People to People Health and Safety Officer named President of the Student Youth Travel Association

SPOKANE, Wash., Oct. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- People to People Ambassador Programs, the leader in global educational travel experiences, congratulates Mike Bowers, Senior Director of Health and Safety, on his appointment to the position of President of the Student and Youth Travel Association (SYTA). Bowers will oversee the collaboration amongst tour and travel operators in the student and youth travel space for one year through August 2014.

"We are very pleased that the SYTA duly recognizes Mike's long tenure in the travel industry," said Tony Dombrowik, interim CEO for People to People Ambassador Programs. "We know that one of the most important issues in youth travel is working with companies with strong histories and credibility, and I believe his presence in a leadership role will be a valuable asset for SYTA."

According to Bowers, the Board of Directors of SYTA have crystalized their short and long term strategic plans, which includes commissioning a first of its kind research project that will help quantitatively define the industry of Student Educational Travel, estimated to have an annual sales value in the billions of dollars. This study will focus on student travel preferences, spending habits and include data on the impact of international student educational travel into the United States. The result of the study will be released at the SYTA Annual Conference in Toronto in August 2014.

"I am blessed to be working with such a talented board of directors and an incredible staff at SYTA led by our Executive Director, Carylann Assante," said Bowers. "As an organization we strive to make student educational travel more accessible to all young people and do so safely.  I look forward to helping SYTA grow in its role of the The Voice of Student and Youth Travel^®."

SYTA is a non-profit, professional trade association that promotes student and youth travel, serving as a trusted resource for educators, administrators, parents and travel professionals. Membership of SYTA continues to grow with over 800 travel companies and organizations nationwide.

"People to People's strong reputation and quality travel products in this space add an additional level of credibility to Mike's own strong career," said Carylann Assante, Executive Director of SYTA. "We look forward to working with Mike to continue enhancing SYTA's reach and standards for excellence that our membership and the industry demand from us."

For more information on People to People's International Travel Safety Standards visit:

http://www.peopletopeople.com/our-programs/student-ambassadors/international-travel-safety

About People to People Ambassador Programs

People to People Ambassador Programs is the world's most recognized student educational travel provider. Since the 1960s, more than 500,000 people from around the world have traveled with People to People Ambassador Programs to help further global understanding through cross-cultural exchange. Offering unmatched safety measures and unparalleled access to foreign cultures and countries, People to People Ambassador Programs promotes personal success in a globalized world and fosters international friendships for both students and professional adults.

People to People Ambassador Programs is the exclusive educational travel provider of People to People International (PTPI), a nonprofit organization founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote peace through understanding worldwide. Together, PTPI and People to People Ambassador Programs are united in a mission to bridge cultural and political borders through education and exchange. For more information, please visit www.peopletopeople.com.  

About Ambassadors Group

Ambassadors Group Inc. (NASDAQ: EPAX) is an education company located in Spokane, Washington. Ambassadors Group, Inc. is the parent company of Ambassador Programs, Inc., World Adventures Unlimited, Inc., and BookRags, Inc., an educational research website. The Company also oversees the Washington School of World Studies, an accredited travel study and distance learning school. Additional information about Ambassadors Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries is available at www.ambassadorsgroup.com. In this press release, "Company", "we", "us", and "our" refer to Ambassadors Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

About SYTA

SYTA is the non-profit, professional trade association that promotes student & youth travel and seeks to foster integrity and professionalism among student and youth travel service providers.

SYTA members are Tour Operators, Travel Agencies and supplier organizations (Hotels, Restaurants, Attractions, Airlines, Destination Marketing Organizations, etc.) that are committed to professionalism and integrity in student and youth travel. The organization is run by an elected Board of Directors and a professional staff, with North American headquarters in McLean, Virginia located just outside of Washington, DC.

SOURCE People to People Ambassador Programs