STAY WYSE is the global forum and trade association for organisations involved in youth travel accommodation.

As we approach the end of a successful year, STAY WYSE would like to thank you for your support this year.

STAY WYSE has accomplished a number of projects in 2008, including:

We are looking forward to working with you in the New Year to provide you with industry intelligence and representation.

We hope to meet you again at one of the upcoming industry events in 2009, such as Hostelworld Conference, Gomio, ITB Berlin, or WYSTC.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season,

STAY WYSE Association

New NSTS Hostel for foreign students

New NSTS Hostel for foreign students
STAY WYSE member NSTS Hostel acquired a new property to add its portfolio of properties hosting foreign students. More…

The substantial investment is aimed at strengthening the services the company provides to this particular market in the tourism industry.

The new property will bring the total number of beds under the organisation’s management to over 450. As Francis Stivala, managing director of NSTS explains, "this is one of the initiatives taken towards addressing a manifest void in the proper servicing of our younger visitor"s.

Click here for the full article

Source: Times of Malta.com

Up-and-coming talent was acknowledged alongside major players, as industry representatives gathered to honour the winners of the British Youth Travel Awards on November 24th.

Organised by the British Educational Travel Association (BETA), the awards recognise the achievements of outstanding companies and individuals operating within the youth travel market.

The finalists in each category saw smaller businesses, such as hostels and independent travel agents, squaring up against some bigger names, such as STA Travel.

In the event Australia was the big winner, going home with gongs for two categories - 'International Youth Destination of the Year' and 'Most Innovative Marketing' for their UK Youth Working Holiday Visa campaign.

The winners (in bold) and finalists in each of the categories are as follows:

Best website
• HattersHostel.com
• Gapyear.com
• STA Travel

Best Youth Product
• Hostelbookers.com
• Anglophiles Academic – David Beckham Football Academy
• Educational Cultural Exchanges – Medieval Encampment Experience

Most Innovative Marketing
• Tourism Australia – UK Youth WHV campaign
• Gapyear.com – Challenge Canada Campaign
• St Christopher’s Inns – VIP campaign

Most Promising Young Marketer
• Gavin Daniel, Anglophiles Academic
• Emma Coelho, Anglo American Educational Services
• Tanya Nicholls, International Students House

Green Tourism Award
• G.A.P. Adventures
• Abang Africa Travel
• Contiki Holidays & Resorts

Best UK Youth Destination
• Brighton

Best International Youth Destination
• Australia

Outstanding Contribution to Youth Tourism
• Jack Coronna



Source:travelbite.co.uk

After the successful launch of the Benchmark Study at WYSTC, Brooklyn, New York, STAY WYSE members should have now received a copy of the study.

If you are a member and have not received this by post, please email
Ita Rahman

Few interesting findings from the survey:

- Youth Travel Accommodation (YTA) sector is closing the price and quality gap with the budget hotel sector

- The largest YTA operations are found in Europe and Australia

- Eastern Europe is the largest growth market for YTA

It was agreed at the Annual General Meeting that a continuation of the study is essential. Members are encouraged to submit their suggestions on what part of the study needs a further analysis.

Please send your suggestions by 30 January 2009 to i.rahman@staywyse.org

Hostelworld held an additional conference in Buenos Aires to serve their members in Latin America who had not been able to attend Hostelworld’s global conference in Dublin earlier this year.

STAY WYSE was asked to present the recently launched benchmark study at this event. The benchmark study was presented by Eduardo Vargas from Mundo Joven, Mexico, a STAY WYSE member. The conference was attended by 150 hostel owners, managers and service providers from Latin America.

The Benchmark Study will also be presented at the upcoming Hostelworld Conference in Dublin, on Monday 25 January 2009 at 11.00 hrs. Click here for the full programme.

According to an article by Sara Macefield from Telegraph.co.uk, staying at stylish places doesn't have to break the bank.

Click here to see who ranks on her top 50:

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Green Globe was established by the World Travel and Tourism Council in 1992 and provides leading certification programmes for measuring, monitoring and improving environmental and sustainable travel.

The areas of collaboration between WYSE Travel Confederation and Green Globe International include:

1. Assisting WYSE Travel Confederation members in assessing the sustainability of their organisation's operations and setting realistic targets to improve standards

2. Providing consulting services to Confederation members at a discounted rate

3. Assisting WYSE Travel Confederation and WYSTC in improving the sustainability of all their operations and industry events


Organisations that have successfully completed Green Globe's programmes will be awarded with a "Bronze", "Silver" or "Gold" certificate and logo.

To find out more about participating contact Stephanie Manning, WYSE Travel Confederation s.manning@wysetc.org

Source: WYSE Travel Confederation Network News

The YTI is produced and published by the WYSE Travel Confederation in close collaboration with its network of 8 sector associations. It features articles related to all areas of youth, student, educational travel, including the youth accommodation industry.

Twice a year, YTI Magazine is delivered to the world’s leading youth hostels, travel agents, tour operators, language schools, cultural exchange programmes, au-pair organisations and tourist boards.

Click here for rates and booking form.

Articles featuring in the latest edition:

- Summary report and photos of ITB Berlin 2008 and Work Experience Travel Market & IAPA Annual Conference (WETM-IAC) held in The Hague, the Netherlands in March 2008.

- Tomorrow's World - The WYSE Travel Confederation community identifies the major trends that will define youth travel over the next five years

- The Global age of ISIC - the reinvention of the International Student Identity Card to fit the lifestyle of today's students

Over the past few years, a new breed of accommodation has sprung up: the boutique hostel. They have swimming pools, roof terraces, smart lounges, private rooms…

They are still on the basic side, otherwise they wouldn’t be cheap (which we like) – but they do the simple stuff well, with lashings of style and attitude (which we like too).

Although dorms and lavatories down the hall can still be found, private double rooms (some en-suite), designer interiors, fluffy

duvets, flatscreen televisions, elegant lounge areas and a sense of youthful flair can be found. They’re a million miles from the grim hostel stereotype and a welcome contrast to the bland utilitarianism of the budget hotel chains.

Read the full article

Source: Times Online

Global Gossip.com recently conducted a survey among young travellers aged between 19 – 29 currently traveling in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Spain & UK. 87% of young people were polled on whether their travel plans were altered due to the current global economic uncertainties. These were their replies:

12% said ‘Cut budget and trip shorter’
23% said ‘Travel more until it blows over’
64% said ‘Who cares, I’m sticking to my original plans’

Tourist arrivals around the world are expected to slow this year due to high fuel prices, a UN official said, but he said he was confident the tourism sector was not overly vulnerable to the global credit crunch.

Francesco Frangialli, secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organisation (WTO), said the financial crisis could cut down on travel and leisure spending but people across the globe were still travelling.
“We are worried, of course,” Frangialli told delegates of the United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associaitons. “But, we are not giving in to panic. Experience teaches us that tourism is resilient. The need to go on trips, to take holidays, is too strong in our post-industrial societies."

"American and European consumers have been spending less in their destinations," Frangialli said, reducing incidental expenditures, such as restaurants, entertainment and transport options.
"This has led to the popularity of staying with relatives and friends, at camping sites, mobile homes and social tourist accommodations."

While low-cost airlines suffered during the first half of 2008 due to high prices of fuel, Frangialli said many travelers were now using budget carriers.

He said about 900 million people traveled in 2007 and this number was expected to hit 1.1 billion in 2010, growing slowly from the 6 percent rise in tourism traffic last year.

Click here for the full article

Sources: Global Gossip.com and Travelwatch

If you have any news you would like to share with the STAY WYSE Community please email:
Ita Rahman - i.rahman@staywyse.org