Youth Travel International Magazine

Issue #43 • 2010

world youth student & educational travel confederation

Colorful Asia Buzzing with adventure, educational travel and Eastern promise.

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Contents

Intro

5

Foreword

Welcome to this special ‘Amazing Asia’ issue of YTI Magazine

6

Youth Travel: The Bottom Line

Latest industry figures show that Asia has become a global force for inbound and outbound youth travel

8

A Positive Future For Asia’s Global Graduates

20 China: Centre of

the Action for

Global Tourism

Follow our Beijing Blog in the run-up to the World Youth & Student Travel Conference taking place in China this October

24 Asia’s Eco-Pioneers of Adventure Travel

South East Asia has always been a number one

destination for young people wishing to trek,

volunteer and stay in eco-lodges; YTI finds out why

28 On The Road at

Industry Events

Asia’s education hubs are providing an

affordable alternative to Western destinations body text for Chinese students wishing to gain a

world-class education

Catch all the action from the Work Experience Travel Market in Miami and the Youth Travel Hall at ITB-Berlin

12 Cool Destinations

& Youth Travel

Hotspots

30 Dates for Your

Diary

Explore the new emerging markets and destinations for backpackers throughout Asia

Meet up with the WYSE Travel Confederation community at industry events around the world

14 Brands Must Look

Beyond Facebook to

Have a Social Life Heading subheading

YTI gets the low-down from social media experts throughout Asia on how to successfully engage with young people online italic

body text

WYSE Travel Confederation

youth travel international 3

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SINCE 2001 WYSE Travel Confederation

Welcome to YTI Magazine In anticipation of our community gathering at WYSTC 2010 this October in Beijing, I welcome you to this Asia themed issue of YTI Magazine. WYSTC 2010 will provide a great opportunity for our industry to explore the vast potential for youth travel and educational market opportunities in China and throughout Asia.

Asia has one of the most youthful populations in the world and continues its legacy as a vital source market for our global industry. It is a destination of immense popularity and growing demand by young people seeking the kinds of cultural, educational and life changing travel experiences that are unique to this region.

Intro

We are pleased to see that the situation in Bangkok has now calmed and know that our Thai members, and their partners, will play a role in the recovery of the tourism industry. As always, the youth student and backpacker market will lead the way in bringing tourism back to destinations such as Bangkok and Northern Sri Lanka, that have previously been restricted by political turmoil.

The year-end results from our Youth Travel Industry Monitor confirm that our sector remained resilient to the economic downturn in 2009 compared to mainstream tourism. International education was an important sector during the last year, particularly in China. Find out more about the immense opportunities for sending and receiving organisations worldwide in the ‘Global Graduates’ article on Asia’s growing demand for international education and the new educational exchanges being formed in partnership with universities abroad.

South East Asia has always been a popular destination for adventure travel and we look at how pioneering organisations are leading the way in providing eco-friendly experiences that directly benefit local communities that are visited by young people.

We also take a look at how the youth market is engaging online throughout Asia, particularly in Korea and Japan, two of the world’s most sophisticated internet markets. We seek advice from social media experts to see how youth travel brands can develop successful online campaigns, and look at the impact social networking is having on actual travel, following our trip to Japan earlier this year.

We hope you enjoy YTI and look forward to seeing you in Beijing this October.

David Jones Director General WYSE Travel Confederation

YTI Magazine #43 • 2010 Front cover:

Jens Thraenhart, ChinaTravelTrends.com - Beijing

Advertising

Young people enjoying the Holi Festival of Colour

Jacqueline Kassteen, WYSE Travel Confederation

Advertise in the next issue

in Rajasthan, India. By Floris Leeuwenberg/TCS

Laura Daly IAPA & STAY WYSE

Contact yti@wysetc.org

Marti Widger Grimminck, New York

Or visit the communications page of

Yann Urbann, WYSE Travel Confederation

www.wysetc.org to download the media kit

July 2010 Issue.

Photography

WYSE Travel Confederation

Published every 6 months by WYSE Travel

Photographs (excluding industry events and

Keizersgracht 174

Confederation

tourism board images) kindly provided by the

1016DW Amsterdam

Flickr.com community.

The Netherlands

Publishing Info Youth Travel International Magazine,

Editor Stephanie Cooper, WYSE Travel Confederation

tel: 0031 20 42 1 2800 Printer

yti@wysetc.org

Druno & Dekker, Leiden, The Netherlands

www.wysetc.org

Design

YTI Magazine has been produced and printed

Gyrithe Schack Bothmann, Chili Design UK

using fully sustainable materials.

The World Youth, Student & Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation is a not-for-profit

Mark Bakker, WYSE Travel Confederation Distribution Contributors

Distributed free-of-charge to all members and

Anthony Wong, PATA - Kuala Lumpur

partners of WYSE Travel Confederation, Tourism

Carolyn Childs, TNS Travel Research - Sydney

Boards and delegates at industry events.

Dan Roberts, Xebidy Design - Queenstown

View YTI online at www.wysetc.org

organisation.

David Jones, WYSE Travel Confederation Deborah Fitzgerald, WYSE Travel Confederation WYSE Travel Confederation

youth travel international 5

Its official: our figures confirm that Asia and Oceania reported the strongest regional growth for youth and student travel in 2009.

And this trend is reinforced by the UN World Tourism Organization who have cited Asia Pacific as the most important region for leading the tourism industry’s recovery; with China in particular, set to become a global force within the next five years as the world’s number one destination and source market.

Youth Travel

Youth Travel Industry Monitor: Latest figures show that the youth travel sector expects to continue out-performing mainstream travel in 2010 and beyond.

Access the Youth Travel Industry Monitor and other research reports from www.wysetc.org

Asian Tourism, Global Impact: Asia’s youth population explosion is creating exciting inbound and outbound opportunities for the global tourism industry.

The Bottom Line

42%

of Asia’s population is below the age of 24 years (US Census Bureau)

THE BOTTOM LINE

60%

of Vietnam’s population is below the 30 years (US Census Bureau)

9%

5%

average growth forecast for youth travel industry in 2010, compared to 4% for mainstream travel (UNWTO Barometer) Intro

increase in availability of youth travel products as suppliers reacted to the recession by diversifying

-0.3%

US$5 bn

decline in youth travel for 2009, compared to -4% for mainstream travel industry

estimated cost to travel trade from impact of Iceland’s volcanic ash

(UNWTO Barometer)

(Oxford Economics)

US$44 bn

22%

(UNWTO Barometer)

-14%

China’s spend on international tourism in 2009 - making it the fourth biggest source market after Germany, the USA & UK

30%

discount for ISIC student cardholders staying at Best Western Hotels across Asia from June-October (isic.org)

70million

visitors expected to visit Shanghai’s World Expo in 2010

increase in Chinese students enrolling in US universities (Open Doors 2009)

Decrease in Japanese students enrolling in US universities (Open Doors 2009)

€20.50

average daily spend in India, the world’s cheapest travel destination, followed by Cuba (€29.08) and Malaysia (€37.59) (Thomas Cook ‘Cost of Living’ survey 2010)

Quote

Asia Education

A Positive Future for Asia’s Global Graduates

With thriving Asian economies barely skipping a beat during the latest financial crisis, the region has emerged as the Intro industry’s biggest market opportunity for international education; particularly China the world’s largest sending market for study abroad programs.

With the appetite for higher education showing no signs of abating among Asia’s growing middle class - the United States, Europe and Australia remain top of the wish-list for many Asian students looking to study abroad.

However, new figures show that more and more Asian students are attending world-class universities within their own regions, as countries in Asia position themselves as prestigious education hubs to attract the global student market, with the recruitment of Chinese students top of their target list.

Asia’s Education Hubs Go Global Liz Gooch, a journalist based in Kuala Lumpur, writes the following article for The New York Times about how Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong are seeking to attract more global talent...

Educators throughout Asia have been stepping up their efforts to exploit the global student market, either by relaxing quotas on non-local students or encouraging overseas institutions to set up local campuses. The words “education hub” have infiltrated the mission statements of governments throughout Asia hoping to attract students to their shores.

Typically foreign students who pay their own way not only provide a welcome boost for university coffers; they can also represent another stream of talented graduates who may join the local workforce and continue contributing to the economy of their host country after their college days are over.

According to the 2009 edition of UNESCO’s Global Education Digest, in 2007 more than 2.8 million students were enrolled in higher education institutions outside their country of origin, a 53

WYSE Travel Confederation

percent increase since 1999. In East Asia and the Pacific, 42 percent of students remained in their region in 2007 compared with 36 percent in 1999. UNESCO officials attributed this in part to the growing local availability and improved quality of higher education.

Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong now want to attract thousands more international students. All three are attempting to capitalize on the fact that they can offer a university education in English, and often for considerably less than Western nations can, and each has its own selling points.

Singapore, which has three public universities, has made the involvement of foreign institutions central to its “Global Schoolhouse” policy. Some US colleges, such as the University of Nevada and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business have established branch campuses in Singapore, while others including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, offer joint degree programs through local universities.

The Singapore government hopes to increase its education services share of the gross domestic product to 5 percent in 2015 from 3 percent in 2007, and boasts that this enables “Asian students to get a degree from world-renowned universities without even leaving Asia.”

Toh Wee Khiang, executive director for human capital at the Singapore Economic Development Board, said the government aims to attract, develop and retain talent.

“Recruitment of talent is at the heart of economic growth, and education plays an important part in creating and sustaining talent in Singapore,” he said, adding that “another government agency was linking graduating students with Singaporean employers in key growth industries”. youth travel international 9

Hong Kong is well positioned to attract international students, with three of its institutions ranked among the world’s top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education rankings for 2008. In a statement, the Hong Kong Education Bureau said that it needs to “nurture and attract” talent to sustain its economic and social development. Hong Kong has recently doubled its quota for non-local students in its public universities.

Malaysia’s schools may not be so well known internationally, but the number of schools has since expanded to 20 public universities, 36 private universities and 5 foreign branch campuses since the government liberalized its education sector in the 1990s.

The success and best efforts of universities around the region is being boosted by recent visa restrictions in the UK and Australia. Education researchers say that following the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States and the subsequent tightening of its visa rules, some students began looking for alternatives; Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation, was among the countries to benefit.

Of the more established providers, Australia, which counts education as its third-largest export after iron ore and coal may have more cause for concern than others. Its reputation as a safe destination offering high quality education took a battering this year after what many have dubbed “racist attacks” on Indian students in Melbourne and Sydney. And new visa restrictions have since compounded the problem.

But Chris Nyland, a professor of international business at Monash University in Melbourne, said an increase in the countries pushing for foreign students did not necessarily mean Australia’s share of the market would decline. “There are more suppliers coming into the industry,” he said, “but there are more and more people in China and India who can afford higher education.”

Expert Opinion:

US, UK & Australia Continue to Attract Asian Students During the recession, many western universities in popular study-abroad destinations such as the US, UK and Australia have relied on foreign students to provide a much-needed financial boost. Despite stiff competition from Asian universities, these top destinations are continuing to attract record numbers of Asian students for whom location and reputation remain the most important considerations.

YTI Magazine spoke to industry experts in these educational hotspots to see what 10 youth travel international

I

CHINA new programmes and exchanges are be ing developed - both on their own home campuses, and through partnerships with Asian universities – to maintain their crown as top study abroad destinations.

USA: Summer programs & student exchanges “China is now the single biggest target of American universities for tuition payment” says Robert Daly, Director of the China Initiative at the University of Maryland.

According to the 2009 Open Doors report, record numbers of Asian students enrolled in US universities during 2008/2009. The total number of foreign students increased by 8 per cent: with India still the biggest source market for the US, closely followed by China.

US universities have recognized the vital contributions that international students provide. Not only do they provide a lucrative income for universities during the recession, these overseas students are fast becoming an integral part of the student body with new programs being developed to meet their needs.

In response, Chinese agents are running university tours which enable Chinese students to visit the US as tourists for a one to two week trip and visit numerous campuses.

Other programs include admissions camps for Chinese students looking to improve their chances of enrolling into American universities. This summer, the University of Maryland, among others, is running a summer camp for foreign high school students. These students have long-term goals of attending American universities and will spend four weeks learning about the US university system during their summer holidays.

Robert Daly says “It is a camp in the usual sense that you go to ball games but you also learn about American university culture and you learn how to write essays; and then the American universities hope the top students apply.” Daly adds “It works out all around as it increases the students’ chances for admission, it advertises the University of Maryland, and it is financially beneficial.”

Obama Pledge:

More US Students to Visit China In November 2009, President Obama met with Shanghai students in an open forum to discuss world views. During this unique exchange, President Obama pledged to send 100,000 Americans to China over the next four years. The program will bring China into the spotlight for many young Americans.

Obama’s inspired pledge comes as an ever-burgeoning market of Westerners are studying in China. Justin O’Jack, Resident Director of the Council on International Educational Exchange’s (CIEE) Study Center in Shanghai, reported “the number of US college students studying in China has grown steadily between 2004 and 2008, increasing at rates double, triple and even four times the national average. Despite being in the middle of a recession, record numbers of US students enrolled on our programs in Shanghai over the last academic year” Daniel Olds, CIEE Program Director for Asia Pacific, adds “China has become the top study abroad location in Asia due to the possibilities for career growth arising from the number of companies now working with Chinese companies or Chinese markets in some way.” There is no doubt that many young westerners see China as an essential culture to understand and experience first-hand. Stephen Ferst, Director of Institutional Relations and Development at the Education Network, which runs comprehensive programs in China, confirms that their students “recognize the importance of the Asia century and they want to be academically and culturally prepared for that.”

WYSE Travel Confederation

Australia:

Hot spot for English preparation Australia has maintained its crown as a top destination for Chinese students following a 19 per cent increase in the number of Chinese studying there in 2009, as reported by Sue Blundell, Executive Director of English Australia.

Intro

Chinese students are demanding courses at all levels, from higher education and vocational skills to English language and educational exchanges. Sue Blundell says “For the English language sector, the main challenge is to develop awareness amongst Chinese students that there are options beyond academic English preparation. Only about 2,000 of students are doing stand-alone courses – the vast majority are studying English to help them achieve the appropriate level for further study and employment”.

Australia also faces the challenge of recent visa restrictions imposed by the government…

Overseas student applications slump following visa crackdown Student applications from overseas fell by 40 per cent in April following changes to Australia’s visa system, an education agent has reported. IDP boss Tony Pollock told The Australian that the crackdown on student visas and delays to the priority skills list could cost the country A$600 million in lost export revenue.

Pollock said: “In April, there was a significant decline in applications from India, Vietnam and China. If there’s a 10 per cent decline over a full year – with each student adding around $30k to the economy – that would be a $600m shortfall, conservatively.”

China and India are the main source countries for the $17 billion overseas student industry, which employs 125,000 people and funds 25 per cent of university teaching.

UK: British universities setting up campuses in Asia The University of Nottingham was the first UK university to set up a campus in China

More Western Universities Coming to China

offering entirely British undergraduate and postgraduate degrees taught in English. The campus located in Ningbo, near Shanghai, opened in 2004 with 600 students. Today there are approximately 4000 students, and this number is expected to double over the next few years. Four years prior to that, the university also opened a campus in Malaysia which proved to be an enormous success.

“It was a natural next step to develop the concept further from Malaysia and build a campus in the world’s fastest developing economy, “stated Vincenzo Raimo, Director of the International Office at The University of Nottingham.

“Our intention was, and remains, to build a campus in Asia with the same academic ethos as in the UK with a traditional British research-led teaching and learning environment. By building a campus in China we were able to show a real commitment to the country, and this investment was appreciated and backed nationally at the highest levels.”

Raimo says “students and their parents are attracted by the advantages of an overseas education at the Ningbo campus, at considerably less cost than travelling overseas.”

In the age of a global workforce where international skills are vital to trade, a huge benefit of a program like Nottingham University in Ningbo is that it has enormous support and interest from governments and corporate employers. Raimo reported, “We have a very high employment record with our graduates going onto employment both within China and elsewhere in the world. Multinational companies with bases in China find our graduates particularly attractive.”

WYSE Travel Confederation

The number of western universities setting up joint ventures in China, like Nottingham University, is expected to continue increasing. The Chinese government is undoubtedly paying careful attention to how such institutions develop; and already a number of others colleges from Europe, the US and Australia have either set up shared degree courses, or are considering opening their own facilities: regulations permitting.

A joint venture between the John Hopkins University in America and the University of Nanjing in China that delivers a Masters program to a student body of Chinese, American and International students, shows clearly how there can be great benefits to this kind of partnership.

As with all major universities and institutes of higher learning, Nanjing University is financially supported and supervised by the Chinese government. “In effect, the Center is paid in part by the Chinese Government” says Jan Kiely, American Director of the Hopkings-Nanjing Centre, who adds, “the Chinese Government has also upheld its agreements to not interfere with our academic freedom…and leading Chinese officials have visited and spoken at the Center.”

Of course, many students are still going overseas to study but the growing preference for a Asian-based degree is seen as a sign of changing times, and in particular, of a shift in the mentality of today’s youth generation.

Special thanks to Marti Wigder Grimminck in New York for helping with this article. youth travel international 11

Quote

Asia Focus

Cool Destinations & Youth Travel Hot Spots

New trail takes trekkers to top of the world – Himalayas, Nepal It is being billed as the ultimate trek, a spectacular 157-day walk over the spine of Nepal’s mighty ­Himalayan range that will take participants to some of the most remote spots on the planet.

From ­February 2011, adventurers will be able to take part in the first guided walk along the Nepal section of the Great Himalayan Trail.

The 1,700-kilometre trek is being run by global ­adventure travel company, World Expeditions, who have developed the trail following the

­ emilitarisation of Nepal’s border with China d in 2002.

The country’s political stability, combined with a new government tourism campaign, will bring a new boost to the adventure travel sector. The ‘Naturally Nepal’ tourism authority says it hopes to attract one million visitors to Nepal in 2011 by increasing promotions, encouraging more airlines to fly to the capital of Kathmandu, and by generating interest from tour operators.

Slowly regaining its tourism and winning smile – Northern Sri Lanka For the first time in decades, Sri Lanka’s northern borders have opened for business and welcomed international tourism, following the end of the civil war between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the government last May. The government has made tourism a cornerstone of its post-conflict growth strategy, designating 2011 ‘The Year of the Tourist’. Tourism investment has been pouring into the country (US$18 million from the World Bank to improve tourism infrastructure, particularly in the east of island) and visitor numbers are expected to show sharp increases from 2010. Airlines are

12 youth travel international

already gearing up for the expected increase in tourism, with Singapore Airlines the most recent to announce an increase in flights in 2010.

Areas on the east coast have already attracted the backpacker set. The pristine beaches of Kalkudah and Passekudah are popular with adventurous travellers while surfers will be competing at Arugam Bay in the “Sri Lanka Champion of Champions Surf Contest”. Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities have also unveiled plans for an ambitious new resort of fourteen unspoilt islands 100 miles north of the capital, Colombo.

WYSE Travel Confederation

Global gatherings for tourism industry – Shanghai & Beijing, China

Intro

The World Expo in Shanghai will be the glittering showcase that puts China at the centre of global tourism in 2010. This six month exhibition is expected to attract a staggering 70 million visitors to Shanghai from May to October 2010.

It will provide a significant boost to Chinese tourism, which has been growing rapidly for the past decade. So much so, that the UN World Tourism Organization predicts that China will surpass France as the world’s most popular tourist destination by 2015. China is currently the world’s fourth most popular tourist destination with 48 million visitors, France takes the top spot with 80 million tourists a year, while the U.S. and Spain both attract 60 million a year.

From 17-20 October, hundreds of youth and educational travel professionals from around the world will also gather in Beijing for the industry’s annual event, The World Youth & Student Travel Conference www.wystc.org

Number one city for pop music – Seoul, South Korea Seoul has emerged as one of South East Asia’s hippest destinations having been crowned the 2010 World Design Capital.

The South Korean capital has also been making a name for itself as Asia’s mecca for pop music, in particular Korean Wave, which has become a huge hit with fans worldwide.

To capitalise on this interest from the

Heading subheading italic body text

WYSE Travel Confederation

youth travel market, the Seoul tourism board has launched a 2010---2012 campaign to promote Seoul to the world as a ‘’style city’’ and showcase its prowess for multi-media, pop music and fashion. The campaign will combine promotions with a face lift of the city’s attractions and a programme of music festivals, along with discount shopping and free access to museums.

New backpacker bus – Laos The launch of a new Hop-on Hop-off bus in Laos this October, will open up new routes and attractions previously inaccessible to backpackers wanting to get off the beaten track. Neill Geddes, the founder of New Zealand company ‘Stray’ says “We will be, as far as we know, the first Western operator to become a fully licensed transport provider in Laos…we have spent the last twelve months researching the routes throughout the network and found the most amazing stops and activities, many of which are difficult to access by any other means.”

youth travel international 13

Digital Asia

Brands must look beyond Facebook to have a successful social life

Nowhere in the world are 18--35 year olds more actively engaged online than in Asia. A third of the world’s bloggers are based in Japan, and in China alone, there are now more Intro Internet users than the entire US population. Combine this social networking craze with an enormous appetite for international travel, and the opportunities for brands to engage online with Asia’s youth market become mind-blowing.

But with this immense opportunity comes complexity for regional marketers. The online landscape in Asia is vastly different to other parts of the world and the prevailing wisdom from brand experts is ‘beware of trying to plug Western social media campaigns into Asian markets’.

Nowhere is this more true than in China where sites such as Facebook, Youtube, Flickr and Twitter are regularly blocked by government restrictions referred to as the ‘Great Firewall of China’. The whole development of Web 2.0 is also moving much faster in Asia, with Japan and Korea arguably leading the world in social networking, open blogging and gaming. As a result, these nations have created their own social networking sites, most notably Cyworld & QQ, making it difficult for global platforms to find a way in.

So how do youth travel brands overcome language barriers, cross-cultural differences and complex regulations in order to effectively get their message across?

And what impact is this online obsession having on actual travel, with trends in Japan showing that international travel has declined dramatically amongst its young people.

To find out, YTI Magazine spoke to social media experts throughout Asia to understand how young people are behaving online (in Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam) to provide practical advice for youth travel professionals worldwide wishing to engage online with the Asian youth market.

WYSE Travel Confederation

“Right now, the largest single group of users on the Internet is in Asia, with half a billion people and that’s only 14% penetration. So when it gets to 70% penetration which is where we are in the USA and some parts of Europe, we’re talking about a couple of billion people. That’s a very, very big customer base; It’s also a very diverse customer base but the internet can reach all of them once we get to that penetration level, so this is a really exciting place to be.”

Vinton Cerf, Vice President & Chief Internet Evangelist, Google Inc.

Expert Opinion:

Asian Youth Online Carolyn Childs: Director of TNS Australia’s Travel and Leisure research division and writer for sixthsenseinsights.com.au “When it comes to digital, we need to be careful not to treat Asia as a homogenous mass. Consumers will only engage with content that speaks to them and their world, so recognising the differences in how Asian cultures interact in the digital sphere is vital” says Childs.

The fact is that Asian users view social networking differently to Western users, particularly in China.

According to bloggerinsight.com, Chinese users rely on online social networking sites as their primary source of entertainment. As a result, social games and instant chat with other users are fundamental to young people in China.

youth travel international 15

And while many Western users view social networking sites as an extension of their real-life relationships and social circles, Chinese users are more likely to add strangers as friends and express themselves on completely public discussions using bulletin board systems (BBS).

As a result, Chinese users have a higher tolerance for intrusiveness from brands, in contrast to Western users who view “clutter” around their networking profiles as spam (remember the initial backlash against Facebook’s new applications), Chinese users actually like the extras that come with this, viewing it as just another way to engage and interact with each other.

Expert Opinion:

Localising your brand Ogilvy Consultants For regional marketers in Asia, it is vital to understand the significant cultural differences between countries. Fortunately, global branding consultants Ogilvy have created an in-depth guide to the social media landscape in Asia, providing a regional round-up of how young people are interacting online.

The following information has been taken from their report ‘Can brands have a social life?’.

Korea: Broadband is King Ubiquitous access to broadband since the late 1990s has established Korea as the world’s most advanced digital market.

Not surprisingly, social networking is big business here. The early adoption of social media content and voice-over IP have become a way of life, way ahead of North America and Europe. Cyworld was the world’s first successful social website to gain critical mass with 50% of Koreans having an account (30% of which are in their 20’s). Its mash-up of social networking, blogging, music & video-sharing has drawn 18 million users and made it the world’s second largest music/video retailer behind iTunes. It’s no surprise that its success has left little space for new entrants in Korea.

ing localised content for PC and mobile usage. Mixi is the most popular social networking site for Japanese-speaking netizens with 80% market share, 10 million users and a staggering 11 billion page views a month.

China: Restrictive but Rewarding There are now more internet users in China than the entire population of the U.S (400 million and counting in April 2010).

It also has the most engaged users contributing to and participating in social networking. China has its social media roots in discussion, information gathering and sharing through public bulletin boards and blogging. A whopping 81% are now actively writing blogs, compared to just 33% in the US and 25% in the UK (Source: Wave 4 UM). “No single social network will conquer the China market in the immediate future, least of all a foreign one like Facebook” says Carolyn Childs.

Blocked: The Great Firewall of China “Creating social media campaigns in China may be trickier due to government restrictions that can limit the brand message. However, properly strategized use of social media to increase brand awareness is extremely powerful in China. For this reason, it is important to adapt your campaign to fit closely with the terms and conditions of whichever social networking site you execute it on, and understand the online behavior of Chinese netizens, in order to be able to listen, monitor, moderate, and engage” advises Jens Thraenhart from ChinaTravelTrends.com

Japan, Blog Nation Japan is a nation of bloggers. With a third of all blogs written in Japan, Japanese is officially the most used language in the blogosphere. Anonymous blogging and the creation of avatars (online alter-egos) reflects Japan’s reserved cultural etiquette of not speaking overtly or being seen as confrontational. However, this is starting to change as young Japanese brought up with technology are increasingly using it to share and air their views publicly. With only 10% of the Japanese population speaking English, Japan’s social networking platforms are domestic sites provid-

Japanese Youth:

Have laptop, will travel?

Trends in Japan indicate that the travel industry will need to work harder to tempt youngsters away from their virtual lives. Japan has seen a dramatic decline in outbound travel recently amongst its young people, many of whom are too immersed in social networking to experience other cultures first-hand.

A new UK report ‘Future of Free Time’ commissioned by online travel firm lastminute.com indicates that this disturbing trend in Japan could start to spread elsewhere. The report concludes “perhaps worryingly, a new generation will reject travel altogether in favour of gaming, social networking and ‘always on’ media. Rather than taking a weekend break with friends, Go-Nowhere-Gamers might wander on an imaginary planet together.”

Japanese tourism officials at JATA are so concerned by the situation that they’ve launched a campaign with the UN World Tourism Organization to encourage young Japanese to travel overseas and embark on cultural exchanges. And WYSE Travel Confederation was invited to their national tourism seminar earlier this year, to deliver the keynote speech on the value of international travel experiences. An audience of educational professionals, government officials, travel companies and students attended the seminar at the International Institution of Asia Pacific University which was simultaneously broadcast by video link to audiences of youth travel professionals and academics in Tokyo and Hokkaido.

An action plan of key strategies was laid out which included: encouraging secondary institutions and employers in Japan to support students wishing to travel in between study & work; facilitating and promoting Japan’s cultural exchange programmes with countries worldwide; improving Japan’s infrastructure of youth travel services and programmes in order to make domestic and international travel more accessible and affordable.

© Look@MePlz!, Flickr.com

16 youth travel international

WYSE Travel Confederation

China’s top social networking sites: RenRen.com (formerly Xiaonei) RenRen copied the Facebook model: it started with students and is now popular with mainstream users

Kaixin001.com another Facebook clone which has attracted white-collar office workers hooked on its social games using virtual cash

Qzone Popular with teens who use it for social networking and Instant Messaging

51.com another popular site which combines

Intro

social networking with blogging © Decoder420 Flickr.com

Member Case Study:

Expert Opinion:

Online Travel in China Jens Thraenhart, Editor-in-Chief for ChinaTravelTrends.com explains the influence of the internet on travel purchases in China.

“Chinese consumers rely heavily on the Internet to make their purchase decisions about travel which is why it is vitally important for brands to be top of mind with Chinese consumers BEFORE they contact a travel agent” says Jens Thraenhart.

According to CIC Data, 81% of users check online word of mouth before purchasing a product and 59% actually made purchase decisions based on user-generated online info (compared to just 19% in the U.S).

On returning from a trip, the desire to share their experiences online is also much higher in China with 40% writing reviews and uploading photos/videos, compared to just under 20% in North America and Europe (Forrester Research “Chinese Technographics Revealed 2009”).

Thraenhart adds “To make it more effective, social media campaigns should play on the individual’s susceptibility to share opinions and values, by making the campaign as interactive as possible around the brand and product. The campaign should aim to make the Chinese netizen feel liberated by offering them opportunities to express themselves within the campaign: this could be done via profiles, avatars, Bulletin Board System and blogging elements within the campaign.”

Dragon Bus China

By Dan Roberts at Xebidy Design, New Zealand Launched in March 2010, Dragon Bus China claims to be the country’s first independent travel network provider. Their hop-on hop-off bus route caters to the growing number of independent travellers and backpackers heading to China.

As an Australian-owned company catering primarily to Western travellers from Northern America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand - Dragon Bus needed to adapt their Facebook & Twitter campaigns - so that they could also engage with these customers on the ground in China.

Targeting Western Travellers in China With the peak summer season now underway in China, the focus for marketing has shifted to target the large number of Western expats (particularly English teachers) based within China and neighbouring destinations such as Hong Kong and Thailand. The nature of the hop-on hop-off products and its appeal to independent travellers means that many people book it last minute once they are actually in the destination.

Reaching these customers in China requires a whole different approach. The blocking of websites here poses its own series of challenges, with Facebook and Google being the most obvious and disruptive examples. The initial way to reach this market online is through search engines, with Baidu being the number one search engine in China. To rank well on Baidu requires a different construction of your website, particularly for keyword placement where a Chinese language version is required (even when only targeting English speakers). Having a Chinese located server so that Baidu can index Western websites is also essential for having high rankings.

Dragon Bus has also experimented with limited success using the video

WYSE Travel Confederation

© Dragon Bus China

sharing website Youku as a means for customers to store and share videos while en-route.

Reaching China’s Stepping-Stone Markets The largest markets for Dragon Bus outside China are Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. Hong Kong is not so much of a challenge because of it’s Western influence and high demand for Google, Facebook, You Tube and Twitter. The cultural differences, however, mean that the message needs to more carefully considered.

In South Korea and Japan, mobile technologies, instant messaging services and Voice-Over-IP are very much a part of everyday life. So a mobile version of the website and ‘click to chat’ function will be added to the Dragon Bus website to respond quickly to customers’ questions and issues. Dragon Bus will also be developing a profile on the Cyworld network which has a style all of it’s own and is used by many Koreans to seek advice on travel.

Most importantly in all of these markets is the role of blogs and the influence of opinion-leaders, particularly in Japan where bloggers such as Akiba, Yibo Fan, and Shotokan have A-list celebrity status. Partnering with high profile bloggers in the student youth space is an important strategy and Dragon Bus is engaged with influential travel writers such as Melvin Belcher, Ian Grayum, and Matt Kepnes to help spread the word about its launch.

Of course it’s also hugely important to have strong travel trade partners worldwide to sell the Dragon Bus product on the ground. Partnerships with STA Travel were formed when Dragon Bus attended key trade shows such as WYSTC in Manchester and the Backpackers Expo in Sydney. At the offices in Beijing and Shanghai, key sales and operations staff are working with western-oriented hostels, bars and language schools to promote the tours and itineraries to travellers.

youth travel international 17

Regional Round-up of Online Youth Markets in Asia: There are a series of hoops that marketers need to go through in order to develop a social media strategy and avoid common pitfalls. On many occasions, marketers make the mistake of asking their partner agency to ‘create a social media application, buy a banner on Friendster or create a viral video for YouTube’ without actually understanding that social media success lies in the brand’s ability to identify, reach and build a trusted dialogue that speaks to the audience in a language that is relevant to them.

Here, Olivigy branding consultants, offer insight into this issue with a regional overview of how Asia’s youth markets are interacting online.

Social media landscape in Asia

Overview

Impact on brands

Strategies

Most popular social networking sites

LEADER MARKETS

DEVELOPING MARKETS

CATCH UP MARKETS

FOLLOWER MARKETS

China / Japan / Korea

Hong Kong / Singapore / Taiwan

Malaysia / Philippines / Vietnam

Indonesia / Thailand

Social media has matured and is a pivotal part of the consumer’s digital world thanks to early adoption of broadband.

Social media is reaching the ‘tipping point’ as consumers start to integrate it into their daily lives.

These regions have high broadband penetration and social media sites from the West as well as Asia.

Social media is gathering pace but is yet to reach critical mass due to the urban/ rural gap in internet access. Simple textbased social media, bulletin boards and blogs are common. Expect to see a big jump in social networking as broadband improves in cities.

Social media must feature as a core part of the digital strategy alongside search engines. Absence of social media activity is a major gap and risk for brands.

There are strong opportunities for brands to take a lead and stand out from their competitors as overall brand activity is still immature.

Brands have an opportunity to reach early Brands should consider translatadopters by starting to engage with social ing lessons from catch up markets media in these territories. or initiate pilot programs with less brand exposure. Approx 40% of Indonesia’s internet users are between 20-24.

Build sustained relationships with key influencers.

Test and trial solutions on both PC and mobile internet.

Implement new social media marketing tactics which could flow down to catch-up markets.

Focus on key geo-segments: youth users in Kuala Lumpur, Manila or Hanoi where results can be monitored. Start tracking conversations going on.

Explore basic mobile media opportunities, and take some risks by testing alternative ways to reach consumers and build mindshare.

HONG KONG: Users are split between Facebook (1m users) attracting slightly older, Western-educated users and local CHINA: site Xanga (1.8m users) dominated Renren is the most popular by younger locals. site with 70 million users SINGAPORE: in August 2009.

Friendster dominates with 13% JAPAN: marketshare, its closest rival is Mixi is the ‘de facto’ social Facebook. networking site for 80% TAIWAN: of Japanese-speaking BBS is big with over 1.84m unique netizens. visitors a month.

MALAYSIA: Friendster.com is king with 3.02m unique visitors a month, 3 times more popular than nearest competitors Facebook & MySpace.

INDONESIA: Friendster dominates with 9m registered users, followed by Facebook catering to a more mature, English speaking audience.

PHILIPINNES: Again, Friendster with 10.7m users. A challenger is social media aggregator Multiply.

THAILAND: Hi-5 provides 78% of 18-34 year olds. Facebook has become the ‘de facto’ platform for English speaking people and expatriates.

SOUTH KOREA: Cyworld with 18m accounts.

s

Korea’s Gaming Addict

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18 youth travel international

VIETNAM: Blogging is a core component of social networking sites. Yahoo! is the current leader followed by Cyworld Vietnam and Yeah1.

Social media is limited to text based blogging, forums and instant messaging. This may leapfrog to mobile social media with the emergence of affordable integrated mobile internet services.

demographics gaming appeals to all alarming trend an , and ages in Korea ver y young gst on am is developing r olds using yea 5 are % 65 ’: ‘netizens line games and the internet to play on l for negatia ten has significant po This raises s. on ati ific tive social ram wanting to find challenges for brands responsible an ethical and socially passion. s thi means to tap into © Mark Bakker

WYSE Travel Confederation

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CHINA: CENTRE OF THE ACTION FOR GLOBAL TOURISM

Intro

“Another long haul flight has left me bleary eyed and slightly dazed. Where am I this time? Lost somewhere between the airport and downtown, between centuries past and the glittering future, between Western comforts and Eastern exotic.

This must be China,” writes Jacqueline Kassteen

Beijing Blog

by Jacqueline Kassteen

Even the most jaded bunch of travelers get a jolt to their system upon arriving in China. What was once a peaceful land of tranquility and quiet mysticism is now awash with neon, bicycles, street stalls, construction cranes, and people people people. The country has exploded in recent years from economic growth, with the rich getting richer and the young flocking to the cities in droves, leaving the rural countryside to the elders.

Beijing: Experiencing the Yin and Yang of Chinese Culture It was always said that things in America were big. But the mighty USA is dwarfed by China. This Asian giant is home to 20% of the Earth’s population and the capital city of Beijing has a population that exceeds 22 million. In contrast, New York City, America’s most populated city, has less than 8.4 million. The population of the entire USA is approximately 309 million; China’s is more than 1.4 billion. If anything can be said about China, it’s certainly larger than life.

One would think that in a country like this, there would never be a chance for some ‘solo time,’ but surprisingly enough, it is possible. Walk through one of the many city parks at any point in the day and there will always be a little nook you can have all to yourself. Or go join the Chinese practicing tai chi, or playing with hacky sacks, kites, flags, even table tennis rackets (but without the table). Or rather than finding a quiet corner, perhaps you prefer to do callanetics next to one of the loudspeakers placed sporadically around the walkways, bellowing tunes to coordinate your exercise movements.

This is how it goes in China. It seems everything conforms to the yin-yang. Where there is solitude there is also commotion. Where there is history, 20 metres away the framework of a new condominium building is taking shape. Where there

WYSE Travel Confederation

youth travel international 21

© Jacqueline Kassteen

is a Rolex wearing yuppie, there is a young teen touting fake Prada and living in the hutongs. The contrasts seen in China are staggering.

For all that you read about the place, nothing really prepares you for those first moments of culture shock. The airport is like any other but the taxi ride into the city will scare the jetlag right out of you.

The drivers actually keep one hand on the wheel, the other on the horn… and both feet on the gas. As you weave in and out of the traffic coming at you in both directions, don’t forget to breathe several sighs of relief that the pedestrians managed to survive unscathed. Crossing the street and avoiding accidents are widely practiced art forms in China.

Every country has a distinctive style of street food and China’s is easily summed up: if it can be impaled on a stick, it will be eaten! Everything gets skewered and grilled, from scorpions to starfish and mystery meat to melon slices. While these portions are enough to satiate you for an hour or so, the delights dished up in the restaurants are, like everything else in China, super-sized. The locals believe that if you clean your plate, you must still be hungry, and this would be an insult to the host. So be prepared to feast like an emperor when you’re there.

China: The Beating Heart of Global Tourism China rightly deserves a spot on every travel company’s radar. As the world’s most populated country (including the largest on-line population in the world) it’s nearly impossible for any business to say that China isn’t of interest to them. And even if your business doesn’t go to China, the Chinese will come to you. They spent US$42 billion overseas in 2009, $4 billion more than visitors spent in China.

An estimated 47 million trips were made

by China’s mainland tourists to overseas 22 youth travel international

destinations last year, up 3.6% from 2008, according to the China Tourism Academy, the think-tank for China’s tourism authority. On the other hand, countries hit hardest by the economic downturn like the US, Japan and South Korea have sent 3% less tourists to China, who saw 126 million people cross her borders in 2009. Thanks to China’s healthy economy and revised rules on outbound travel, 100 million tourists are expected to travel abroad by 2020, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

And it’s not just the wealthy nouveau who have got the travel bug. Research shows that 645,000 Chinese students will be studying abroad by 2025, a staggering 84% increase from 2007. Forward-thinking universities are taking measures to relax quotas on non-local students, as well as encouraging overseas institutions to establish local campuses. This influx of brain power not only enriches student diversity, it also contributes an estimated US$6 billion in fees to higher education institutions.

So where are all the Chinese tourists going? Stepping stone destinations in Asia are still the most popular according to Ctrip.com, China’s largest online travel service. 50% land in Hong Kong and 30% in Macau, Japan ranks in third with Korea not far behind. And with China now the world’s fourth largest sending market, knowing what methods can be adopted to incentivize the Chinese to venture further worldwide will be a key ingredient to a company’s success.

Tourism and education industry players worldwide are hungry to get a taste of the Chinese’s disposable income. As the world’s second biggest economy, China occupies a position of great power and influence. Forming the right partnerships now can lay the tracks for reaping the rewards of this exciting market in the future.

CHINA China’s Top 10 Sights 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Forbidden City Tiananmen Square The Great Wall Army of the Terra Cotta Warriors, Xi’an Shanghai Hong Kong Island Karst Mountains in Yangshuo The Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Dam Potala Palace, Lhasa Stone Forest, Yunnan Province

Top 12 destinations for Chinese tourists 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Hong Kong Macao Japan Korea Vietnam USA

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Taiwan Russia Singapore Malaysia Thailand Australia

Source: China Tourism Academy, 2009

China Tourism World’s Top 4 outbound tourism markets: 1. Germany US$81bn spend 2. USA US$73bn spend 3. UK US$48bn spend 4. China US$44bn spend China is predicted to become the world’s most popular tourism destination by 2015.

The current Top 4 destinations are: 1. France 80 million visitors 2. USA 60 million visitors 3. Spain 60 million visitors 4. China 48 million visitors Source: UNWTO

China’s Economy •

The Chinese economy expanded 8.7% in 2009

•

The Chinese spent 1 billion hours online daily in 2009, more than the US and Japan combined

•

The Chinese are expected to spend US$100 billion in value of e-commerce transactions by 2012.

WYSE Travel Confederation

China is the right place, right now, for the global tourism industry – precisely why the World Youth & Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) is coming to Beijing this October.

Intro

The China World Trade Centre, a glittering venue in the heart of the city’s financial and trade district, is the proud host of WYSTC 2010. WYSTC delegates will receive discounted rates when staying at either of the adjoining hotels: the China World Hotel or Traders Hotel, both Shangri-La properties offering five star luxury and comfort.

And of course, all Confederation members automatically benefit from a 25% discount when registering for the conference.

This year’s conference will tackle indus-

try challenges including: new business models for a changing world, the need for social entrepreneurialism, and of course, how to operate in China and Asia.

Conquering the online world, social media and mobile marketing will also be key topics at this October’s conference.

WYSTC 2010 is sure to invigorate delegates with fresh ideas and educate businesses regarding China and Asia; You’ll feel inspired to face 2011 with new techniques, technologies, strategies and partnerships after attending the industry’s most important annual event.

Follow the WYSTC Blog:

Don’t forget to subscribe to our RSS feed to get a steady stream of youth and student travel industry news from our blog: http://blog.wystc.org. You can also find us at twitter.com/WYSTC - follow our tweets closely and you might even win a free conference in 2011!

Register now for WYSTC 2010 taking place from October 1720 at China World Trade Centre, Beijing: www.wystc.org

The International Au Pair Association returns to Asia

Share your views ahead of WYSTC 2010 An online survey is now available for all Confederation members to provide comments and feedback. We encourage you to tell us about your experiences as a member, suggest ways in which our community can work together more effectively, and highlight the types of services you’d like us to offer. Survey results will be announced at this year’s WYSTC in Beijing.

The International Au Pair Association (IAPA) will host a special workshop for Chinese au pair organisations at WYSTC 2010 in Beijing. The aim of the workshop will be to help improve the quality of China’s outbound and inbound programmes following the significant growth of the Chinese au pair sector over the past year. This has prompted the IAPA Executive Board to include China in its ‘2010 Quality Campaign’ which seeks to standardise the operations and quality of au pair programmes worldwide.

The campaign will see IAPA visit emerging markets such as Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Asia to promote the formation of National Au Pair Associations in these countries.

The IAPA workshop is open to both members and non-members this October in Beijing.

Interested in attending?

Please contact IAPA Association Manager, Laura Daly l.daly@wysetc.org.

WYSE Travel Confederation

youth travel international 23

Sustainable Asia

The Eco-Pioneers of Adventure Travel

Intro With its pristine beaches, sacred mountains and eco-trekking experiences through remote rain forests – South East Asia has always been a number one destination for young people looking for adventure. YTI catches up with local operators who have been pioneering this sector, long before the eco-tourism tag even existed.

Intrepid Travel and the Blue Yonder are just some of the many eco-tour operators in Asia, putting the planet before profit, in offering environmentally and socially-conscious trips that directly benefit the local communities visited by their expeditions.

In recognition of the importance of this sector to the region, PATA (the Pacific Asian Travel Association) hosted a conference on Adventure Travel & Responsible Tourism earlier this year. Leading tour operators and accommodation providers gathered in Kathmandu, Nepal, to speak about the benefits of eco-adventure tourism as “a driver of economic development where it’s often needed most.”

YTI Magazine took this opportunity to catch up with some of the region’s pioneers to find out how they started out and to demonstrate how their commitment to responsible business practices is not only the right thing to do for the environment, but can also help increase revenue opportunities for local operators and communities too.

Darrell Wade, CEO and Founder of Intrepid Travel, talks about how his student days of backpacking round Asia led him to create one of the world’s most successful and socially responsible tour companies in 1989.

What is adventure tourism and how does it differ from eco-tourism?

I guess adventure travel is perhaps more physical or demanding, while eco-tourism WYSE Travel Confederation

is more nature or culturally based. But to be honest, our customers don’t see themselves as an adventure traveler or an eco-traveler, they are just travelers who seek more from their holidays and generally want to do the right things by their host destination. Travelers want a little bit of everything – so they will want some adventure, some history, some culture, some environmental exposure – and they will want this delivered in a sustainable way.

How did you get started and why did you think this concept would catch on?

There was about six years between leaving university and starting Intrepid, and I spent nearly half that time backpacking through Asia and Africa. One day I was chatting to a friend from university days about the “good and bad” aspects of independent travel – and he started talking about the “good and bad” of organised tours. It occurred to us that there might be a middle ground where travelers could get close to the people and culture of a destination, while also doing it efficiently, safely and with the companionship of likeminded people.

The second part of your question is a bit of an assumption – to be honest, we weren’t at all sure this would catch on! We just took the approach that “if this doesn’t work out, we’ll go and get a real job”. Fortunately for us it has worked beyond our wildest dreams and we’ve had amazing fun on the journey.

youth travel international 25

The Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award

Many people see adventure tourism as socially responsible travel. But when people go off the beaten track, doesn’t that have the potential to impact the environment, and local communities, even more than traditional tourism?

Yes it does and it is a good issue to be aware of. The reality is that if you want to give millions of people a holiday it is probably more ‘’responsible’’ to put those people in contained areas – and then manage environmental and social issues carefully within those areas. For example managing the carbon footprint of 1,000 travelers is much easier if all those travelers are in one hotel – you can source green power, manage waste, introducing recycling and water usage policies and so forth.

But we need to deal in the real world, and as I mentioned earlier, people increasingly don’t want to be confined in a huge resort – no matter how environmentally friendly it may be. They want to have freedom to travel wherever they want – and increasingly to destinations that are culturally or environmentally delicate. This can have both great benefits and costs to those destinations depending on how it is managed, and so tour operators like intrepid need to be very conscious of the costs and try their best to minimize them – while seeking to spread and encourage the benefits. It is possible – but it takes time, effort and passion to get it right.

[Interview first published in Compass Magazine

by PATA]

© rack of the Tiger TRD 26 youth travel international

© The Fran

is an annual event that recognises excellence in responsible tourism for accommodation providers and tour operators in Asia. Established in 2006, the awards showcase the good efforts of organisations that have embraced the principles of responsible tourism in their day-to-day conduct and can act as role models to others in the industry.

Nominations for the 2010 awards are now open at www.wildasia.org

Thailand’s Community-Based Voluntourism Shane K. Beary, CEO of Track of the Tiger, talks about how the adventure travel market in Chiang Mai has cleaned up its act over the past 30 years, and the importance of making local people ‘guardians’ of their own tourism projects.

The Volunteers Without Borders initiative is the non-profit arm of Track of the Tiger T.R.D. (Tourism Resources Development).

Its aim is to create community development projects in partnership with selected local communities in Northern Thailand.

Young people participate in volunteering projects that include: teaching English at local schools, nature trail development, agricultural and village-based development projects.

Thirty years ago when the tourism industry first started in Northern Thailand, tour operators based in Chiang Mai sold low budget treks that took backpackers into the hill tribe areas; they followed a ‘slash and burn’ formula that focused on one area until it became overused, and then moving on to another.

For many, these treks soon became a combination of easy access to opium and marijuana, mixed with ‘walking and gawking’ one’s way through the ethnic minority groups of the north. It became a must-do for the backpacker community, something to be ‘crossed-off the ‘to-do’ list between leaving university and entering the working world.

Today, things are very different. The Volunteers Without Borders project enables the private sector tourism partner to bring in volunteer assistance and funding to identify, design, build and market an ecotourism attraction that is owned by the village community. The pilot project was the award-winning Pang Soong Nature Trails, which the private sector partner helped design, market, and sell a range of educational and environmental programmes to tourists wishing to visit the trails.

Importantly, eco-tourism is just one part of the mix, and the initiative is helping to develop alternative non-tourism dependent revenue streams, as well as providing education to increase the community’s self reliance. The long-term goal is not to change villager’s way of life - but to build on the skills, resources and local wisdom they already have - in this case, improving the long term protection of the stunning Mae Lai forest.

Emphasis has therefore been on providing the village children in the four local schools with enhanced English language skills and increased environmental awareness, preparing them for a role in the management of their own community business – be that in ecotourism, or high value sustainable agriculture (such as essential oils and vanilla) or in running a business that adds value to basic crops like bamboo (such as producing charcoal water filters and wind chimes.) This way, local communities really can be guardians of their own surroundings.

WYSE Travel Confederation

Intro

© Intrepid Travel

ngipani Langkawi Resort

© Intrepid Travel

Malaysia’s Eco-Accommodation Anthony Wong, Group Managing Director of Asian Overland Services Tours, and Secretary-Treasurer of PATA, talks about his early days with STA Travel and how a lifelong passion has led him to create one of Malaysia’s greenest resorts.

I started out as a tour guide for STA Travel in 1973 taking student groups from Australia, Hong Kong, Switzerland and United Kingdom all over South East Asia - long before eco tourism even had a name!

I then started my own company in 1976 taking student groups to a homestay which I started in Cherating Village. In the 70s, we used to stay in a coffee shop and Buddhist temple in the Cameron Highlands, we even camped in public parks

and golf courses. In Borneo, we would stay in traditional longhouses together with Iban longhouse people after the Rajah River from Sibu.

Thirty-four years on, climate change has meant that more and more people are environmentally aware, so eco and sustainable travel is at the forefront of visitors’ minds and easier to promote. I am often invited to discuss this topic all over the region and I strongly support the green and sustainable industry. I now own the Frangipani resort in Langkawi, one of the greenest hotels in Malaysia recognized by Virgin Holidays in their 2008 Responsible Tourism Awards and a string of other prominent awards.

We are continually assessing our relation-

STAY WYSE Launches Green Global Rating for Youth Hostels Are you a youth hostel or accommodation provider wishing to improve your green credentials? Confused about which of the 300+ sustainable index brands to choose from worldwide?

The STAY WYSE association has teamed up with Green Globe, one of the travel industry’s most recognisable international green certificates, to launch a simple and practical programme created specifically for youth hostels worldwide.

The STAY WYSE Sustainable Index supports the green ambitions of hostels and budget hotels by providing interactive online guidance. So, there’s no need for on-site inspections or expensive fees.

WYSE Travel Confederation

Participants of the scheme simply fill in an interactive online questionnaire which assesses their sustainability performance, providing measurement and benchmarking guidelines for accommodation providers and their respective supply chains. This is done on a continuous basis, enabling participants to constantly rate, improve and promote their eco-friendliness.

The STAY WYSE Association has negotiated a special member rate for youth accommodation providers.

Interested in participating? Please contact STAY WYSE Association Manager, Laura Daly l.daly@wysetc.org

ship with the environment and incorporating sustainable management practices to ensure that the very assets that guests come to enjoy, remain as they found them for many generations to come. We have implemented a water treatment plant to recycle the resort’s waste water. This is used to water the tropical gardens. Energy efficient light globes have been utilised and attempts have been made to reduce our energy needs throughout the resort by using more sustainable building materials.

Where possible, we have also incorporated solar energy. We have adopted a policy of: “a small change to make a small change.” While we can’t change the world, we can influence our immediate environment.

Member Spotlight: At Stayokay Hostels in the Netherlands, all waste is segregated, power is green, printed materials are recyclable, the coffee is fair trade, and bicycle hire is a ‘must’ for seeing the local sites. Guests are also asked to contribute by switching off lights and turning off the heating whenever they leave their rooms.

These measures have helped all thirty Stayokay hostels become the first tourist accommodation chain in Europe to be awarded the European Eco-label, a European seal of approval in recognition of businesses marketing environmentally friendly products and services.

youth travel international 27

ON THE ROAD AT INDUSTRY EVENTS ON THE ROAD AT INDUSTRY EVENTS

Work Experience Travel Market & IAPA Annual Conference 2010 – MIAMI Hundreds of work abroad and au pair professionals gathered in Miami for the annual Work Experience Travel Market and IAPA Annual Conference.

Now in its seventh year, the conference saw an increased attendance from Latin American and US delegates, and provided opportunities for sending and receiving organisations from around the world to build global partnerships in cultural exchange.

1

Photo Highlights: 1. Business appointments were busier than ever this year 2. WYSE Work Abroad seminar on youth trends and connecting through social media 3. Electing board members at the IAPA Annual General Meeting 4. Congratulations to Ms. Mayumi Yano from Japan, winner of the 2010 Au Pair of the Year, with Michael McHugh from InterExchange 5. Looking forward to WETM-IAC 2011 in Brussels, Belgium.

6. A fond farewell to IAPA Association Manager, Paul Browne with newly elected IAPA Board Member, Patricia Brunner

2

WETM-IAC STATS 2010

3

4 28 youth travel international

5

Delegates

250

Organisations

182

Participating Countries

43

Business Appointments

2210

6 WYSE Travel Confederation

ON THE ROAD AT INDUSTRY EVENTS ON THE ROAD AT INDUSTRY EVENTS

WYSE WORK ABROAD VOLUNTEER PROJECT: HELPING HAITI Intro WYSE Work Abroad members and WETM-IAC delegates spent a productive morning volunteering at the FANM Haiti Aid Warehouse in Miami.

Volunteers loaded bottled water, sorted through donated clothes and put together hygiene kits all destined for Haiti.

WYSE Work Abroad also donated $850 towards the purchase of tents to provide much needed shelter during Haiti’s rainy season.

ITB-BERLIN 2010 - GERMANY Industry leaders gathered at the Confederation’s annual networking reception in the Youth Travel Hall at ITB-Berlin. It was attended by many members, youth hostels, adventure tour operators and youth travel specialists exhibiting alongside the Confederation.

1. Members at the Confederation’s annual networking reception 2. David Jones meets Members of Parliament from Germany’s Opposition Party 3. Hostel providers & members gather in the youth travel hall

1 WYSE Travel Confederation

2

3 youth travel international 29

Quote

Industry events 2010

Meet up with the WYSE Travel Confederation community at the forthcoming trade events around the world...

Subtitle September

03-05 ALPHE UK London, UK International education: Network with members and language travel specialists.

17-20 World Youth & Student Travel Conference 2010 Beijing, China The global youth & student travel industry’s annual trade event: 25% discount for members registering & exhibiting at WYSTC 2010

06-08 Study World London, UK International education: Network with members and international education specialists.

20-22 ITB Asia Singapore International travel trade: Network with travel trade professionals from around the world at WYSE Travel Confederation’s Exhibition Stand

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October 13-15 ICEF China Workshop Beijing, China International education: Meet student recruitment agents from China, Asia and the rest of the world at ICEF China

30 youth travel international

October/November 31 - 02 ICEF Berlin Workshop Berlin, Germany Work abroad and international education: Network with members and international education specialists.

WYSE Travel Confederation

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A & O Hotels and Hostels Holding AG • A2Z Au Pairs • ABC Leana Au Pairs • Abreu Jovem • AbroadConnection • Acacia Adventure Holidays Ltd • Academic Adventures in America • Academic Study Associates • Accademia Europea di Firenze • ACCESS Language Centre • Accueil International Services • active abroad & Au Pair Agentur MariaTheresia • Activity International • Adventure Heart by Intersprog • Adventure Tours Australia Group Pty Ltd • AEP - Centre of coordination and Services • Africa Calling • Africa Travel Co. • African Impact • Agencia de Viagens Tagus • VIAJES COLON • Agora BCN • Alcalingua Universidad de Alcalá • Alemania Latin Au Pair • Alia Study Travel • All Out Africa/Lidwala Backpacker Lodge • Alliance Abroad Group, Inc. • Allianssi Youth Exchanges • Almatur (jsc) • ALOTT • Alpetour Touristische GmbH • Amadeus Association Transnational Education • American Institute for Foreign Study • Amigo Hostel Group • Andean Tours Ltd • ANDE-LM Agency Ltd • APITU Good Morning Europe • Aquarius • Ardmore Group, The • ARTHA - Agência de Viagens e Turismo Ltda • Asociatia Pentru Sprijinirea Tinerilor Studentilor si Profesorilor • ASSE International • Association Familles Jeunesse • Association for Support of the Academic Society • Association of International Education Counselors Turkey • Associazione Lingue e Culture Europee • ASTA Reisen Stuttgart GmbH • Astor Hostels London • ASTUR - Agentur für Sprach- und Studienreisen GmbH • Atlantis Exchange • Atmosfair GmbH • Au Pair Bolivia S.R.L. • Au Pair Ecosse • Au Pair Fly • Au Pair Foundation • Au Pair in America * • Au Pair Interactive • Au Pair International • Au Pair Link Limited • Au Pair Mexico • Au Pair Netzwerk • AU PAIR PERU S.R.L. • Au Pair Study Centre • Au Pair Support Belgium Vzw • Au Pair Travel • Au Pairs by Pebbles • Au Pairs Worldwide • AuPair Agency Duga • Au-Pair Agentur Alemania • Au-Pair Agentur Cefelin • AuPair Agenturen Osterreichs • AuPair Austria • Au-Pair Colombia Ltda • AuPair International EIRL • AU-PAIR KFT • Au-Pair Service Dr Uwe Krenz • Au-Pair Society e.V. • AuPair to the World • AuPairCare Inc. • AUpairUA Agency • Australian Internships Industry Association • Australian Internships Pty Ltd • Australian Tourism Export Council • YHA Australia • AVI International • Aviatur SA • Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof • Backpacking Hostel Australia P/L • Base Backpackers • Beijing Biztour • Beijing Riseln Kaichuang International Culture Exchange • Beijing ZhengHong Aupair Cultural Exchange Center • Belair Travel & Cargo (P) Ltd • Berlitz Languages, Inc. • BHV Education • Bianca’s Au Pairs • Blueberry Språkresebyrå AB • Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Ass. • Bridge Linguatec, Inc. • Britannia Learning & Leisure Ltd (Kingswood) • Britannia Student Services Ltd • British Au Pair Agencies Association • British Educational Travel Association • Brooklyn Tourism • Brussels Youth Hostels - Loger Jeune à Bruxelles • BUNAC • Bunters Ltd Au Pair and Nannies • Bureau International du Tourisme Social • BusyBee Au Pairs Ltd • Butterfly et Papillon • Cactus Worldwide Ltd • Camp Counselors USA, Inc. • CAMPS International • Languages Canada Association • Canadian Federation of Student • Canadian International Student Services • Cara International • Career Internship Abroad • CareMed GmbH • carpe diem / TravelWorks • CEAE - FALGAS • Celtic Budget Accommodation Centres • Celtic Childcare • Center for Cultural Interchange, The • Center of International Programs “REJANS-PRIM” • Central de Intercâmbio Viagens Ltda • Central Internacional do Estudante • CEI Centre d’Echanges Internat. - Club des 4 Vents • Centro Internazionale • Chamber College • Chelsea International Hostel • Childcare International Ltd • Chilli Adventures • Choice Students International • CJP • CKM SYTS • Clearing House Service • Clink261 • Club de Relaciones Culturales Internacionales • France for young people! • Clubclass Ltd • Coaching Solutions trading as Solution Au Pair • Coffee Shack Backpackers Lodge • COINED International • Colegio Maravillas • Coliseum Ltd. • Compass Benefits Group • Computer & Ferien Camps AG • Computer Professional Learning Center (CPLC) • Conservation Volunteers Australia • Contiki Holidays for 18 - 35s • Converse International School of Languages • Cork English College • Cork Language Centre International • Cosmo Educación • Council for Educational Travel USA • Council on International Educational Exchange • Council on Standards for International Educational Travel • CouncilofInternationalEducation&LanguageTravel • Country Club Castelfusano • Croatian Youth Hostel Association • CTS Associazione • CTS VIAGGI Srl • Cubamar Viajes SA • Cultural Bridges EIRL Adviser Peru • Cultural Care Au Pair • Cultural Embrace • Cultural Exchange Foundation • Cultural Homestay International • Das Reisenetz e.V. • de Hirsch Residence • de Reisweg • Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk • DI.L.IT International House • Diákigazolvány Kft. • did deutsch-institut • Diogenes Reizen B.V. • Disney Youth Group Programs • Domar Travel Education • Dominion English Schoolsphoenix • Don Quijote - Enforex Spanish in the Spanish World • Dorset College • Downtowner Inn Toronto • Dr Frank Sprachen & Reisen • Dr Steinfels Sprachreisen GmbH • Dr. Walter GmbH • Dragon Bus China • Dublin School of English • DWS Spanish School • E&P Education Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd • EC English Language Centres • ECELA • Ecole France Langue • Edu SA • Edu Travel World • Educa • Educamos Viajando Ltda • Educational Cultural Exchanges International Ltd • Educational Travel Center Company Limited • EF Education A/S • EF International Language Schools • EF International School of English • EF Language Colleges Ltd. • Egyptian Student Travel Services • EIL - Intercultural Learning • Ekaterinburg Center “Education Abroad” • Elite Nannies Canada • Elite Vacanze Srl • ELS Language Centers • Embassy CES • Emerald Cultural Institute • Endsleigh Insurance Services Ltd • English & More International Learning Center • English Australia • English UK • Envol Espace • Equipeople Ltd. • Equity Point Youth Hostels • ESL - Ecole Suisse de Langues • Estudiantes Embajadores de Mexico • Estudio Sampere • Ethic Étapes • EurAupair Intercultural Child Care Programs • Eurocentres • Euroculture Linguistic Visits • Eurojob Ltd • Euroma • Europair Services • European School of English • Evmar Agency • Exito Mundi • Experience Language Limited • Experiment e.V. • Experimento de Convivência Internacional do Brasil • Explorica • FBItaly • FDSV • Federal Vacation Co. • Federation EIL • Fédération Unie des Auberges de Jeunesse • Fée rêvée • Feet Up Hostels • FERIENBOERSE • FESU (EÜL) • FIAP “Jean Monnet” • Finntourist/Koulumatkailutotoimisto Oy • First Place Inc. • Foreign Study Travel Service • FSS • Fundación Cultural APEX • Galway Cultural Institute Limited • GAP Adventures Inc. • Gençtur • Generator Hostels Ltd • Genki and Japanese Culture School • GeoVisions Inc • German Red Cross Volunta GmbH • GET Educational Tours Pty Ltd • Global Benefits • Global Connection • Global Gossip • Global Lifestyles Canada Inc. • Global Partnership • Global Resources for Education & Travel, Inc. • Global Secutive, LLC • Global Village Backpackers Inc • Global Village English Centres • Global Vision International • GLOBUS-Idiomas, Formacion Y Ocio • Glory Educational Services Ltd • GLS Sprachenzentrum • GoAbroad.com • goAUPAIR Operations LLC • Good Hope Studies • Gouda International • Greenway/ The Green Lion • Greyhound Australia Pty Ltd • GTS Alive s.r.o. • Hans Brinker Hotel • Hatters Hostel Ltd • High Schools International • HILSAM GROUP OF AU PAIR AGENCIES • Hispano’s Tours SA • Hôme Hostels Valencia Spain • Home Language International • Hong Kong Student Travel Ltd • Horizonte • Hormuz • Horner School of English Ltd, The • Hostel Beautiful • Hostel of the Sun Napoli • HostelBookers • Hostelling International Marketing GmbH • Hostelrescard.com Inc • Hostelworld • Hostelworld.com • House o Orange Au Pairs • I.M.A.C. Instituto Mexico Americano de Cultura • iAE Edu Net, Eduhouse Inc. • IATI SEGUROS • IBC Student Exchange Ltd • ICEC • ICEF • Ideal Friendship Nepal • idid • Idiomas SA • IES Global China (HK) Ltd • ILSONLINE “Circolo di Cultura Italiana” • iMandarin Chinese Language Institute • Indian Network for Development Exchange • Information Advice Service • INFORT Instituto para la Formacion • Institut Parisien • Institute of English Language Studies • Institute of International Cultural Exchange • Instituto de la Juventud • INTEJ • Inter-Air Ltd • Interbusiness • Intercambios y Turismo Ltds • Intercultura de Centro America • InterExchange • Intermediate srl • International Association of Language Centres • International Au Pair Italy • International Au-Pair & Language Abroad Group • International Council of Tourism Partners • International Cultural Exchange Organization Inc. • International Development Company • International House Berlin PROLOG • International House World Organisation • International House Xi’an • International Language School of the YMCA of Québec • International Language Schools of Canada • International Options, Inc. • International Paradise Connexions Tours & Travel • International Quest • International Student & Youth Travel Agency • International Student Volunteers, Inc • International Students House • International Trainee Network, LLC • International Travel & Education Co • Hostelling International • Internet Advantage • St Christophers Inns • Interservice • InterStudies Ltd • Interstudioviaggi SRL • InterSTUDY Center • Interway S.A. • INTO Schüleraustausch • INTRA Tours & Incentives • Intrax Cultural Exchange • Intrepid Travel Pty Ltd • Irish Education Partners Ltd • Global Student Community • ISIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd • ISIC.LV • ISIS Education & Travel Group • Israel Youth Hostels Association • ISSTA Lines • Istanbul Language Centre • Italian in Italy • i-to-i UK Ltd • Janet White Agency • Janus International Hospitality Student Exchange • Jazz Hostels • JETPAK HOSTELS • Jeunesse et Nations au pair • Jibek Joly Company Limited • Joint Stock Company “Spectrum Travel” • Joseph Allnatt Centres Ltd • Juventud Y Cultura • Kang Wen Culture & Education Foundation • Kaplan International Colleges • Karavan Travel & Trade • KenyanAdventure • KEY Educational Travel Ltd • KILROY • King George International College • Kingsbrook Language Services • KISES • Kiwi and Feejee Experience • Korea Tourism Organization • Kouzon i Ko • La Ligue de L’enseignement • LAL Language Centres • Langex • Language Courses Abroad/Spanish Study Holidays • Language Network LTD • Language School Worldwide S.L. • Le Jazz St-Denis • Learn More International Education • Lewis Hohn William • Linguatime School of English • Link School of English • Living English • L’Oceane • Lonely Planet • Scuola Lorenzo De’ Medici 2 • LSC Language Studies Canada • Luke International Group Limited • Madventurer Limited • Magister • Mandarin House • Martin Peters Sprachentraining GmbH • MelonDistrict • Merit Travel Ventures Inc. dba Travel CUTS. • Messe Berlin GmbH • Milla Tourismo • Millennium Ltd • Ministry of Education, Taiwan • Mission Hollandaise • MM Oxford Study Services • MS Wranghel • MSL Travel Sdn Bhd • Multikultur International Exchange Services • Mundo Joven Travel Shop • munichaupair Patricia Brunner e.Kfr. • Nannies and Childcare • Nannies on Demand Ltd • National Student Travel Foundation • National Youth Commission • Netherlands Au Pair Organization • New LSF • New Oriental Vision Overseas Consulting • New York Language Center • New Zealand Au Pair Association • New Zealand Management Academies Ltd • NorthWest Student Exchange trading as CICD • Novas Ideias • NUS Services Limited • NYCHostels.com • ODTE • Office National de Garantie des Sejours et Stages Linguistiques • OIK • Oliver Twist Work & Study • Omnicom School of Languages • ONECO - the training agency • Open World Education Ltd. • OPER Educational Consultancy Tourism • ORDEX Cultural Exchange • OST Ltd • Österreichisches Jugendherbergswerk • OTEC Viajes Internacional • Overseas Visitors Club • Oxford Language Centre • Oxford Royale Academy • Pacific Asia Travel Association • Pacific Intercultural Exchange • Pasantias Argentinas • PAX Hostel • PDM Schuler u Studentenreisen • PEC Hotel Staff Ltd • Philippine Department of Tourism • Phoenix-nT Ltd • PLUS Ltd • PME Familienservice GmbH • Port O’Call Eco Lodge • PractiGo GmbH • Praktikawelten • Programa Inglés Abre Puertas • Project International • Proyectos IVI Venezuela C.A. • Quick Aupair & Nanny Agency • Quickhelp Agency Ltd • Reisedienst Deutscher Studentenschaften GmbH • Rennert Bilingual • Rosa dels Vents trading as RV Youth Hostels • Rospersonal LTD • RT Tax • RUF-Jugendreisen, Trend Touristik GmbH • Russian International Academy of Tourism • Sabatica Consultores • SaltyCrax Adventures • SANDEMANs New Europe GmbH • Sarah Isaacs Au Pairs Direct • Sara’s New York Homestay LLC • SASTS Working Adventures • S-au pair intermediate • Say Hueque Travel Agency • SAYIT - Student And Youth International Travel • SAYTC • Scotia Personnel Ltd • Scuola Leonardo da Vinci • Secret Garden Agency • Sehdev Travel & Educational Services • Séjours Internationaux Linguistiques et Culturels • SEN Travel • Serlac Experience • SETEJ MEXICO A. C. • Shamrock Au Pair Agency • Shanghai CIIC International Business Development Co. • SHE Travelling Consultants - Spanish Heritage • Shenyang EANNA Education Training Center • Sichuan Overseas Affairs & Exit-Entry Service Centre • Sindbad Travel International • Singapore Tourism Board • SK Dublin Au Pairs • Small World Travels (India) • Smaller Earth Ltd • Smart Au Pairs • Smart City Hostels Edinburgh • Smart Space (UK) • Smiling Faces • Sofia Tours • Soléxico Language and Cultural Centers • Spanish Abroad, Inc. • Spanish Teachers S.L. • SPD ERAZEM • Speedwing Training (Asia) Pte Ltd • Spirit Cultural Exchange • Sprachcaffe - Languages Plus • Sprachdirekt GmbH • Spring International Language Center • Sputnik ISIC Ltd • STA Travel Group • STAR Travel • STB Student Travel Bureau Australia • Stepin GmbH • STIC Travels • Stichting Uitwisseling • STS Au Pair • STS Student Travel Schools • Student & Youth Travel Organisation • Student Agency Ltd • Student Flight Center/ASATEJ • Student Travel Bureau • Student & Youth Travel Association • StudyGlobal • StudyTravel BV • Sunny Smiles Au-Pair Agency • Super Nanny Au Pair Services • Swan Training Institute • SWAP Working Holidays • Swiss Youth Hostel Association • Sydney English Language Centre • SYTravel Tunisia • Taiwan Youth Hostel Association • Tamwood International College Ltd • TANDEM International e.V. • TAXBACK.COM (USA) • Thai International Education Consultants Association • The Childcare Company • The Department of Trade and Industry • The Language Academy, Inc. • The Training Partnership Ltd • TIJE Argentina • Toerisme Vlaanderen • Top Deck Tours Limited • Tourism Australia • Tourism Authority of Thailand • Tourism Bureau, Min. of Transport & Comm • Tourism NT • Tourism Tropical North Queensland • Tourism Victoria • Tourismus Agentur Schleswig-Holstein • Tourismusverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern • Trans World Education Ltd • Transinex PTE Ltd • Travel Active • Travel CUTS USA • Travel World Co. Ltd • Travel, Exchange & Education • Truva International Education Service • Tucan Travel • U in the USA • Ueberland Reisegesellschaft GmbH • Uhak.com • Ukinbound • Ukraine Exchange • Union Francaise des Agences Au Pair • Union Nationale des Associations de Tourisme • United Holidays • UAB Idiomes Barcelona • University Co-op Tourism • University of Bath • UNSW Global Pty Limited • USIT Now • Uzsienio kalbu mokymo centras - UKMC • Vancouver English Centre • VariArts Travel • VAS! México • Viajes Sanabria SA / Linguatur • Vienna Group T/A • Village Camps SA • VIP Backpackers • VisitBritain • Visitoz • Vol SA • Wake Up! • Weltweitblick • WESTEDU International Education Consultancy • Williams College • WISE • Work & Travel Company Australia • World Education Program • World Nomads Group Ltd • World Study Brazil • World Wide Au Pair & Nanny • World Wide Cultural Exchange, Inc. • WST Charters • Xplorer Ecuador • Xu Bo Art and Culture Exchange • YA Language School • YES Au Pair • YHA (England & Wales) Ltd • YMCA of Greater New York • YOBIX Tours Co. Ltd • You2Africa • Youth Discovery Programmes • Youth Education Services • Youth Hostels Association of Russia • Zavod Souhostel • Zeltzin Aupair Agency • Zig Zag Travel

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