News

Discover the beauty beneath your skin at BODY WORLDS London, the original display of real human bodies, already a Top 10 London Attraction as listed on TripAdvisor’s 2019 Travellers’ Choice Awards!

Government has published a stakeholder toolkit to explain the impacts to the UK in a deal or no deal scenario

a new nationwide marketing campaign to encourage EU citizens to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme ahead of its full launch on Saturday 30 March

The EU has released a Factsheet on travel to the EU for UK residents in the event of a No Deal Brexit

Leaving the European Union (EU) means a number of changes that will affect businesses and individual citizens

TA is delighted to announce its ongoing partnership with Londonist DMC announcing them as a gold association sponsor in 2019

We are delighted to announce that our Keynote Speaker at the upcoming BETA Youth Travel Workshop is Mark Essex, Brexit Director at KPMG UK.

Elman Wall’s Mergers & Acquisitions arm, Summit Advisory, invited BETA members and its own clients to participate in its new annual M&A Travel Insights 2019 survey

The Original Tour is pleased to announce the line-up for their new Trade & Partnerships team

STA Travel Education have launched a nationwide campaign, #EducationForAll in a bid to raise awareness of students’ mental health & wellbeing.

Travel & Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors across the world, characterised by part-time and seasonal working opportunities, and requirements for skilled and unskilled labour As such, it presents great opportunities for younger people who may have difficulty in finding employment. Some of the key highlights include: Travel & Tourism employs a higher share of youth workers (15-24) than the overall economy of the ten countries studied. Canada is a leader in Travel & Tourism’s youth employment, with youth making up one third of all Travel & Tourism jobs, but only just over one in eight of all jobs in the economy. The share of youth employment in both Travel & Tourism and the overall economy has marginally declined over the last decade (2007-2017) in several countries, largely driven by structural changes such as an ageing population, young people remaining in education for longer, and employers’ focus on retention rather than new hiring. By employing and training young people, Travel & Tourism contributes to peace, poverty reduction, inclusive & sustainable economic growth and develops relevant skills and knowledge for the future. Demographic shifts, notably increased life expectancy, and technological advancements, will further enhance competition for youth employment across […]

As a team we are at the moment busy recruiting hosted buyers from overseas to attend our Youth Travel Workshop.

National Maritime Museum, part of Royal Museums Greenwich now offer educational, interactive workshops for intermediate and advanced international students

Baker joins the team as part of its ongoing international expansion following a successful 2018, which saw over 250,000 additional beds globally being available for students.

Youth travel firm STA Travel is to sell Thomas Cook flights and holidays.

See London’s iconic Christmas lights from the best seats in the house!

Global survey tracks agent perspectives on destinations, online learning, alumni, and student experience

his report was created by Hype Collective a student marketing agency to look at students attitudes to travel.

Bayswater College, launches exciting portfolio of Junior courses in 4 locations for summer 2019…. Bayswater Education, a newly established social enterprise in international education, has entered the English Language Junior Summer School market.

Earlier this year, backpacker hostel operator St Christopher’s Inns launched the UK’s first capsule beds in London

With the chancellors last budget announcement before Brexit here are some key points from our partners at Elman Wall

Theatre Workout has been selected to attend an EU funded travel and tourism trade mission to Shanghai in November 2018, to engage with the Chinese market to promote, develop or exchange tourism to London’s West End With a primary focus on Film and TV tourism, which is especially pronounced in the Chinese market, Theatre Workout has been selected to represent all things theatre, championing London’s West End to a growing travel and tourism market in China. Analysis of online activity among Chinese visitors by the European Travel Commission demonstrates that film, TV and theatre shows drive travel decisions, with more travellers seeking out unique experiences. Theatre Workout’s focus will be on meeting agents and travel organisers sending tourists to the UK who want to engage with, and experience live performance by visiting theatre productions, and by participating in Theatre Workout’s award-winning workshops and courses. In recent years, Theatre Workout has seen a significant increase in enquiries from Chinese groups who are interested in workshops, summer schools, theatre visits, and other cultural and creative learning opportunities, which are only available in the UK. There is a growing market, particularly in youth travel, as more Chinese students head to the UK for […]

Camp Leaders have shaken the industry again, with the release of their brand new summer camp app The app is the only one of it’s kind, allowing young people to apply to work at a summer camp in America from the comfort of their mobile phone. “Summer camp is a life-changing experience, in which we wholeheartedly believe, and we wanted to make it more accessible than ever before.” said Dean Maddocks, Head of Marketing. “Having noticed an increase in mobile visitors to our website and because we wanted to provide the best experience possible on mobile, we launched our very own Camp Leaders app. Our app has made applying to summer camp easier than ever before.” The app itself make summer camp more accessible to a new generation of mobile phone users, providing a complete, immersive application process. The journey began in January 2017, when Camp Leaders teamed with Liverpool based Cleversteam to begin the project. The app allows applicants to complete their online profile, make payments, upload documents using their camera, receive notification reminders, and see details about their placement in America. Bastian Weinberger, chief executive of Smaller Earth, said: “We’re proud to be the only summer camp agency […]

An insight into Provided Making Tax Digital (MTD) – VAT, TOMS and how to prepare by BETA Members Elman Wall Travel Accountants I’m sure I won’t be the first to admit that Making Tax Digital (MTD) is not exactly a topic that “grabs” me. Many of you may not want to spent long thinking about VAT and TOMS at all so, to add in phrases like “functional compatible software”, “Application Programme Interface” and the like, means that I can’t promise the article below will be fun (other than perhaps the pictures, which are deliberately not at all relevant to Making Tax Digital). Nonetheless, as MTD for VAT comes into force on 1 April 2019, it is definitely worth educating yourself about, and ensuring that your business is prepared. What on earth is Making Tax Digital? In a nutshell, the idea behind MTD is that business’ VAT returns will no longer be submitted by manually entering figures into a return on your Government Gateway online account. Instead the figures will be taken to HMRC’s Application Programme Interface (API) platform by linking your general accounting software and/or other digital records to this platform. Apparently the reason behind this is because HMRC believe this […]

Smaller Earth have teamed with NYQUEST to launch the new brand, Camp Canada, following a huge success in its pilot year Camp Canada will offer opportunities for young people around the world, to spend 9 weeks working at summer camps throughout Canada. With no need for a visa, Canada is proving a welcome choice for students looking for an exciting summer job abroad. Last year the two companies teamed together to send hundreds of young people from the UK to work a summer camp season in Canada, this year they plan to send thousands globally. Camp Canada will join the Smaller Earth family next month, becoming the 9th work and travel brand in their already impressive portfolio. NYQUEST has been recruiting for summer camps in Canada since 2005, and see the launch of Camp Canada as the next part of their journey. “We’re proud to be able to partner with NYQUEST” said Smaller Earth CEO Bastian Weinberger. “Jonathan and the team have worked hard to create such a reputable and trustworthy brand, one we are very honoured to be working with” We see Camp Canada as a way of showcasing the exceptional customer journey that both Smaller Earth and NYQUEST […]

St Christopher’s & Mad Monkey Hostels Announce Marketing Partnership aimed at increasing direct bookings Two leading hostel operators partner to drive direct bookings. St Christopher’s Inns hostels, one of the largest hostel companies in Europe operated by the Beds & Bars Group, with over 20 operating locations in 11 countries and Mad Monkey Hostels, one of the largest hostel companies in Asia with 10 operating locations in 4 countries, today announced a joint marketing partnership. This partnership will see the both parties promote each others properties world-wide and collaborate on various marketing initiatives to increase direct bookings in their customer supply chains. St Christopher’s customers will benefit from exclusive discounts and special rates at all Mad Monkey Hostels in Asia & Australia and Mad Monkey customers will benefit from special rates and offers at St Christopher’s hostels located across the best cities in Europe. The two will also be collaborating with content and social media communications to their growing customer base including regular content swaps. Employees of the two hostel companies will also benefit from special staff discounts at each others properties. The partnership is aimed at strengthening both companies growing direct sales channels and providing customers significant added value […]

MPs and Peers announce first-ever Inquiry into building a sustainable future for international students in the UK The APPG for International Students has announced a new Inquiry into the opportunities and challenges in building a sustainable future for international students in the UK. There are over 500,000 international students in primary, secondary and tertiary education, and over 580,000 students learning English, each year in the UK. The APPG for International Students will launch the Inquiry at a roundtable in Parliament today, attended by a range of experts from education, business, trade and local communities. The APPG will also host two oral evidence sessions in July and September to hear more detailed evidence including from UK and international students. This first-ever Inquiry for the APPG will run throughout summer, reporting in October. Commenting on the inquiry launch, Co-Chair Paul Blomfield MP said: “Recent reports have shown the positive economic impact that international students make a on every constituency in the UK, alongside their contribution to the vitality of our education system.” “We must understand the impact that Brexit will have on international students, and the consequent effects on communities in every region of the UK.  This new inquiry will get to […]

Astor Hostels opens the doors to its first hostel outside London; Astor York is open! Astor Hostels, the independent hostel group that has been accommodating travelers since 1974 has recently opened a new hostel in the beautiful and historic city of York. The group have transformed a hotel into a backpackers Paradise with amazing facilities, but still the same helpful staff and incredible atmosphere as their London properties. The hostel group have brought their best and brightest to the city that was recently rated the best place to live in the UK! Located just a short walk from the thriving town centre, this friendly hub forms the perfect base to explore York. With around 100 beds distributed among 19 rooms all of which are ensuite; two spacious dining rooms to catch up with fellow travelers; a large cozy living room and an outdoor terrace & garden to mingle in the sunshine or chill in the hammock! All the original features of this beautiful Grade II listed building, provide a hostel that is just perfect for anyone traveling to York solo or as part of a group. No matter what you’re coming to York for, be it for the Horse Races, to explore […]

Hostelworld HQ in Dublin welcomed a very exciting visitor earlier this month when Apple CEO, Tim Cook, took time out of his trip to Ireland to spend time with the iOS development team. He spent about 40 minutes chatting to the team about the hostel business and the Hostelworld app.  They demo’d some new features they are working on using the latest technology on the unreleased iOS12 platform.  Cook was hugely complimentary about the app and how the team collaborate across disciplines to create a compelling product experience for customers.  Hostelworld was the only development organisation he met while in Ireland – testament to the product the team have built and it was a true honour for them to be recognised for their achievements.  His parting words were that he was keen to stay in a hostel on his next trip abroad so they will be following up to make sure that happens!!!  He also took time to reply to a tweet from Hostelworld to say: Find out more about Hostelworld here

University of Kent wins ‘Best University Accommodation for Groups’ award for the eleventh consecutive year! The University of Kent is delighted to announce that they have been named by Group Travel Organiser as the‘Best University Accommodation for Groups’ winning the 2018 award for the eleventh consecutive year!  Matt Johnson, the popular TV presenter and broadcaster, presented the award to the victorious team from the University of Kent at the prestigious event in London on Friday 1stJune at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, where key players across the group travel sector came together to celebrate excellence in the industry in 2018. Sheena Butterworth, Conference Managerat the University of Kent, comments: ‘I am absolutely thrilled to win this award for an incredible eleventh consecutive year.  This award is particularly special as it is the readers of Group Travel Organiser who have consistently voted for us each year as the best supplier in the ‘Best University Accommodation for Groups’ category.  We are proud to deliver a very high standard of accommodation for groups here at the University of Kent at a very affordable price in a superb location. The combination of our excellent product offering along with the outstanding customer service of our […]

For the 15th year Coach Direct have just completed the contract for the British Heart Foundation’s London to Brighton Bike Ride This year Coach Direct sourced and managed 85 coaches for the event which operated with 40 articulated lorries, transporting the cyclists and their bikes between Brighton and Clapham Common. We also operated a park and ride service which included minibuses, coaches and luton vans that were fitted out with bike racks for the event. We are also creating a new booking system that will include vehicle tracking and student tracking so that our clients can see where the coaches are at any given time. They can also have the option of tracking the students if they opt for that functionality which would be great for students visiting the UK from overseas, especially unaccompanied Minors. We will be trialling the software with a top North London school in September 2018 which will give us the opportunity to iron out any teething problems and improve the functionality ready for a mass rollout early 2019. The new system will also calculate the carbon emission savings which has been endorsed by Carbon Footprint. It will give examples of the amount of carbon that […]

English language teaching centres in the UK enjoyed a business upturn in 2017, following three years of decline English UK’s student statistics data shows that student weeks increased by five per cent and student numbers rose 14 per cent to 497,028, despite the number of member centres dropping by 13. The UK has strengthened its status as the world’s most popular destination for junior English language students, with a 27 per cent year-on-year growth in this group of students in privately-owned centres, where they account for almost a third of student weeks. But the details reveal a contrast in the fortunes of state and private sector centres. The private sector experienced 16 per cent year-on-year growth in student numbers to 465,542, while student weeks grew nine per cent to 1,606,280. By contrast, the state sector saw both student weeks and numbers drop by 12 per cent. Download the full student statistics report 2017 (members only)  Download the executive summary (open access) This is the first year that detailed information has been collected from the state sector, making source market information available for both sectors. They are very different: the top five sending markets for the private sector were Italy, Saudi […]

Anglo Educational Services has been named as a University Academy 92 (UA92) US Study-Abroad partner UA92 introduces a game-changing Higher Education initiative developed by Lancaster University and Manchester United legends, turned businessmen, the Class of 92. UA92, opening their doors in September 2019, is a new approach to education with unique undergraduate degrees in media, business, sport and psychology. The new higher education provider will be based in Manchester and is the brainchild of former Manchester United players, Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, who have all enjoyed some of the most successful careers in football and proceeded to excel in highly pressurised and challenging environments in the world of media, and as businessmen. UA92 promises to take their students on a personal development journey that will focus on character as well as academic experiences, co-developed with industry leaders such as Microsoft. UA92 degrees will be awarded by Lancaster University. As part of the agreement, Anglo will offer US students across their University partner network the chance to undertake a semester-length programme and study at UA92, and in the future, internships alongside their studies. Anglo will be providing housing in central Manchester for the students […]

British teenagers will soon be able to travel around Europe for up to 30 days using a free Interrail pass Any EU citizen who turns 18 before July 2018 will be entitled to a free ticket worth up to £400 each as part of a pilot scheme by Discover EU funded by the EU. The free Interrail scheme was launched in Brussels and is the first and last year teenagers can apply for the tickets due to Britain’s imminent departure from the EU. “Any future participating depends on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations and the future relationship between the UK and the EU,” Nathalie Vandystadt, the EU commission spokesperson for education, culture, youth and sport told The Guardian. The scheme was pioneered by the German MEP and leader of the European People’s Party in the European parliament, Manfred Weber. He said about the pilot: “Getting to know your neighbours and discovering what Europe is about is so important.   “Europe is all about you; it’s about the people who are so different and yet so similar. It’s about getting to know one another. “That’s why Interrail is great. You get to travel all around Europe and find out how […]

A model for the post-Brexit participation of the United Kingdom in European higher education is offered in the European Commission’s new proposal for the Erasmus+ initiative, with its surprise opening to the world. The proposal also doubles the budget for the 2021-27 Erasmus+ and trebles learning and mobility opportunities to 12 million people. The Commission calls for the future Erasmus+ to be open to third countries. The European University Association or EUA said this was a “proactive response” that would open the door for participation of the UK after Brexit – perhaps even provide a way forward for UK participation in other areas of European higher education and research. It could also, said EUA Senior Policy Coordinator Thomas Jørgensen, “be an interesting option for closer cooperation between universities all over the world” and provide opportunities for further higher education internationalisation. Opening to the world Forging mobility and cooperation with third countries was a “bit of a surprise” but a welcome one, Jørgensen told University World News. The EUA reads this new aim as a starting point for more global cooperation, with a primary rationale being enabling UK participation. Erasmus has been open for association by other countries in the current […]

With excitement growing as the Royal Wedding gets closer and closer, The Original Tour has a whole host of special activations planned this month! In the week running-up to the Royal Wedding (Saturday 12th to Sunday 20th May), The Original Tour’s expert guides will be hosting special live-guided tours of Windsor & Eton. Included in the normal hop-on hop-off ticket price, these ‘Royal Wedding’ tours will focus on Harry & Meghan’s links to Windsor, the history of the Royal family plus facts and stories to get you into the wedding spirit! Hop on-board daily at 10am, 12pm, 2pm or 4pm* to join this extra-special open-top bus tour! The Original Tour will also be running an #OriginallyRoyal social media competition where they will ask entrants to show off something Royal; whether that’s a selfie at Buckingham Palace, or a snap of Kensington Palace, they want to see it! There are two special prizes to be won – one for London including bus tour, a special trip up The View from the Shard (champagne included!) and another for Windsor including the bus tour, afternoon tea at The Windsor Farm Shop (plus special hamper!) and a French Brothers River Cruise…… More

Planet Hollywood London celebrates 25th birthday with all dishes at original 1993 prices for one day only Thursday 17 May Planet Hollywood London is celebrating its 25th birthday and – for one day only – on Thursday 17th May, the iconic restaurant is inviting guests to celebrate with a special menu complete with original classic dishes from the last 25 years all at 1993 prices. The restaurant’s opening party in London in 1993 is famous for being one of the biggest celebrity launches ever seen.  Over 100 movie stars flew into London from around the world and the West End was brought to a standstill as more than 10,000 fans went ‘Arnie Barmie’ as Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and Arnold Schwarzenegger and a host of other superstars partied the night away. Twenty five years on, the restaurant on the Haymarket will be offering a show stopping menu complete with seven of the bestselling dishes from the restaurant’s London opening, alongside current 2018 favourites – all for original 1993 prices. Highlights of the original dishes from the 1993 menu on offer include; starters of Blue and Gold Nachos for the incredible 1993 price of £3.95, main courses of; Linguini with sausage for just £8.50; and a Creole Pizza for £8.25. There is even the original world famous dessert, Arnie’s Grandmother’s […]

Last week BETA’s annual Youth Travel Workshop took place – the largest event to date Held at the Kia Oval in London the day kicked off with an industry update  followed by a sales energiser to get delegates focussed on getting the most out of the day ahead. Following this the first of over 2,000 pre-scheduled meetings took place between buyers and sellers.  The programme was further enhanced for delegates who were able to take advantage of tours of this famous cricket ground, a mini theatre workshop and evening networking reception. Delegates then headed off to London’s West End to see Oscar-winning actor Cuba Golding Jr. in the hit musical Chicago. For our hosted buyers the programme started the day prior and included overnight accommodation kindly sponsored by Londonist, plus a day of site visits, accommodation inspections, stunning sights and meetings with key sponsors. This important part of the programme helps to give a greater understanding of the products, programmes and services that are available to young visitors to the UK. As always these events could not be delivered without the generous support and sponsorship of our members. For more information on the event please visit: www.youthtravelworkshop.com       

Last week a campaign to drive more youth travellers to the city kicked off This digital campaign aims to grow visits from Europe and is co-created with young people and social media influencers. #UncoverEdinburgh is an initiative inspired by the Scottish Government 2018 Year of Young People and led by Youth Travel Edinburgh and supported by ETAG, Marketing Edinburgh and VisitScotland. To find our more about #UncoverEdinburgh visit the website: http://www.uncoveredinburgh.org