“From an ATEC perspective, WYSTC is regarded as a key global youth trade event that celebrates the importance and value of youth travel.  It provides the fabric to engage, exchange knowledge and experiences and importantly an opportunity to showcase destinations and establish and cultivate trading partnerships.  I am confident the team at WYSETC is working hard to deliver an outstanding event in 2012 and Australia will certainly be in San Diegoin true Aussie force.”

Jennifer Woodbridge, Industry Development Manager, Australian Tourism Export Council

“I attended my first WYSTC in Pattaya in 2003 working for a different company. The contacts I have made and seminars I have participated in over the years has allowed me to grow my own business and haven’t missed a WYSTC since! There is a great global entrepreneurial  spirit at the conference where business can be made from breakfast, throughout the day to the excellent networking events in the evening”

Steve Lowy, Founder, umi Group.

“As a first-timer, WYSTC has been very helpful for our business. Today at my business appointments, I travelled around the world.”

Debra Moody, Life Adventures

“The first conference we went to, Wake Up! was not yet opened and we took a huge financial risk. The fact that we attended WYSTC that year gave us so many contacts that within 3 weeks of opening the hostel, it was 80% full (of 500 beds). I have been the world’s biggest fan of WYSTC ever since.”

Margaret Millett, Wake Up! Australia

“I started LanguagesForLife.com in 2001 after 10 years in sales and marketing with a number of different organisations: International House, Sprachcaffe, ISIS Education and Travel, International Projects (IP).

I first visited San Diego in 1995 and immediately fell in love with the city. Since 2004, I’ve had the honour of representing the University of San Diego in Europe with a brief to recruit international students for its English Language Academy. As soon as the announcement was made at WYSTC Barcelona that this year’s event would be held in San Diego I registered. I can’t think of a city anywhere, better suited to hosting the unique event that is WYSTC…it’s going to be awesome!”

Tony Evans, Languages for Life.com (www.languagesforlife.com)

“Visitoz has been attending WYSTC since 2000 in Dusseldorf and now WETM twice.   We like the quality of the venues chosen and it is good to be able to stay in the same hotel.   When we first attended WYSTC there was one other Australian company and I know we have done a huge amount of marketing for the event within Australia to bring it up to the current large numbers – I hope these will increase for San Diego later this year.  Our first WETM brought one other business with us – and now two others – so that is growing too!  Having booths for the first time at WETM was great and a useful place in which to display our banners and the logo competition.  Thank you for announcing the winners for us.”

Joanna Burnet, VisitOz

“WYSTC provides us with the perfect time, place & people to build our business……… if you want to meet the movers & shakers in world youth travel then WYSTC is the main game”.

Wacca, Lets Go Surfing

“The organisation of the whole event is brilliant. WYSTC allows us to build upon existing industry relationships, and make many new contacts. This event brings great networking opportunities.”

Jayne Goodsir, Smart City Hostels

“WYSTC is the best place for me to connect with my international colleagues to share best practices, new ideas and network with potential new buyers.”

Amanda Booth, Hostelling International USA

“WYSTC is the world’s meeting place for the youth travel industry – everyone you need to talk to, in one great location, with plenty of opportunities for trading, sharing knowledge, developing partnerships and importantly making friendships. For us, it’s a cost effective way to meet our partners and we love the new and growing emphasis on volunteer travel!”

Madeline Townsend, Conservation Volunteers Australia and New Zealand

“The strongest partnerships in the youth travel market are built upon personal relationships. The WYSE Travel Confederation understands that concept and structures WYSTC to suit.”

Paul Jacobs, StudentUniverse

“WYSTC for us is the most targeted, comprehensive event for youth tourism operators and buyers”

Simon Way, Base