Ask Us Anything

In this episode of Ask Us Anything, we talk to Sascha Dimitriewicz and Raphaela Boeck, a father-daughter team at Wombat’s City Hostels, about the past and future of youth travel. Sascha is co-founder of Wombat’s and his daughter Raphaela is currently head of sales for the hostel’s four properties located in Vienna, London, Budapest and Munich. 

The Wombat’s philosophy is based on the belief that hostels are ideal places for cultural exchange, that travelling and bringing people together is valuable for our learning and world view. 

You'll hear Sascha's founder’s story, which is based on his own youth travel experience backpacking in Australia. We also discuss how the Wombat’s business has managed to grow as a reliable, but unexpected brand in the international youth travel space since 1999. You’ll also hear how Raphaela is thinking about the future of youth travel and hostels and how the two approach their unique relationship as father and daughter at work. 

Have a listen... we’ve included some live action from Wombat’s Vienna in this episode of Ask Us Anything. 

Recorded February 2023.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

In February 2023, we talked with Patricia Brunner, Managing Director of the International Au Pair Association – “IAPA”. Patricia is based in Munich, Germany and has been working in cultural exchange and travel for many years. Before taking on her current role with IAPA, she operated her own au pair agency in Munich. 

IAPA and WYSE Travel Confederation together host the annual Work Experience Travel Market and IAPA Annual Conference. “WETM-IAC” as it is known, will take place in Athens, Greece this year from March 18th to 20th. The conference attracts cultural exchange professionals from across the globe for two and a half days of business, networking and education, and as you’ll hear Patricia say “happy moments”.  

In our conversation, Patricia explains the most important reasons professionals working in au pair and other cultural exchange programmes should attend the conference. We also talked about some of the major shifts in youth travel and cultural exchange during Patricia’s career, and more recently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. 

We also discussed what a utopian au pair visa scheme could look like and Patricia highlights a potentially major “game changer” for cultural exchange and youth mobility. 

Recorded February 2023.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

What does study abroad look like post-COVID? Hear about some of the changes in this episode of Ask Us Anything by WYSE Travel Confederation.

In this conversation, you’ll hear Terri Hamilton of Brigham Young University in the United States discuss post-COVID study abroad programmes. Terri explains what she’ll be looking for at the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) this year and why it's critical for educational travel and tourism suppliers to be there. You’ll also hear:

• What’s in demand for faculty-led university study abroad programmes
• How universities choose educational travel products and suppliers to work with at WYSTC
• What’s changed about university study abroad since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recorded June 2022.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

Hear from the largest youth and student travel agency in northern Europe in this episode of Ask Us Anything by WYSE Travel Confederation.

In this conversation, you’ll hear from Clare Weston, long-time international product manager at KILROY and ten-year veteran of the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC). Clare explains what she’ll be looking for at WYSTC this year and why the conference is so valuable to travel and tourism businesses. You’ll also hear:

• Which travel destinations and experiences are currently in demand
• What’s not in demand right now
• How buyers view product and potential business partners at WYSTC.

Recorded June 2022.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

Find out what’s going on in the student travel market of Uruguay in this interview with Fabiana Martilotta, Director General and CEO of Viajeros Sin Fronteras. Fabiana discusses the most popular experiences and destinations for high school and university students in Uruguay, visa challenges and the international youth traveller’s view on safety and gun violence in the USA.

Also, in this edition of WYSE Travel Confederation’s Ask Us Anything podcast, you’ll learn from a WYSE Buyer Member why it’s critical to be at this year’s World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC). You’ll also hear:

• What’s changed for buyers of student travel experiences since the pandemic
• How buyers approach their time meeting potential business partners at WYSTC
• What buyers are looking for at WYSTC this year.

Recorded June 2022.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

In this episode of WYSE Travel Confederation's Ask Us Anything, hear from Philip Cabra Netherton of Euroventure, GOAT Roadtrip and now Refugee Travel about pivoting a small business amidst crisis and putting peer-to-peer networks to work for good.

Recorded April 2022.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

In this episode of WYSE Travel Confederation's Ask Us Anything, we talk to Callum Kennedy of Kennedy Mears Consultants about his life-long career in work & travel and cultural exchanges. 

Recorded September 2021.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

In this episode of WYSE Travel Confederation's Ask Us Anything podcast, Wendy talks to Ann-Kristin Cohrs, Managing Director at AuPairWorld about the PROYOUTH VISA campaign. 

Recorded July 2021.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

In this episode of WYSE Travel Confederation's Ask Us Anything podcast, Wendy talks to Brian Westwood, General Manager, Marketing and Sales at YHA New Zealand. 

Recorded April 2021.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

In this episode of WYSE Travel Confederation's Ask Us Anything podcast, Wendy Morrill and Professor Greg Richards discuss youth and student travel at the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) Online.

Recorded October 2020.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.