De Jong goes back to youth travel

FORMER PATA CEO, Peter de Jong, is joining Sao Paulo-based Student Travel Bureau (STB) as vice president, business development, operating out of New York and Bangkok, effective January 1.

STB, which operates 70 offices and employs more than 500 staff throughout Brazil, wants “to develop new opportunities in North America and assess emerging opportunities in Asia for our customers”, according to its president, Jose Carlos Hauer Santos Jr, who added: “Peter’s expertise in these areas will be indispensable.”

Before joining PATA as CEO in 2001, de Jong served for 10 years as director-general of the Federation of Youth Travel Organisations (FIYTO) based in Copenhagen. From 1985 to 1990, he lived and worked in Sao Paulo.

STB claimed a total of 55,000 clients in 2011. It offers language travel, high school, academic and work experience programmes in Europe, North America and through its offices in Australia
and New Zealand.

“It feels like I am returning to my roots,” de Jong said. “This is a unique opportunity to re-connect with two of my passions: the student travel industry and Brazil.

De Jong is currently senior partner at Travel and Tourism Strategies, a global travel industry consulting group.

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