Tourist Offices Offer Help for Overseas Travel : Travelers can usually pick up free service-oriented brochures and maps.

Young travelers looking for ways to stretch their budgets should consider contacting the U.S.-based tourist information offices of the foreign countries they intend to visit. Special publications and services are usually available free of charge.

The French Government Tourist Office has copies of a new 31-page “Paris Youth Guide.” It covers advice on accommodations, entertainment, transportation and restaurants, and includes a subway map and emergency telephone numbers.

For a free copy, contact the French Government Tourist Office, 9454 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 303, Beverly Hills 90212, (900) 990-0040 (calls cost 50 cents per minute). If you can’t get a copy before you leave, you can pick one up at the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, 127 Ave. des Champs-Elysees.

This year, the Accueil des Jeunes en France (AJF) will operate three special accommodations booking offices in Paris, geared to travelers under 30. Young travelers can arrive at any of the offices and arrange a budget-priced bed in a youth hostel, youth center, budget hotel or student residence.

The AJF has 8,000 beds available year-round, 11,000 during the peak summer periods. There is no charge for this service. This year, AJF offices are located at:

--119 Rue St. Martin, close to the Chatelet-Les Halles Metro stop; telephone 42-77-8780.

--16 Rue du Pont-Louis-Philippe, close to the Hotel de Ville Metro stop; 42-78-0482.

--Gare du Nord railway station, in the arrivals hall; 42-85-8619.

The British Tourist Authority has introduced a new style of its young travelers’ guide to Britain, called “First Stop Britain--1992.” This year’s edition carries less information on work opportunities in Britain and focuses more on entertainment. The free 40-page brochure includesinformation on museums, markets, events, galleries, transportation, economical eating and an extensive listing of budget accommodations in England, Scotland and Wales.

Copies of “First Stop Britain” are available from the British Tourist Authority, 350 S. Figueroa St., Suite 450, Los Angeles 90071, (213) 628-3525.

There is now a new single telephone number in London that travelers can call to reserve one of the more than 1,200 beds at any of the seven London youth hostels: 248-6547. From the United States, call 011-44-71-248-6547.

It is also possible to book a bed at a London hostel through the tourist information centers at Victoria Station, Liverpool Station, Heathrow Airport and the Harrods and Selfridges department stores. Ask for a free copy of the “London Plus” leaflet, which gives details and location maps for the seven youth hostels in London, plus nine others near the city and still others at gateway ferry ports.

This summer, rates for shared-room accommodations at the London youth hostels for travelers over 16 ranges from about $16 to $30 per night. All of the hostels have 24-hour access, currency-exchange services, lockers and food facilities.

This year, Campus Holidays USA, a representative of the Youth Hostels Assn. of England and Wales, is also offering a special “London Explorer” package. It includes three or six nights in hostel accommodations, a four- or seven-day Visitor Travel Card valid for transportation on London’s trains, buses and subway, and a book of discount vouchers for major attractions. The four-day version costs $155 per person; for seven days, it’s $305 per person.

For more details, contact Campus Holidays USA Inc., 242 Bellevue Ave., Upper Montclair, N.J. 07043, phone (201) 744-8724, fax (201) 744-0531.

The Swiss National Tourist Office now has free copies available of its 1992 Youth Hostel Map.

This is a detailed map of the country that also includes information on rates and facilities at the 80 hostels around the country, plus information on special transportation tickets.

Swiss youth hostels are open to travelers of any age. However, when space is tight, priority is given to visitors under 25.

For those who want a break from big cities, many of the hostels are located near lovely hiking areas. Most also offer economical meals and provide kitchens that budget-minded guests may use.

Rates for 1992 range from about $15 to $44 per night for dormitory accommodations.

For free copies of the 1992 Swiss Youth Hostel Map, contact the Swiss National Tourist Office, 222 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 1570, El Segundo 90245, (310) 335-5980.