Gapyear.com

Gapyear.com
Web address www.gapyear.com
Slogan "travel, experience, share"
Type of site
Social network service
Created by Tom Griffiths and Peter Pedrick
Launched July 1998 (1998-07)
Current status Active

Gapyear.com is a gap year social network based in the United Kingdom. Built around a travel community, its members engage in the site through blogs, events, messageboards and photos. It provides advice, ideas and opportunities[1] on everything related to gap years and backpacking,[2] including information on planning your trip,[3] destinations, volunteering,[4] and working abroad.[5] It is also described as a travel advice website.

History

Tom Griffiths published Before You Go in 1997, a book about planning your gap year, and went on to win The Times's Young Travel Writer of the Year award.

Griffiths went on to create The Gap Year Company Ltd. in July 1998 with IT consultant Peter Pedrick.

The website was initially launched as thegapyear.co.uk, which became gapyear.co.uk in 1999, and gapyear.com in 2000.

As a media spokesperson for gapyear.com and the gap year industry, Griffiths became a prominent figure in the media.

In 2005, gapyear.com worked with Advance Payment Solutions (APS) to launch the Gap Year Cashplus Prepaid MasterCard, a first for the backpacker travel market.

Gapyear.com played a role in defining the underlying principles of Fair Trade Volunteering, worked with Way Out Experiences (WOX) to launch The Great Volunteer Project and built a long-running relationship with Connexions to help give advice to students during A-level clearing.[6]

In 2010, gapyear.com became a part of Flight Centre, Ltd.

Gapyear.com magazine

In 2012 gapyear.com relaunched the gapyear.com magazine[7] (it was initially launched in 2000), available in UK schools, colleges, universities and Flight Centre stores. The publication is an extension of the brand and offers readers advice, ideas and inspiration on gap year travel.

Awards

References

  1. The Telegraph "Gap Year 100 company directory: working abroad, adventure and advice" The Daily Telegraph, 20 August 2010. Retrieved on 21 May 2012.
  2. Insley, Jill. "Gap year travel: what to put in if you plan to take a year out"The Guardian, 14 January 2012. Retrieved on 21 May 2012.
  3. The Guardian. "Insiders' guide to independent holidays for teenagers" The Guardian, 12 June 2012. Retrieved on 21 May 2012.
  4. Qadir, Siobhan. "Social care: Opportunities abroad" Prospects.ac.uk, November 2011. Retrieved on 21 May 2012.
  5. Gross, Jennifer. "Gap Year: Taking Time Off Before College" Education.com, 2008. Retrieved on 21 May 2012.
  6. The Independent. "Gap year: how to make yourself stand out" The Independent, 11 August 2008. Retrieved on 21 May 2012.
  7. Publishing. "Relaunch" Publishing, 9 March 2012. Retrieved on 21 May 2012.

External links

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