With the new school year well underway, we are excited to be launching the 11th year of the Baxter Student Ambassador Program (BSAP).

BSAP aims to support post-secondary tourism and hospitality students’ transition into the workforce by connecting them with career-building opportunities. One exceptional student from each participating school will earn an exciting prize package including bursary funds, mentorship and networking opportunities, and a professional introduction to the industry in Travel Courier magazine. 

This monthly newsletter, Where the Industry Meets its Future, will serve as a touchpoint to provide updates on the progress of this year’s program and next steps. It will also share training and recruitment opportunities, career profiles, news, and trends to inspire students and emerging leaders about the diverse career paths available and provide insight into where the industry is headed. 

We encourage you to subscribe to receive the newsletter directly in your inbox: Subscribe to our newsletter

For more information about BSAP, including sponsorship opportunities, becoming an industry mentor, or any questions you may have, please contact [email protected]. 

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Free sustainability courses from UN Tourism

The Tourism Online Academy, a collaboration between UN Tourism and IE University, has released new sustainability courses targeted to hospitality businesses. The free courses, developed in partnership with Booking.com, focus on community engagement, energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and food and water management.

The Tourism Online Academy has a catalogue of courses including:

• business event management
• destination marketing
• restaurant operations
• strategic communication for tourism

The MOOCs (massive open online courses) are free, but students can choose to obtain a certificate for a fee of approximately $70. 

Click here to learn more on unwto.org. 

Virtuoso expands Advisor Recruitment Program to Canada

Virtuoso, a leading global network of travel agencies specializing in luxury travel, launched its Advisor Recruitment Program last year to assist member agencies in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand in fulfilling their staffing needs.The call for new talent continues to be in high demand, and according to new research from BeamJobs, the role of travel advisor is the second most desired job in the U.S. over the past 12 months.

To answer the need for personnel, coupled with growing interest in the industry, Virtuoso’s Advisor Recruitment Program has recently expanded to Canada. The Advisor Recruitment Program welcomes advisors in all stages of their careers to apply, including those who are new to the industry. Applications are added to a database that uses proprietary Virtuoso technology to connect participating member agencies with a pool of advisor candidates based on respective needs, niches, location and available job openings. 

All advisors hired via the recruitment program must complete the Virtuoso Certified Travel Advisor (VCTA) course, an elite qualification designed to fast-track the development of those new to the travel advising profession.

Click here to learn more.

Voices of Travel: Bruce Poon Tip’s eureka moment

Earlier this year, Baxter Media launched the video series Voices of Travel: The Next Chapters to offer an inside look at the experiences and passion of some remarkable Canadian travel professionals who have shaped the history of the industry.

From sharing about their first jobs and sometimes winding career paths, to commenting on diversity in the industry and overcoming pandemics, these professionals highlight the past, present and future stories of travel.

In this episode, Bruce Poon Tip tells his story of founding G Adventures. When you ask Bruce how he came up with the idea for the company, he’ll tell you: “I guess like every good entrepreneur, I had my eureka moment. I actually travelled to Asia that year and really refined the ideas of what I wanted to do because travel was very different in 1989, as you can imagine, and I came back and I quit my job and researched my first itineraries and I went out pounding the pavement for people to book on my first trips—all here in Toronto.” 

Watch the episode here: 

Congratulations to 2024 Baxter Student Ambassadors Mann Singh and Cristiano Guedes dos Santos

Mann Singh, 2024 Baxter Student Ambassador from Centennial College, has joined the team at the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, which leads the way in government relations on behalf of tourism business and employees across Ontario. 

Cristiano Guedes dos Santos, 2024 Baxter Student Ambassador from George Brown College, was invited to speak on a panel about the future of the industry’s workforce at the Ontario Hospitality Conference hosted by the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association.

Mann and Cristiano’s work with such esteemed organizations is a testament to their dedication to the future of sustainable growth in the travel industry. Congratulations, Mann and Cristiano!

WTTC reports pandemic took heavy toll on women, youth in travel & tourism

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism, has released a new report revealing the impact of the pandemic on employment for women and youth in the global travel and tourism sector.

While the sector has broadly seen a strong recovery, the ‘Social Trends in Travel & Tourism Employment’ report found the industry employed 42 million women and just over 16 million young people in 2022, notably lower than the 48.4 million women (-13%) and nearly 19 million young workers (15%) supported by the sector in 2019.

Julia Simpson, WTTC president & CEO, said: “Women and young people are the backbone of our sector, yet they continue to face significant barriers. By investing in skills, promoting inclusive policies, and fostering entrepreneurship, we can unlock the full potential of these groups and ensure that our sector leads the way in creating meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities.”

Read more.

Federal funding awarded to support tourism businesses in Southern Ontario

Funding from the Government of Canada’s Tourism Growth Program, part of the new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, has been awarded to Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7), which comprises Bruce Peninsula, Southern Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe. 

The funding will support the Tech Compass program, a collaboration between RTO7, Community Futures South Georgian Bay and Rappid Software Design with the goal of empowering local tourism businesses to embrace technological innovation. William Sullivan, CEO of RTO7, said, “This investment is a game changer for the tourism industry in our region. The Tech Compass program will empower local businesses to embrace new technologies, enhance visitor experiences, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market. We are thrilled to see the federal government recognizing the importance of technological innovation in driving the future of tourism.”

Click here to read more on barrietoday.com.

Demand for guided tours soars, especially among Gen Z and millennials

According to new research from leading travel booking platform GetYourGuide, Gen Z and millennial travelers are leading the high demand for guided tours. 

The survey showed that two in five Gen Z and millennial travelers booked a guided tour in the past year, which is much higher than the Gen X and Baby Boomer generations. Of the travelers who booked a guided tour in 2023, 94% of those surveyed indicated they would do so again this year and 89% indicated that having a local guide is the best way to experience an unfamiliar destination.

The data suggests that younger travelers find value in being deeply immersed in a destination’s culture, hearing local perspectives, and engaging in meaningful and purposeful travel.

For more data from the survey, click here.

Three highlights from the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC)

As the youth, student and educational travel market continues to grow, the World Youth and Student Travel Conference covers the latest trends and developments. 

WYSTC brought together professionals from the global youth, student and educational travel industry from September 24-27, 2024 in Lisbon. 

The topics from the conference prompt questions about how AI can be utilized by travel professionals, the reasons for large numbers of solo youth travellers and what the next evolutions of educational travel could look like.

Highlights included: 

1) Keynote: AI as job security for the industry

Artificial intelligence was a focal point of the first morning’s keynote highlighting AI’s potential to enhance efficiency in travel processes. The discussion also addressed concerns around trust, particularly in light of the growing prevalence of misinformation.

2) Solo travel surge

Greg Richards of WYSE Travel Confederation presented on the surge in solo travel and the rising loneliness amongst young travelers. See more data here. 

3) Keynote: How to be a 21st century explorer

Ella Al-Shamahi, explorer and paleoanthropologist, captivated the audience with stories from her expeditions in Yemen and Somaliland, highlighting the importance of conducting archaeological and scientific research on politically unstable regions to better understand human evolution and our place in the world.

Baxter Media subscriptions

If you haven’t already, subscribe to receive free digital editions of all our publications at travelpress.com/subscribe. Canadian Travel Press, Travel Courier, and Travel Press Today provide useful insight for industry newcomers and seasoned professionals alike. To request any changes or additions to your subscription(s), contact [email protected]. 

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