tourism marketing...
Youth and student travellers age 15 to 29 represent 23% of international tourist arrivals
WYSE Travel Confederation and the World Tourism Organization have together announced an updated estimate of the size of the global youth travel market according to which youth and student travellers...
Latest Backpacker stats from Tourism Research Australia
The latest stats from Tourism Research Australia (TRA) have just been released, these are for the year ending March 2015. In short Australia remains a massively desirable country to visit. Young...
Welcome to our new member Cloudbeds
WYSE Travel Confederation’s new member, Cloudbeds creates browser-based hospitality management software that simplifies the working life of hoteliers. Cloudbeds' award-winning software is trusted...
10 things you might not know about the youth travel market
According to Diego Saez-Gil, Founder of WeHostels and VP at StudentUniverse, even after several years working in the youth travel market he doesn't stop getting surprised by how fascinating this...
Travel improves educational attainment & future success
A new survey, "Travel Improves Educational Attainment & Future Success," explores the impact of learning-focused travel on academic performance and career growth. The findings demonstrate...
Travel Types of the 21st century – Traveler vs. Tourist
Gomio.com examines the terminology of the modern travel industry. Make the mistake of calling a “hostel-traveler” a tourist and you may find yourself getting a cold shoulder and stink eye… if not...
Studying abroad helps students gain an edge on fellow classmates
StudentUniverse discusses the reasons why traveling abroad helps students enhance their personal and professional development. As students prepare to head back to college this Fall, many grapple...
EF Education First launches research project on language learning with Harvard graduate school of education faculty
Why do students from certain countries learn English more easily than students in other places? Why do the most effective strategies for teaching English to Russian and Chinese students differ...
The Economic and Social Value of the US J-1 Visa Programme
Faced with changes to US immigration legislation that could threaten educational and cultural exchanges in the country, WYSE Travel Confederation presents its own research which shows the major...
BYTAP and Tourism Australia launch digital content initiative to promote Australia
The Backpacker & Youth Tourism Advisory Panel (BYTAP) has been working on a digital content initiative to promote Australia. Over 200 photos and five short videos are now freely available for...
U.S. Department of State announces change to DS-2019 form requirements
The change will allow designated Sponsors for the Exchange Visitor Program to digitally sign and electronically transmit the Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status,
Youth travel and Brexit
The Brexit vote in 2016 to leave the European Union eventually led to the UK formally departing on 31 January 2020. Since then, there has been much speculation on the consequences of Brexit for many...
Barcelona Pere Tarrés Youth Hostel receives Biosphere certification for commitment to the environment
Barcelona Pere Tarrés Youth Hostel has been awarded the Biosphere certification, one of the most important sustainability accreditations in the tourism sector, in recognition of its dedication to environmental and social sustainability.
Youth travel agency KILROY launches in the UK
Leading youth and student travel agency KILROY will offer a selection of inspiring once-in-a-lifetime experiences to the UK youth market, focused on backpacking and adventure travel.
International youth travel poised for continued stability and growth in volume and expenditure
WYSE Travel Confederation has been working on calculating the size of the global youth travel market since 2003 as part of the New Horizons research programme.
BUNAC and USIT launch youth-led travel brand, JENZA
Backed by 60+ years of expertise, JENZA is a new youth-led travel brand designed for a generation that craves adventure.
Sleep doesn’t come easy: In conversation with Adrie Vreeke of Capsule Services
It started in Switzerland in 2018 as an add-on to an idea. It grew to a multi-location business, focussed on a unique and extraordinary guest experience: Swiss Capsules.
CIEE announces relaunch of its Global Internship Conference (GIC)
The GIC convenes global leaders in higher education, industry, and government to drive learning, action, and innovation around the critical task of preparing young people for a global workplace through work integrated learning experiences.
Looking to 2023 with the Study Abroad Panel
The WYSE Travel Confederation Study Abroad Sector Panellists provide insight into the current state of the sector and how they see 2023 panning out.
WYSE Travel Confederation: Growth and developments in the digital nomad market since COVID-19
As outlined in WYSE Travel Confederation’s New Horizons IV: A global study of the youth and student traveller, the rise of the digital nomad was already evident, even before the pandemic.
Is ChatGPT coming for our jobs?
Hailed as an AI game-changer, ChatGPT seems to be taking the world by storm. But is it all its hyped up to be? And should us humans be worried? Read on; we put it to the test.