Latest issue
Rates
Subscription
Places to study
About Language Travel
Contents - December 2001
Special Report 2001: the complete picture 2001 was an eventful year for the language travel industry. Optimism prevailed during the first half of the year as agents and schools reported strong student enrolments. However, the terrorist attacks in the USA in September 2001 impacted on consumer confidence and many schools experienced cancellations in the short-term at least. Amy Baker reviews the highs and lows of 2001 and looks forward to the year ahead.
Destination England's north Since the industrial revolution of the 19th century, the cities and towns of the north of England have undergone some significant cultural and economic changes, and areas previously characterised by mills and factories have developed a reputation for thriving new industries and exciting nightlife. As Paul Evans discovers, a vibrant atmosphere and lively population await students who venture away from the traditional southern destinations, which make for a memorable language travel experience.
Direction Students on agents The quality of service students receive from their agents can determine whether or not they will book a language course through the agency again. It can also influence their decision to recommend the agency to others. The current trend towards independent travel and the wealth of information available on the Internet means that agents must work harder than ever to satisfy the individual needs of their clients. Gillian Poole asks a variety of students about the quality of service they received from their agents.
Feedback Ireland Agents play an important role in the Irish market – according to the schools that took part in our Feedback survey – accounting for over half of bookings received. Western Europe still supplies the largest proportion of students, but students from Asia are beginning to make an impact, largely as a result of Ireland's relatively liberal visa regulations.
City Focus Madrid Situated in the heart of Spain, Madrid is a vibrant capital city, which attracts a large number of international visitors, many of whom go to learn Spanish in one of the city's numerous language schools. Madrid boasts plenty of bars and restaurants which offer a wealth of culinary specialities, while the city's nightlife provides plenty of entertainment opportunities. Anna Zachariassen reports.
Opinion 'International exchange... is what's likely to succeed in bringing understanding among the world's communities' News Changes in store for US industry New image for New Zealand 'Super English' schools in Japan Dutch government to fund study overseas Travel News Air industry tries to regain control Swissair struggles to stay afloat Ansett folds in Australia Commission system crumbles in USA New budget airline from Qantas Agency News Alto welcomes new board members Another online venture in Turkey New initatives from agencies Agent questionnaire: Marco Righetti, Education Consultants sas Face to face: Alexandre Poelmans, Manager, Ceran Lingua International Association corner: Claudia Constanza Rozo López, Anex Agency Survey USA's see-saw Against all odds, US language travel agents experienced good growth in 2001, according to this issue's Agency survey, although the outlook for 2002 is gloomy. Market Report Canada's feat The low value of the Canadian dollar and the efforts of schools to forge closer relations with agents have resulted in good growth for the Canadian English language market, despite the repercussions of the terrorist attacks in the USA affecting the industry in the last few months of the year. Gillian Poole reports. New Products Olde English Berlitz Language Centre Berlitz Shakespeare programme SOS Spanish Academia Hispaniola Spanish for peace corps. In Focus New Horizon College of English in the seaside city of Napier, New Zealand, is the subject of In focus this issue. Principal Christine Schmidli answers our questions, while some of the institution's overseas agents share their impressions of the school. Course Guide Toefl preparation in the USA The Test of English as a Foreign Language (Toefl) was designed as a measure of English language ability for international students applying to study at North American institutions. It is now used around the world, and many schools provide programmes especially designed for Toefl-taking students. Q&A CEA (USA) The USA's accrediting body for the English language teaching industry is continuing to expand its reach and develop its reputation, with 25 institutions now fully accredited and a further 69 institutions at various stages in the accreditation process. The Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA) Executive Director, Teresa O' Donnell, answers our questions about CEA in the US marketplace. Status Germany The Status survey gathers market data from language teaching institutions in a variety of countries and produces comparable world market statistics. It is a joint venture from Language Travel Magazine and the Association of Language Travel Organisations (Alto).
