The Study Travel Magazine, one of the best known and most read publications in the education and travel industry, published in its December issue several responses from the leading education agents in East and Southeast Europe on the subject of the strength of the British Pound and its impact on language education opportunities around the globe.
Commenting on how the rise of the British Pound has affected people’s choice of destination for language learning, Maja Merdovic, Education Program Manager at Prodirekt, said that “it has created significant problems for language travel in price sensitive markets”. Students from the Balkan region are somewhat adjusting their preferences, opting for more affordable opportunities to attend language courses and summer camps. In addition, the rising school fees in the UK only exacerbated the whole situation. Consequently, Prodirekt and its Verbalists Language Network “experienced an increase in bookings to Malta, an alternative English learning destination to the UK,” added Maja Merdovic.
This slight shift in destination choice to more accessible areas is also partly due the UK’s lengthy, complex and costly procedure for obtaining an entry visa, which is not needed for Malta.
Agents from regions close by the Balkans, such as Turkey and Russia, noticed a similar trend in their students’ interests, with growing number of students considering Malta in 2015.
Please click here to see the full article in Industry Issues: Agents Speak Out
About PRODIREKT and Verbalists Communication Network
PRODIREKT (www.prodirektgroup.com) provides recruitment and strategic management services in Southeast Europe. PRODIREKT’s innovative solutions for corporate management offer a bridge between strategy and human resources needs, while its education group, with the Verbalists Communication Network, dedicated to language studies, professional training and translation services, helps young professionals and corporate clients achieve their objectives in international business communication.