Committed to the au pair industry: DR-WALTER is participating in the WETM-IAC in Sofia
25.03.2026
This year’s WETM-IAC (Work Experience Travel Market & IAPA Annual Conference) took place from March 18 to 20 in Sofia, one of Europe’s most historic cities. Around 130 industry professionals from 30 countries gathered to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, and discuss current challenges. While U.S. organizations are traditionally well-represented, this year saw a particularly large number of agencies from Belgium and the Netherlands. There was consensus that au pair placements—regardless of the host country—counteract the current global uncertainty and represent an important program for promoting peace.
Progress in the Development of New Au Pair Programs
The IAPA International Au Pair Association e. V. continues to focus on improving and expanding international programs. A new board was elected at the annual general meeting: In addition to Executive Director Patricia Brunner, Jean Quinn (AIFS), Charlotte Cappa-Domenge (AFJ) and Kati Mäder (GO4AUPAIR) will now take on leadership roles in the association, which was founded in 1994.
A key topic was the establishment of a formal au pair system in Italy. Currently, the program is open only to applicants from the EU. Interested individuals from non-EU countries must overcome significant language barriers and lack access to a suitable visa.
After Italy, attention is now turning to Spain: an official program is also planned there. As is tradition, the IAPA also honored long-standing member organizations with certificates marking 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of membership.
IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award 2026
One of the IAPA’s outstanding initiatives is the presentation of the “IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award.” The coveted award went to Jemimah Waceke Mwithiga from Kenya, who was placed by the Danish agency Aupairagent. Jemimah not only learned Danish, aced all her tests, taught the children a little Swahili, and built a loving relationship with the whole family. As the Video impressively shows, Jemimah truly embraced Danish culture without denying her own identity. She talked a lot with her host mother about the differences between Denmark and Kenya: about parenting, school, education, and politics, and about what freedom and courage mean for both cultures.
Growing Concerns About „Au Pair in America“
In Sofia, particular attention was once again focused on the U.S. program “Au Pair in America,” which, although considered the most prestigious and strictly monitored, is facing political pressure.
In 2025, only 16,838 au pairs arrived, about 3,500 fewer than the previous year—a decline of over 13 percent. This negative trend has been ongoing for several years, as reported by Mark Overmann of the Alliance for International Exchange.
Nevertheless, complaints about placements have declined significantly. This is attributed to close communication with the organizations, known as sponsors. These organizations must report every deviation—from a delayed departure date to major conflicts—in detail to BridgeUSA. Ultimately, the high level of regulation strengthens the professionalism of the placement agencies.
KI-Trends: How Cultural Exchange Organizations Need to Adapt
One of the conference’s key focuses was the use of generative AI. In two sessions, Bojan Kordalov from the European Centre of Excellence in Brussels demonstrated how naturally Generation Z uses AI tools—for travel planning, education, job searches, and program participation.
To ensure organizations remain highly visible, they must design their web content so that AI systems can interpret and reproduce it correctly. For companies like DR-WALTER, which serve many young travelers and au pairs, this is a crucial factor for the future.
Farewell and Outlook
After many years at the helm of the Wyse Travel Confederation, David Chapman has retired. The choice of the venue for WETM-IAC 2027—the Algarve—is still his doing; his successor, Andrew Fenner, will oversee its implementation in the future. Fenner brings extensive experience from nonprofit and business projects as well as from international organizations and will play a decisive role in shaping the future direction of the event.
