Orient Star (OSTA.) was established, initially, as a Vietnamese-based travel agency in 1994. It began by providing all travel related services, including airline ticketing sales, world-wide hotel reservations and bookings, business and holiday packages, adventure and tailor-made inbound tours, visa applications, travel insurance and car hire. We established offices in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh City and continue to provide these services. These offices are staffed by 20 experienced and well qualified consultants each of whom has graduated from a Vietnamese University.

It soon became clear that the demand for student and youth travel both from local Vietnamese and from overseas rganizat was substantial and we established departments rganization in these fields. We were appointed to be the sole rganizati International Student Identity Card (ISIC) issuers in Vietnam . ISIC is the only internationally rganizati student identity card. It is endorsed by UNESCO and their logo appears on every ISIC card. We are also the sole rganizati issuers for the International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) and for the International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC). Each of these cards gives their owner certain recognition and privileges, including discounts and other benefits.

Our growing commitment to the youth and student travel industry led to us being appointed as the sole appointed agents for STA Travel in Vietnam . This greatly expanded our capability and linked us into an international network of 20,000 STA staff throughout the world. The STA rganization with its “Travel Help” desks provides competitive services to students and young people around the world. Through our STA departments we are able to offer student and youth special fares, discounted air fares, and rganiza’s assistance, in the form of re-routing, date changing and re-issuing of lost tickets.

With around 5,000 students currently enjoying the benefits of the ISIC card we keep in touch with them through periodic meetings, the ISIClub, education festivals, seminars and e-mail notices. We also arrange talks by our overseas partners, such as Aspect, i to i and others, when they visit Vietnam . This keeps the students aware of opportunities as they arise, and gives us feedback on the best ways we can meet the students’ choices. Our staff have received training by the British Council and the Australian Embassy, as well as by staff of overseas STA offices. Part of their duties is to keep up to date with overseas education systems, the colleges and universities offering such placements, courses, tuition fees, accommodation and conditions generally. They can provide professional advice to the students and to their parents. Our staff can also assist with the documentation needed. They can also assist with registration for TOEFL and IELTS tests if required.