Page 14 - StudyTravel Magazine September/October 2021 Issue

agency Q&a agency OF the

mOnth

Industry speaKs This month,

Canada
This issue, pina Foti, President of Italian Incredible www.
agency association iAlcA, talks to us about canadaincredib
sector recovery and government plans to kick le.com in
start the economy. Mexico has
been nominated by Sprott Shaw
Language College www.studysslc.
com in Canada. Barbara Godt, at the
school, explains.

Barbara Godt

“I have worked with
Olga from Canada Incredible for
https://ialca.it/ over 20 years. Over the years our
segreteria@ialca.it working relationship has developed
into a friendship. We know we
Number of members: 30 can count on each other when
Types of members: Italian outbound agencies it comes to the wellbeing of our
students and we need to work
on solutions for tricky situations
How has Covid-19 affected outbound agency business? together. Olga is professional,
Covid-19 has severely damaged the business of our sector in Italy. Summer straightforward and a pleasure to
2021 is the second in a row with very few bookings. While in 2020 Italian work with. I am looking forward to
students were scared to travel, what has stopped the bookings this year is working closely with her (and now
the unclear situation in the countries of destination: PCR tests, quarantine, her children) for many more years
shortage of fl ight connections, new dangerous variants of the virus. to come.”

what is the latest? Are members sending students abroad?
Very slow reprise among IALCA members. The less aff ected sector is the
one of Academic Year Abroad. Students and families hope that by the end Olga Garza,
of the summer the picture will be more stable and Covid-19 less present Canada
everywhere. Moreover, the green European passport should help. Incredible,
Mexico
How have members been adapting?
None of the IALCA members closed, up to now. Almost all had to restructure “We have had the honour of working
their business model, either cutting costs, or fi nding new off ers and with SSLC for several years and
programmes: general tourism, online courses, language courses in Italy. discovered the greatness of working
with an institution that grants a
what are your long-term predications for Italy’s outbound feeling of companionship and union.
sector? As an internationally recognised
In general, we expect that the eff ect of the Italian recovery plan, written by agency we are honoured by this
the Draghi government, will push our economy up quite quickly. This means nomination, knowing the quality of
that the people in Italy will start investing again in education and travelling guidance that SSLC off ers and the
as well. value of their education. Thank you
for such an incredible journey and
Read more at: https://studytravel.network/magazine/issues/814 what is left to come!”

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