on student travel ❖
lance harrell
Student/Youth Market Mirrors Future of Travel
C
hange and innovation have always been championed by youth, and this is true of our industry as well. Therefore, trends in the student and youth travel market are often good indicators of things to come in other sectors of the travel industry. So just what is going on in the student and youth travel market? According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, youth travel now accounts for more than 190 million international trips a year. This figure is estimated to grow, in response to higher living standards and an increase in youth travelers from developing countries, to 300 million by 2020. Young people travel for a variety of reasons including education, expanding their social circle, experiencing new cultures, career development and straight up bragging rights. They tend to be pioneers in discovering new destinations and are early adopters and heavy users of new technology. All of these areas offer opportunities for future growth in the youth travel marketplace and one of the most important factors in tapping into this market is the final item mentioned − technology. Young people are always on the move, and there is one thing that is usually on the move with them − their smart phone. Youth are now more likely to own a mobile phone than a book. By 2014 it is estimated that more users will connect to the Internet via a mobile device than by a computer. In 2011, there LeisureGroupTravel.com
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