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To succeed in a flagging U.S. economy, Americans are looking overseas

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Interest in studying, volunteering and teaching abroad grew significantly in 2008 as Americans looked overseas for solutions to economic troubles at home.


GoAbroad.com, the flagship Internet search directory for experiential travel, reports a 35 percent jump in site traffic from last year, with most of the increase coming from people searching for educational, volunteer, or teaching opportunities abroad. In the first three months of 2009, 3.3 million people searched GoAbroad.com, compared to 2.4 million during that time span in 2008. About 80 percent of the site’s users are North Americans.


User traffic to GoAbroad.com’s educational directories — Study Abroad, Intern Abroad, Degree Abroad, Language Schools Abroad, and High School Programs Abroad — saw a 34.5 percent jump as 250,967 more people browsed through listings for international education programs than in the first quarter of 2008. Similarly, the site’s Volunteer Abroad directory saw a 39.8 percent leap in traffic by people seeking volunteer positions in foreign countries.


"During tough economic times, people often look to meaningful travel as a solution,” said Troy Peden of St. Johns, FL, who co-founded GoAbroad.com in 1999 with Jason Coppage of Denver, CO. “Internships abroad are attractive to graduating students who want to strengthen their resumes. Study abroad is often a less expensive alternative to private tuition in the U.S.” Peden noted that volunteer roles have become more appealing to those looking for a career change, for an opportunity to refocus their priorities, or both. “Lots of people are finding that they’ve been let down by the corporate world, or they’re simply done with it. Now they’re re-evaluating their lives and looking toward more meaningful pursuits. We are seeing a great deal of interest from older people and career veterans who want to volunteer overseas.”

Interest in teaching positions abroad also spiked. GoAbroad.com experienced a 31.8 jump in its users browsing the Teach Abroad and TEFL Certification (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) directories. “College graduates can find lucrative teaching jobs abroad,” Peden says. “Teaching abroad is a smart alternative for people who want to work and travel. There is a constant demand for English teachers worldwide.

“Volunteer, intern, and study-abroad stints make graduates more appealing to international companies and to employers who want real-world experience,” Peden said. “It gives job seekers a big advantage in a competitive job market.”


The statistical breakdown for site traffic is attached.


The premier Internet search directory for experiential travel, GoAbroad.com has 10 sub-directories that cover the range of meaningful opportunities abroad. Its free online resources include a Scholarships Directory, Embassies & Consulates Directory, information about travel insurance, global cell phones, and more. Its partner site, the GoAbroad Network (www.GoAbroad.net), is an online social networking portal for experiential travelers. It hosts travel blogs and albums, forums, groups, Facebook applications, and other functions.

For more information, please contact Eileen Loh at (720) 570-1702 or eileen@goabroad.com.

Press Contact:

Eileen Loh
720-570-1702
eileen@goabroad.com

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