This is a blog by Trove Associate Olivia Silverman-Franklin after attending the ITB Berlin Virtual Event.

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Last week, ITB Berlin held a three-day virtual conference that included informative speakers from multiple tourism industry sectors.

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When we think about tourism and travel, we often think of different types of travel such as adventure, volunteer, or business tourism. We often forget about the youth and student Traveler as a differentiated segment. What makes them so distinctive? Whether it's for education, a cultural exchange, or work experience in their industry, these groups travel for a purpose and are an incredibly resilient travel segment.

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The discussion featured speakers David Chapman, Director General of WYSE Travel Confederation; Wendi Aylward, Managing Director of AIFS Australia; Vicki Cunningham, CEO of Bunac USI; and Russell Hedge, CEO of HI USA. Each spoke about each of their respective country's concerns and problems during the pandemic and discussed the prospects to grow and expand this travel and tourism industry sector.

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This market demographic pre-pandemic data showed that youth travelers accounted for 23% of international arrivals. This demographic comprises Generation Z; the youngest is nine years old and about twenty-four years old. They are in their peak educational time frame are they learning and experiencing new information every day, whether it be from school or online. In addition, they are a generation born knowing how to use a smartphone. As briefly stated by Vicki Cunningham, she believes this generation is well-equipped in making online connections and friendships anywhere in the world via online. Sadly, she thinks that the global presumption towards human connection and understanding hasn't allowed them to move at the same pace as this new generation.

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Another point that Ms. Cunningham believes is a concern in this sector is the lack of youth mobility. We often see that more well-off families can participate in more cultural experiences within their respective countries or internationally; this means they have more opportunities for their defining career path and expanded attitude towards other cultures. It's vital to advocate for accessibility for students of lower socio-economic backgrounds to receive the chance to expand their horizons. To promote youth exchanges and student travelers to governments and tourist boards, they must see the significance of these young travelers; they are a long-term investment. When a student has a fulfilling experience in a foreign country, they gain global work experience and advocate for their host country. Word of mouth has always been the best form of marketing; youth travelers can voice their favorable experiences with friends, family colleagues, and even on social media.  

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As of now, there are not too many non-profit cultural exchanges that support youth exchanges. They are usually privately run, and as stated before, families with a financial gain can afford these. With that being said, families want the assurance that their child will be safe in another country with assistance from their country's embassy or the program which sets up the travel exchange.

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The speakers noted that this particular group of travelers are trailblazers. They identify new travel trends and recognize critical industry issues. The industry must cultivate these trends. 'This should be the number one priority for every destination in the world if you want those luxury and business travelers down the line,' stated Cunningham. Destinations need to notice if they want to succeed long-term by enticing this influential demographic.

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Even without the support of governments and tourism boards, youth travelers will continue their plans to travel to unfamiliar places, speak languages that are second to them, and experience the real world. We need to ensure that destinations don't miss this opportunity to differentiate themselves to a market eager to experience cultures beyond them.

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To watch their entire discussion, click here. To learn more about what Trove is doing to help destinations better segment and target their visitor markets, visit our Branding Strategy page.

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