Addressing delegates at the official opening of the 2019 World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) in Lisbon, Portugal, David Chapman, Director General of WYSE Travel Confederation, started the morning by highlighting the culinary delights of the city of Lisbon. He professed that the famous Portuguese custard tarts, known locally as pastel de nata and historically made by monks, have at least one thing in common with youth travel. They both have the know-how to make the most of available resources.

Attention then turned to the forthcoming advocacy resource for the youth travel industry, the Youth Travel Charter and a call to continue efforts to provide young people with responsible and sustainable travel choices. David Chapman also set the scene for the day’s keynote by sharing New Horizons Survey insights on changes in the use of guidebooks by young travellers.

Russ Hedge, Chair of the Management Board of WYSE Travel Confederation, welcomed delegates to the 28^th annual World Youth and Student Travel Conference. After thanking other members of the Management Board and staff for their work on this year’s conference, he expressed that it was an important time to be a part of a platform dedicated to cultural exchange through travel given the uncertain political landscape of our world and current affairs. Russ invited WYSTC delegates to get involved with the activities of WYSE Travel Confederation, particularly its Youth Travel Charter, if they believed that more could be done to strengthen the case for youth travel with governments worldwide.

Would you notice if your business appointment partner was wearing a Barry Manilow t-shirt? Probably not, suggested Pauline Frommer in a keynote address to WYSTC 2019 delegates. In an up-beat and wide-ranging talk, Pauline looked at past, present and future of travel. She also described the findings of a psychological study that offered useful advice to delegates not unlike advice for a traveller to push their comfort zone – even though you may feel uncomfortable, unfairly judged, or self-conscious in your interactions with others, you most likely don’t stick out as much as you think – even if you’re wearing a Barry Manilow t-shirt. …..  To close her keynote, Pauline encouraged delegates to wear their Barry Manilow shirts, wishing WYSTC delegates the best of luck with the conference.

Addressing delegates at the official opening of the 2019 World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) in Lisbon, Portugal, David Chapman, Director General of WYSE Travel Confederation, started the morning by highlighting the culinary delights of the city of Lisbon. He professed that the famous Portuguese custard tarts, known locally as pastel de nata and historically made by monks, have at least one thing in common with youth travel. They both have the know-how to make the most of available resources.

Attention then turned to the forthcoming advocacy resource for the youth travel industry, the Youth Travel Charter and a call to continue efforts to provide young people with responsible and sustainable travel choices. David Chapman also set the scene for the day’s keynote by sharing New Horizons Survey insights on changes in the use of guidebooks by young travellers.

Keynote speaker Pauline Frommer, Co-President and Editorial Director of Frommer Media, addressed WYSTC delegates in a talk titled ‘Travel in divisive times’.