Hot on the heels of the success of the Online Showcase in 2011,
WYSTC 2012 will bring you face to face with inspiring and successful companies and organisations in the online travel arena. This expo of online travel firms will give you the chance to learn more about their businesses and what additional partnerships await you in the online world.
Would you like to be included? Click here to contact us and learn more about participating.
Do you remember the online showcase in Barcelona?
Flashback to 2011…
It was a magical night in Barcelona Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) during last year’s Showcase, and we’ve kept the breakdown of the companies that were featured.
Zinch is a recruitment program connecting institutions and providers to students primarily from the US, China, the Middle East, Turkey and Central Asia. It’s a bit like Facebook meets College Board meets Match.com, except we’re about making matches between students and “right fit” programs. Our service is completely free to students. With over 3 million student users and growing by 4,000 per day, our students have a variety of interests. The beauty of our program is its ability to adapt to each client’s diverse goals.
ExchangesConnect is an international online community managed by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs that connects potential, current and former exchange program participants so that they can discuss application processes, programs and living abroad. The community features real conversations about cultures, commonalities and exchange program experiences. Interactive exchange program groups allow potential and current participants to connect safely with one another online and to share informal tips about U.S. Department of State-sponsored exchange programs like Fulbright, the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) and more.
GoAbroad.com is the leading online database dedicated to providing the most comprehensive international education and alternative travel resources. The site was founded in 1998 as a way to bridge the information gap between students, job seekers and volunteers interested in international experiences with a variety of exciting organizations. GoAbroad has since grown into one of the most visited directories of its kind. Averaging 1.1 million unique visitors and 4.3 million page views each month, GoAbroad is a one-stop information center that continues to connect travelers to programs that best fit their needs.
Gogobot is writing a new chapter in online travel where friends, not strangers, are the key to creating extraordinary travel experiences. Launched in November 2010, Gogobot helps people tap into their personal networks via Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare to easily get and share travel advice. Gogobot partners with HomeAway, Expedia, Hotels.com, Kayak and Priceline to enable users to book their vacations directly from the site. Gogobot is a great source to find travel information, including Maui hotel reviews, things to do in Rome, Silicon Valley hotels or hotels near Fisherman’s Wharf. Gogobot’s founders were key to the early success of MySpace and Yahoo Answers and are now bringing this deep understanding of the social web to travel. The company is backed by Battery Ventures, Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s Innovation Endeavors and MySpace founder Chris DeWolfe. Time Magazine has named Gogobot as one of the top 50 websites for 2011.
I Wanna Go There is a travel guide for Coolpackers: travellers that love design, architecture, vintage shops, music and trendy places. We launched in 2009, in 2010 we won the Webby Award for Best Travel Website in the USA and in 2011 we picked up the Official Honoree Webby Award for best travel website in USA. We’ve been finalists in Travolution Awards in 2010 for Best Information Website. In 2011 we launched the Spanish version of iwannagothere.com with the same philosophy but in a different language: mimaleta.com. During 2011 we have released Mobile City Guides for iPhone and Android for 15 cities all over the world. Our mission is to help travellers to explore cities as they never have before.
Take a look at the new gapyear.com. Re-launched in August this year, the number one place to talk gap years is bigger, better and faster than ever. Built by backpackers for backpackers, gapyear.com aims to broaden its appeal while remaining true to the pioneering spirit. With investment from its new parent company, Flight Centre, gapyear.com is developing an ever-richer mix of expert and user-generated content on pages that can be targeted to specific age groups and home nations. Established in 1998, gapyear.com was a pioneer in online travel advice and remains one of the most popular targeted social network sites.
TripAdvisor was founded in February 2000 by Steven Kaufer with the aim of creating the best travel reference on the web. Due to its incredible evolution and growth, TripAdvisor is now the largest travel website in the world, which allows travellers to plan and enjoy the perfect trip no matter what their budget is. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travellers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. Currently, TripAdvisor has more than 50 million unique visitors per month, more than 20 million active members and more than 50 million reviews. It is presently in 30 countries and available in 21 languages.
lastminute.com is the UK’s leading online travel and leisure retailer, with over 1.65 million visitors per week. Whether it’s planning an exotic escape to the Maldives, jetting off to Marrakech, or maybe planning a great night out in the UK, lastminute.com has it all and at great value prices. lastminute.com offers its customers the opportunity to book flights, tickets, hotels and more through a one stop shop. From adventuring in the mountains to relaxing beach breaks, spa stays, theatre trips and dining, there really is something for everyone. At lastminute.com we’re proud of our extended family of brands that offer you the widest choice of products possible. From holidays to hotels, car hire to business travel, our brands specialise in providing all the travel options you’ll ever need.