Page 10 - StudyTravel Magazine November/December 2022 Issue

ageNcy Q&a ageNcy of the

moNth

INDustry speaKs This month,

GLS Sprachen-
This issue, Pascal carre, President of zentrum Berlin
Belgian agency association ABelio, talks to www.gls-
us about new MoUs, changes to its board and sprachenzentrum.de in Germany has
the importance of a collective during the been recommended by Escuela de
pandemic. Idiomas Nerja https://www.idnerja.
com/ in Spain. Andreas Carrion, at
the school, explains why.

Andreas Carrion

“We are glad that we
work with so many good agencies.
www.abelio.org One of these agencies is GLS and
pascal@langtra.be we have been collaborating with
them for many years. Their staff are
Number of members: 8 really professional and helpful. They
Types of members: Belgian outbound agencies know the schools they work with
very well, giving great advice about
possible destinations. One of the
What is the latest? reasons is that they have their own
Business perspectives are better with the reopening of all borders, the school so they know the challenges
progressive easing of sanitary measures and the strong clients’ desire to and needs of their student clients.
travel again. Forecasts of turnover are up with a minimum of 50 per cent on When they have the chance they
2019. The war in Ukraine, the sharp increase of fl ight prices and energy and travel to the diff erent schools they
the shortage of host families and teachers are challenges that will all have recommend so they know them
an undoubtedly important impact on sales. Changes in destinations and fi rst-hand.”
length of bookings (long rather than short stays) have been noticed. Most
companies have debts to reimburse to either private banks and/or regional
government fi nancial institutions. Maja von
Grasdorff, GLS,
What has the association been working on recently? Germany
ABELIO signed new MoUs with BETA UK and MEI in order to promote each other.
ABELIO has been working closely with a local government (Région Wallonne) “We are thrilled that GLS has
on a new Scholarship Scheme (“Plan Langues”) for language learning from been nominated as StudyTravel
2023. ABELIO donated €800 to Ukrainian association BEFORUA. ABELIO Magazine’s Agency of the Month.
participated actively at many online debates and meetings, held monthly Thank you so much for this
online board meetings and an AGM in person with all members in March. wonderful compliment! We have
There have been some changes to the board: Didier Destexhe from WEP has been working with Escuela de
been replaced by Adrien Buntinx from WEP, since WEP was sold in December Idiomas Nerja in Spain for many
2021 to a group of private investors/asset companies. Move & Study was years now and it has always been
elected as a new member with Anne Collet, who previously worked for ESL a wonderful experience with great
Belgium. Members have never spoken so often than over the last two years. cooperation – and always with
If only for this, ABELIO was well worth setting up. super happy clients on top. We look
forward to many more years of a
Read more at: https://studytravel.network/magazine/issues/825 great working relationship.”

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