Our WYSTC survey, which was created to gather feedback to better serve our community, closed Friday 9 November. We were pleased with the number of people who completed the survey and appreciate their efforts

In total, 112 people who attended WYSTC 2012 fully completed the survey. Compared with the total number of participants at WYSTC 2012, 15% completed this survey which is deemed a success.

More than half of the survey was completed by WYSE Travel Confederation members, of which almost 59% represented WYSE Work Abroad alone. Thank you for your time!

From the responses, 81% of companies had previously attended—and 61% delegates had personally attended WYSTC. This is positive news, and we are happy to see delegates returning to an event they see as important, profitable and we hope, enjoyable! This is also reflected in how organisations and individuals hear about WYSTC each year, such as through returning delegate mailings and newsletters WYSTC sends. However, interestingly, 16% of respondents heard about WYSTC through word-of-mouth, which means some people are spreading the good word!

We asked respondents to rate their overall WYSTC experience in San Diego and 60% responded  that they felt WYSTC 2012 met their needs and 25% also found WYSTC to be ‘Excellent’. The positives were delegates felt meeting both existing and potential new clients, partners and supplier was a great success. As far as strengthening existing relationships and being a ‘part of the community’, are concerned, nearly half of all respondents felt this expectation was met or even exceeded.

While attending WYSTC, delegates were able to access and receive comprehensive information and communicate to other delegates through various channels. The survey revealed that the Message Board is still highly used and appreciated with 76% indicating they used it, which goes to show technology is not always king and many still enjoy the old-fashioned touch.

As you are probably aware, WYSTC 2013 will be held in Sydney and over 70% of the respondents said either they will most likely attend WYSTC  2013, which is a promising  and heartening response!

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey. These surveys help us to in ensure that subsequent WYSTC’s offer the participants an optimal and enjoyable WYSTC.

If you wish to receive a PDF copy of the entire WYSTC 2012 San Diego Survey, please email Simon Andrew, Marketing Associate.

WYSTC Speakers Explore How Youth Tourism Promotes Global Economy

Industry leaders put the power of youth travel in the limelight

San Diego, 20 September—WYSTC, the annual conference of the global youth tourism industry and held this year in San Diego, was off to an incredible start yesterday, with three key speakers highlighting how youth travel is revitalizing the global economy.

The conference was officially opened by Mr Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), who hailed youth travel as the primary means to promote the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of global tourism.

“Young people travel with a purpose, to explore and to engage. They mix their travel with study, work, volunteer placements and adventure. They tend to stay longer, and thus spend more than the average tourist, explore new destinations and interact more closely with the communities they visit, making a direct contribution to local economies,” Mr Rifai told conference delegates.

WYSE Travel Confederation, the organisers of WYSTC, estimates that youth travel generates in excess of US$ 173 billion annually, with much of the growth led by young people continuing to travel despite economic uncertainty.

Blain Rethmeier, Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations at U.S. Travel Association, also welcomed attendees to San Diego and echoed comments made by President Barack Obama in early 2012, in which he proclaimed that travel and tourism were an essential part of the U.S. economy and a major source of job creation.

Rethmeier’s speech was followed by Tony Espinoza, CEO of CouchSurfing, who made the keynote address.  Espinoza highlighted the importance of youth tourism for building a global community, describing how CouchSurfing has built an online system that  “drives users to connect offline, where they can share meaningful connections face-to-face.”   CouchSurfing continues to make headlines as the world’s largest travel community.

The World Youth and Student Travel Conference or WYSTC , the annual global networking event of WYSE Travel Confederation, is taking place this year in San Diego and attended by 750 delegates from around the globe. WYSTC provides attendees access to hundreds of organisations on the forefront of the youth travel industry—in sectors ranging from accommodation and volunteering to work abroad schemes—and  the opportunity to gain insight from industry leaders, while building global partnerships.

Says Espen Falkenhaug, Director General of WYSE Travel Confederation, “Due to economic challenges, the tourism industry is going through unprecedented change and young travellers are playing an increasingly significant, positive role.  The youth travel industry is a huge, vibrant and resilient market that boosts growth and long-term development. We are excited to have such influential speakers address our conference. ”

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WYSE Travel Confederation is a non profit membership association that supports the global youth, student and educational travel industry. It is endorsed by the UNWTO and UNESCO. Its annual event, WYSTC, takes place this year 18-21 September in San Diego, California.

Media Contact

Dara Colwell, Communications Officer

Email: dara.colwell@wysetc.org

The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) today announced the newly elected team that will drive the organisation’s policy and industry development work in the backpacker and youth market over the next 12 months.

Read the ATEC Media Release HERE.

WYSE Travel Confederation Announces Triposo as Winner of Annual App Yap Contest

Contest determines best youth travel app that maximizes travel experience on the road

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Amsterdam, 18 October 2012—The World Youth Student & Educational Travel Confederation (WYSE), the world’s most powerful network of youth and student travel professionals, is pleased to announce Triposo won its App Yap contest for best app in the youth and student travel industry.

The App Yap competition challenges technology and travel companies to develop the best app in the youth travel industry, a global market currently worth US$173 billion a year. Triposo’s success was announced at the World Youth Student Travel Conference in San Diego, CA, where Keval Desai, former Google Director of Product Management and on Triposo’s Board, accepted the award on Triposo’s behalf.

“At Triposo, we’re continuously developing our app to keep exploration and spontaneity—what we consider the essence of travel—in the picture. We are honoured to have won this award. The contest was an excellent opportunity to connect with industry partners, as well as young travellers,” says Richard Osinga, who founded Triposo along with ex-Googlers Jon Tirsen and Douwe Osinga.

Triposo’s mobile travel app provides relevant, personalized travel recommendations to consumers—think of an online travel guide that responds to the user’s location and which can also be accessed offline.

The App Yap contest was created to be in line with young traveller’s heavy use of social media. The online travel app market is huge and vital and statistics bear this out. A May 2012 Nielsen study, “Courting Today’s Mobile Consumer,” shows that in the US, travel apps lead the mobile app industry in usage, growing at 116% (versus 84% for overall app use.) And according to the  Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, 45% of American adults own a smartphone—but the figure rises to 66% for young adults aged 18 to 29.

“These trends underline the fundamental ‘mobile’ nature of travel. Young people are enthusiastically embracing technology and using travel mobile apps as a resource while in transit. We congratulate Triposo on winning with such a quality app, and are excited to see what they will produce next,” says Espen Falkenhaug, Director General of WYSE Travel Confederation.

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WYSE Travel Confederation (http://www.wysetc.org) is a non-profit membership association that supports the global youth, student and educational travel industry. It is endorsed by the UNWTO and UNESCO.

Triposo links:

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/app/triposo-travel-guide-to-world/id467053028

Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.triposo.droidguide.world

Video: http://vimeo.com/41761662#