A big thank you to @_joandjoe_ for sponsoring the business appointments at WYSTC 2026 and helping make the trade hall a buzzy hub for business, conversations and connections. Gauthier Renaudin, Endre Katona, Romane Pottiez, François Leclerc #WYSTC2026

Kim Roques of All Out Africa discussed how AI is changing the way volunteer programmes, educational tours, internships and school expeditions are marketed, booked and managed. #WYSTC2026

Chad Anderson of Discova discussed how educational travel can connect classroom learning with community engagement through programmes designed around curriculum goals and measurable outcomes. #WYSTC2026

HiTravel, InterLatina Cultural Exchange, Southern Xplorer, Leisure Accommodation Collective explored the trends driving this shift, the opportunities for destinations and businesses, and how the industry can respond to the expectations of the next travellers. #WYSTC2026

Jerry White, co-leader of the Nobel Prize-winning campaign to ban landmines, brought a powerful message of resilience to #WYSTC, sharing his personal journey of surviving a landmine explosion and the lessons that shaped his work for peace. #WYSTC2026

Amy Arnold and Liz Hong-Farrell of International Experience Canada- @CitImmCanada highlighted what motivates Canadian youth to pursue work and travel abroad, as well as the barriers that can hold them back and how destinations can better attract and support them. #WYSTC2026

Thank you Rebecca A. Pasini, Mark Howard of @u_affairs and Casey Slamin of @InterExchange for sharing the latest updates on US government regulations, policies and trends. #WYSTC2026

Mark Overmann of @AllianceExchnge, Andy Fenner of @WYSETC and Wendi Aylward of @aifsabroad discussed how the youth travel sector can strengthen government relations and make a stronger case for its wider economic, workforce and social value. hashtag#WYSTC2026

Thank you, Chris Engler of World Unite!, for highlighting how Japan and South Korea are becoming major destinations for youth mobility, with working holidays, internships, volunteering and language programmes opening up new opportunities across East Asia. #WYSTC2026

Melina Saccal of Milhouse Hostels showed how a Buenos Aires hostel grew into a full youth travel ecosystem, combining accommodation, travel, language and volunteering services while navigating Argentina’s economic uncertainty and changing Gen Z expectations. #WYSTC2026

Thank you Luis Daniel Matias of Grace International Exchange for sharing how industry associations can help emerging youth travel agencies turn international expansion challenges into opportunities through trusted connections, market knowledge and support. #WYSTC2026

Eva De Narkevitch of Saintlo Hostels shared how youth travel brands can cut through the digital noise by understanding where Gen Z discovers and books travel, from choosing the right channels to creating content that turns attention into action. #WYSTC2026 #travel #marketing

Fariba Ingrid Hicks and Michael Fried of @CCUSA_camps discussed how programme design and technology can better prepare young people for independent travel, cultural adaptation and life abroad. #WYSTC2026 #studyabroad #workandtravel #culturalexchange

The session brought together @AllianceExchnge, AirTravel Kazakhstan, Cenet and @SmallerEarth for a candid discussion on leading through uncertainty in the cultural exchange sector. #WYSTC2026

Vicki Cunningham -JENZA, @BUNACTravel & USIT, Adam Cooper - @AllianceAbroad, Luca Marra - @weroad_official and Bettina Wiedmann - Experiment e.V. explored how different generations define meaningful travel and what this means for the experiences the industry creates. #WYSTC2026

What a way to start the educational programme! Bernie Hollywood took the stage to show us how powerful stories can become catalysts for real-world change, inspiring our community to turn the life-changing experiences of international exchange into a collective voice. #WYSTC2026

We’re delighted to start the first day of trading at WYSTC 2026 with a warm welcome from Andy Fenner, Sebastien Leitner and Javier Garcinuño Zabala from Bilbao City Council. Here’s to a great day of connections, conversations and opportunities! #WYSTC2026

Join @AllianceExchnge for a look at the state of US exchange programmes, including the priorities, pressuresm opportunities shaping exchanges 18 months into the Trump Administration, the outlook for BridgeUSA programmes, and what lies ahead. shorturl.at/2yZWV #WYSTC2026

Guillermo Gilbert, CEO of Work It, will explore how early recruitment strategies can help secure Work & Travel participants 6–9 months in advance, with practical insights from the Latin American market. Find out more 👉🏻 shorturl.at/mH8Z6 #WYSTC2026 #workandtravel

ACE International and @AllianceAbroad, will explore how stronger pre-departure orientations can improve participant outcomes across BridgeUSA programmes. Read more 👉🏻 shorturl.at/vlvlv #WYSTC2026 #BridgeUSA #culturalexchange #youthtravel