Reisenetz e.V. – the German Association for Youth Travel is the latest addition to EYCA having joined the Association in March. The partnership was made official during the ITB in Berlin where Jarkko Lehikoinen, EYCA President, and Klaus Eikmeier, CEO of Reisenetz eV, signed the agreement granting Reisenetz the license for the European Youth Card in Germany.

With a history spanning nearly 30 years, Reisenetz is the leading youth travel network in Germany, bringing together almost 100 member organisations. The mission of the network is to work for quality youth travel that creates positive, enriching experiences for young people. Central to the network’s work is a firm belief in cultural diversity and making travel accessible to all children and young people. In 2015 alone, Reisenetz and its members helped over 6 million young people travel to more than 60 countries.

Speaking of the newest EYCA member, Jarkko Lehikoinen, the Association’s President, stated: “We are very happy to have such an amazing organisation join our association. It’s great to see their commitment to youth mobility and the outstanding work they do to professionalise this sector and maximise the value of travelling for children and young people. The youth card will be a very powerful tool to further this goal for the benefit of all young people across Europe.”

Sandra Türk, Reisenetz Director, said: “So far, our focus has been on the promotion of youth travel in Germany and on ensuring quality. We have mostly operated in the background, using the channels of our members to get in touch with young people. We are very much looking forward to extending our portfolio by an attractive product with a physical appearance to make us, our services and our objectives more visible. We believe that the European Youth Card is a fantastic means to reach out and work with young people directly.”

The European Youth Card will be launched in Germany during the course of this year with a specific focus on youth travel.