A quest has begun to find partners around the world to help create new, unique cultural and interpersonal travel experiences for not-for-profit organisation People to People International.
The search has been started by ECE International, which was awarded a worldwide licence earlier in the year to market adult and student travel programmes from People to People.
The organisation, founded by US president Dwight D Eisenhower to foster international understanding, has been established for 60 years. It has sent more than 500,000 people abroad to explore the world.
Its stated mission is to connect student travellers to new cultures and friendships by introducing them to life-changing, worldwide experiences that expand their minds.
Its travel vision is for every person worldwide to accept and understand each other’s cultural differences.
The People to People travel programme is to be extended to include new experiences for an older generation in addition to new destinations.
The appointment of ECE International has resulted in 18 tours for 2017.
ECE International is a joint venture formed by Mike Clark’s ECE Travel and Robin Deisenhammer’s PDM Tourism Group.
Deisenhammer said: “The heritage of People to People is student programmes but those students grow up.
“ECE International’s aspiration is to rekindle the enthusiasm of former clients to travel again as adults, offering a higher standard of comfort and new destinations but continuing to ensure our guests meet fascinating and inspiring people wherever they go.”
Clark said: “Our aim is to grow the People to People network by recruiting new partners in different parts of the world to operate local travel programmes consistent with our vision and to create a truly international flavour to our existing programmes by recruiting travellers from their markets to join these departures.”
He added: “We’re now looking for new, dynamic travel companies in different parts of the globe who are keen to embrace People to People’s unique proposition.
“We aim to create an international travel culture full of exclusive access to people, places and events that our clients will be burning to describe on social media.”