Top-up fees could hit student travel
Up to two-thirds of students who had plans for a gap year involving worldwide travel may shelve the idea because of the introduction of top-up fees, according to a survey. The Times newspaper today reports that students applying this autumn for university places will be placed in a dilemma because, if they decide to defer their entry for a year, they will be the first group of students to be hit by top-up fees. The newspaper quotes the Raleigh International organisation, which has been organising gap-year travel for 20 years, as saying that the effect could be “cataclysmic” and it preparing for a significant drop in applications. Currently, The Times says, some 50,000 school leavers take a year off before going to university of finding a permanent job – with 30,000 of them embarking on independent travel projects. The newspaper also quotes Tom Griffiths, founder of gapyear.com, as saying that the UK’s GBP90 million independent travel market could be cut by a third. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026