Page 6 - ELG1806 June Issue 458

NEWS .

Europe’s English travel market booms

By Melanie Butler
Europe’s English language travel
market is booming, with all the
major destinations reporting
strong growth.
In terms of overall student
numbers, the UK and Malta were
virtually neck and neck, both at
around 14 per cent growth last
year, compared to 8 per cent for
Ireland.
The Irish, however, saw a 19
per cent growth in student weeks,
underlining the increase in its
long-stay market.
In terms of student weeks,
Ireland, which has a population
of around 5 million compared to
65 million in Britain, has an EFL
market a third of the size of its
much larger neighbour.
David O’Grady, chief executive Students are flocking
of the Irish language centre back to the UK,
association MEI, which released Ireland and Malta
its figures in May, told the
Gazette he was not expecting
such strong growth in a period the strong growth from non-EU Deloitte show. An astonishing of the English UK association
where the British pound has fallen markets, with many long-stay 152 per cent growth has also been saw a 12 per cent drop in year
dramatically against the euro. students attracted by the country’s recorded from Morocco. -on-year enrolments, while the
Traditionally, currency work rights system. This diversification offsets falls private sector recorded a 16 per
fluctuations have been closely ‘We are hoping to make this in traditional markets including cent increase after three years of
tracked by changes in student increase in diversification a Sweden and war-torn Libya, both decline. The biggest growth in
flows into the two countries, constant feature,’ O’Grady said. down by 55 per cent. private sector enrolments came
particularly from the short-stay ‘We’re working towards doing Both Malta and the UK saw the from Italy, Brazil and Turkey, while
European market. even better next year.’ market for under-18s overtake the numbers from the Middle East fell.
In 2017, however, a 20 per Malta also saw a growth in new adult one. The junior market now London and Scotland both saw
cent fall in the value of sterling provider markets last year, with makes up 52 per cent of student the highest growth at 11 per cent,
following Brexit did not result in a Chinese numbers up by 55 per cent enrolments in the Mediterranean while junior residential summer
fall in Irish student numbers. and 53 per cent more enrolments and 53 per cent in the UK. schools grew by 15 per cent year
O’Grady puts this down to from Brazil, new figures from British state sector members on year.

newsinbrief

ESTONIAN-SPEAKERS ENGLISH-SPEAKING DUTCH IS AT RISK CHINA WAS THE MOST THE DEADLINE
have complained that voters in Quebec will of becoming ‘a kind of popular destination for for London’s private-hire
migrant workers are be able to watch a provincial language’, international students in drivers to prove their
failing to master either political leaders’ TV the head of a Dutch Asia last year, according grasp of English has
Estonian or English, debate in English for education lobby to official figures. The been extended for the
making communication the first time ever, CTV group has said. Ad number of international second time, until April
with customer service Montreal reports. The Verbrugge, director students in China 30 2019.
assistants difficult. 90-minute electoral of Beter Onderwijs reached nearly 490,000 A spokesman for
Ilmar Tomusk, director of debate, to be aired in Nederland, was referring in 2017, up 10.5 per cent Transport for London
the Estonian Language September, will be held to the increased use of on the previous year, said the extension
Inspectorate, who is at the Maison Radio- the English language Icef Monitor reported. allowed it to ‘consider
investigating the issue, Canada in Montreal, the at universities in the The country is likely to revising the English
said: ‘Sometimes it’s a same location as the Netherlands. The reach its 2020 enrolment language assessment,
case of the complainant French-language debate organisation is filing a target – 500,000 students so that it reflects areas
mistaking a stronger a week before. Previous lawsuit against Maastricht – ahead of schedule. specifically relevant to
accent on the part of the applications to hold an University and the Russia, Japan and the US the role of a private hire
customer service agent English-language debate University of Twente for were among the leading driver’. Any changes
for a lack of proficiency in of this kind in Quebec having too many courses sending countries in would remain at Level B1
the language.’ were turned down. in English. 2017. standard, he said.

6 June 2018

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