New Scholarship for Student Travelers

As the Family Travel Forum 2017 TeenTravel Writing Scholarship submission period draws to a close July 14, we are happy to share the news that (our sponsor) Allianz Global Assistance USA, a leading travel insurance provider, hosts their own scholarship program, ScholarTrips. 

ScholarTrips gives students the opportunity to travel abroad and experience new places and cultures. The company has provided over $150,000 in travel grants to students across the county.

Last year, students were asked to submit a video or essay response to a question about the impact travel may have on a person. The contest was open from October 10, 2016 through November 10, 2016 to students over 14-years-old who are U.S. residents. 

Some Scholartrips Honorees use their Scholarship for More Travel

Six winners were announced earlier this year and were awarded a grant of $2,500 for their travel expenses. Click here for a list of this year’s winners and check back on the ScholarTrips site for information on the next scholarship so that you can apply.

"We believe that all students should have the opportunity to travel abroad and to experience the world they live in,” said Joe Mason, chief marketing officer of Allianz Global Assistance USA. "We are proud to offer this great opportunity to students across the country and we sincerely wish entries the best of luck."

Allianz Global Assistance offers travel insurance through most major U.S. airlines, leading travel agents, online travel agencies and directly to consumers. For more information on Allianz Global Assistance and the policies offered for travelers, please visit: Allianz Travel Insurance visit them on Facebook at Facebook.com/AllianzTravelInsuranceUS.

We thank Allianz Global for their sponsorship of FTF's 11th annual Teen Travel Writing Scholarship.

Millennials Say Flip Flops Are Travel Essential

Will our fascination with Millennials, the younger generation about to take over the leisure travel industry, ever cease? We're guilty too: the topic for the 2016 TMS Family Travel Summit is "Millennials, The New Family Traveler."

 Flip-flops are more likely to be found in Millennial luggage, than Essential Papers -- boomer travelers' preference. Image courtesy of VectorGoods.com

The 4th annual, to-the-trade think tank style event taking place in South Walton, Florida April 17-19, aims to explore the travel habits and aspirations of those turning 18-34 this year, and how those patterns change when they become parents.

We have been looking at a lot of travel studies so this one, from AARP, caught our eye. Since, as they say, my parents used to pay 25 cents for a movie and didn't have seat belts, the matures, seniors and boomers at AARP decided to explore how the travel habits of their cohort differed from those of Generation X (now 34-54 years old), as well as Millennials.

Their findings, from "Travel Research: 2016 Travel Trends," are contained in a fun infographic below.  A quick summary:

• Millennials, the most widely traveled generation that ever existed, are more likely to travel internationally in 2016 than boomers (13% vs. 5%)

• Millennials, who can hardly afford their own living space at home, are more likely to stay in an AirBnB or a VRBO rental than boomers when traveling  (22% vs. 9%)

• Millennials, who pursue adventure tethered to cellphones that help them navigate, communicate and extricate, are more likely than boomers to post to social media while traveling (80% vs. 33%).

AARP 2016 Travel Trends Genenerations Infographic

Let us know your thoughts on this, and what your own kids may be teaching you about their demographic.

Every Day Connect - Advice for college grads looking to network

Every Day Connect is a new campaign aimed at young college grads, created by Fairfield Inn & Suites. The goal of the program is to inspire young businessmen and women with interesting opportunities and advice. The information offered on the site comes from four entrepreneurs who were all on this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Giving grads this guidance will help them develop the networking skills needed to connect to mentors who will counsel them in establishing successful careers.

The four program ambassadors are:

•        Kane Sarhan, co-founder of Enstitute, a company connecting students enrolled in higher education to apprenticeships with successful entrepreneurs.

Kane Sarhan, Co-Founder of Enstitute

He provides two tips for success:
1) Do more and want less.
2) Remember where you came from and who helped get you there. Building strong relationships is what will make your career enjoyable and make you successful.

•        Mark Arnoldy, the CEO of Possible. Possible is a nonprofit healthcare company that provides quality, inexpensive healthcare to people in the poorest areas of the world.

Mark Arnoldy, CEO of Possible

His advice for recent graduates: “Go and experience a problem in the world and find something that you can make a long-term commitment to. Serve a market of needs instead of a market of wants.”

•        Eden Full, creator of the SunSaluter, a machine that provides clean water at a low-cost, while utilizing energy from solar panels.

Eden Full, Creator of SunSaluter

She advises grads to: “Find something that you like to do. You will gain success if you have a good idea and people who support you. To gain support reach out to your mentors and tell them your story. Take the time to build relationships.”

•        Meg Gill, owner of Golden Road Brewing. This company’s goal is to manufacture beer in a sustainable manner.

Meg Gill, Owner of Golden Road Brewing

She provides this advice on getting started in your field of interest:  “Find a job, but don’t be too concerned with the long-term today. Take an unpaid job to get your feet wet. It’s not about the money you make now, because it will come later. Find something and some people who can help guide you along your way.”

What these successful entrepreneurs have in common is that they are dedicated, hard-workers, who all have had a mentor to guide them along the way.

The Every Day Connect Program hopes to foster mentorships that will help the newest generation of businesspeople succeed in the same way that these four did by providing videos with advice and stories to help recent grads achieve their career goals.

Guest post by Elizabeth Russo

Photos Courtesy of Every Day Connect