MU contributes to UNWTO report on Youth Travel

On the occasion of the Youth & Student Travel Conference held in Barcelona on September 20-23 2011, the UNWTO released the second of a series of reports dedicated to the youth travel market. The reports are produced in collaboration with the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation (WYSETC) and include commentaries from specialists, UNWTO Affiliate Members, and other selected organizations on the importance of Youth Travel for economic development, global development, and young travelers themselves.

MU faculty member Xavier Matteucci was invited to contribute to the latest report, entitled "The Power of Youth Travel", to stress the socio-cultural benefits of travel to young people. Drawing from his research, Xavier points to learning and the transformational effect of travel experiences among young women and men. He also comments that while, in the short term, a trip may be regarded as an adventure, in the long run, youth travel becomes powerful as young people feel a sense of self-fulfillment and personal growth, and it is undeniably a powerful influence on the creation of future aspirations.

In addition to this, the report provides an up-to-date overview of the major characteristics and trends of this market, highlighting its importance to governments and business leaders worldwide.

For further information and to download the full report, please visit the following sites:
http://www.platma.org/
http://www.wystc.org/

Contact:
Xavier Matteucci, MODUL University Vienna, Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Am Kahlenberg 1, 1190 Vienna, Austria
xavier.matteucci@modul.ac.at | www.modul.ac.at/thm