Recession-Proof: How Student Travel Trumps the Economic Slump

The U.S. recession officially started in December of 2007 but the strongest effects were not felt throughout the country until mid-to-late 2008. Every major industry took a hard economic hit, and the employment rate across the country was at an all-time low. In 2009, industries in all categories were still reporting record losses. An exception was student travel.

In March 2010, the Youth Travel Industry Monitor reported that figures for the youth travel industry were down a mere 0.3% at the close of 2009. This is in sharp contrast to the staggering 4% loss that the mainstream travel industry suffered as a whole. As a sense of consumer confidence begins to be felt around the market, WYSE officials are anticipating a steady rise in the rate of student travel and in 2010, hopes are high for a significant increase in figures.

The seemingly “recession-resistant” nature of student and youth travel has caught the eye of tourism bureaus around the globe, prompting targeted marketing campaigns as well as a slew of new discounts for student travelers.

One reason that student travel has maintained such a steadfast presence in the industry is the attributes it lends to a recent graduate’s resume when entering the job market. With the market slowly beginning to recover, there are exponentially more applicants for entry-level positions than there are positions available. With only 4% of U.S. undergraduates acquiring the experience of traveling abroad,  a student travel experience can help a recent graduate stand out from the crowd of other applicants all clamoring for the same opportunity.

Many employers value global travel experiences as an added skill in the workplace. The amount of preparation, combined with the attention to detail it takes to coordinate an international student trip are qualities that employers often look for in an applicant. In addition to the demonstration of maturity and organizational qualities shown by the preparation for the trip, the fact that a student was able to successfully navigate a foreign culture and gained enough mastery of a second language to be able to get around for a length of time will also serve to impress prospective employers. Any type of specialized or volunteer work done on student trips is often seen as an added bonus, as it demonstrates the student’s ability to work within an organization to complete a task.

With the many apparent benefits of a student travel experience, coupled with  a sense of economic optimism beginning to be felt in the market, 2010 is anticipated to be a big year for student travel.