RESEARCH OF YOUTH MOBILITY
European Youth Center realized workshops in order to compare research about mobility of young people across Europe.
Workshops with 9 participants on average. In total, 27 high school students and 54 students participated. Location: Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš. Workshop time period: 17.10.2008 – 01.11.2008. Workshop duration: 90min on average.
The majority of participants travel most often once or twice a year. These trips are mainly on holidays. High school students are largely tied to parents and rarely travel alone, that is, with their friends, except for excursions. If they travel with the friends, it is mostly to Montenegro. Students travel to foreign destinations mostly on student excursions, and they travel periodically for the New Year or some other occasion (seminars).
Students are not restricted by parental decisions like high school students, but the vast majority of them still gets finances from their parents, and are indirectly limited in the choice of travel destinations. Price is one of the main factors that determine a choice for a particular destination.
The experience of the previous student generations, as well as the vibrancy of the place, are very important. It is expected that the destination traveled will meet the needs of young people for going out and having a good time with affordable prices. The most interesting ones are, as a rule, traveling with a friends, a partner or in a group that usually has 4-6 members.
Students mostly travel by bus or train, mainly within the country, and least by car. Priority is given, in the first place, to buses, because traveling by bus represents an optimal price ratio and long travel quality parameters (speed, reliability). Participants are not sufficiently familiar with the possibilities of traveling abroad by train.
In general, the railways are less popular as an option due to the experience the respondents have with domestic railways (slowness, lack of heating and hygiene). For further destinations, an airplane is being used, but this travel means is considered to be inaccessible. Generally, there is little tendency to check prices for airplane tickets, due to the impression of expensive, even when there is a possibility that price differences between this and other ways of transport are low.
The car is a favorite way of travelling, but its use is very rare, since the students are not car owners, but their parents are and students are limited to traveling within the country.
There is a need, in all workshops, for the existence of a youth service where information on youth travel can be obtained. Youth journeys are seen as an important part of growing up. “It’s important for young people to travel now, you will not travel with 35 or 40 but now.” Quite important is the feeling of freedom. “The feeling that we can get out of here, it’s very important to young people.”
Youth travel should be affordable, because financial limitations should be taken into account. Also, youth trips should offer content that would be interesting for young people. Having fun is on top of the list of activities for young people. However, there is a need between young people also for educational content, and they would love to visit the cultural sights, but travel should not be reduced to just that.
An organized tour with visits to important places is a point that attracts young people. Traveling within the country is very welcome, especially on the basis of an extended weekend, with an affordable price. Participants believe that such programs are great and that Serbia offers many opportunities for their organization. Campsites with animated content are also welcome, and it is considered that they are not enough presented to a wider youth population.