WYSE Travel Confederation and The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) are pleased to announce their partnership, offering a special discount for the attendees of the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) and the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) – both being held in California this September – to maximize their experience by participating in both of these major international events.

WYSTC, endorsed by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is the essential student and youth travel networking event. This year’s conference, the 21st of its kind, has already attracted a record high percentage of CEOs, directors, presidents, and managers to register. The ESTC is a unique annual conference providing practical solutions to advance sustainability goals for the tourism industry. A leading international meeting place for tourism professionals and sustainability experts, the ESTC brings together business and destination leaders from over 30 countries from around the world.
WYSE Travel Confederation is excited to partner with TIES, as it allows both to develop and to expand their extensive networks while reinforcing a common goal – boosting tourism’s role in building a globally sustainable future.

Said Espen Falkenhaug, Director General of WYSETC: “We see this as a great opportunity to build and cross-fertilize our communities within the travel sector. Young people see travel as essential part of their daily lives, and are also pioneering the call for responsible, sustainable ways to do it. We hope all delegates will benefit from exchanging ideas and networking—this will be a unique opportunity to influence the way we do business.”

“We need to involve youth in travel and tourism, and it is important for them to be fully aware of sustainable practices – they are our future professionals,” said Dr. Kelly Bricker, Chair of TIES Board of Directors, “Our partnership with WYSE Travel Confederation this year is not only a great opportunity for us to support and be part of the student and youth travel sector, but also an important milestone for our annual conference. We continue to implement our global vision and to seek collaboration with diverse sectors of our industry in order to help mainstream sustainability in tourism – and this is a win-win for the future of sustainable travel.”

In line with ESTC’s goal to promote sustainability in tourism, WYSE Travel Confederation, the world’s largest network of youth and student travel operators, is offering ESTC delegates a reduced one-day rate of US$699 to attend WYSTC on Friday, September 21 (after the ESTC12). The rate includes:

- Six formal Business Appointments
- Inclusion in the WYSTC 2012 Trade Catalogue
- Admittance to the Farewell party (retails at US$99)
- A one-day pass to attend the seminars, which includes a Panel on Sustainability and Youth Travel, being organized in partnership with STA Travel

In return, TIES is offering a reciprocal discount for WYSTC attendees to join theESTC12 in Monterey, California, on Monday, September 17, for a special one-day rate of US$195. The rate includes:

- Complimentary access to create and maintain a profile on the TIES-EXCHANGE online networking platform through October 31, 2012.
- Access to all sessions and functions of the ESTC12 on the first day of its program on Monday, September 17, including 5 different hands-on workshops

Of particular interest to WYSTC delegates are workshops on integrated marketing campaigns for ecotourism and a Student-Professional Networking Session that connects industry leaders in ecotourism and sustainable travel with students, the industry’s future leaders. The keynote speaker that day will be Sydney Allicock, hailed as Guyana’s pioneer of community tourism and a visionary Amerindian leader.

Source: eTurboNews