STAY WYSE Information Pack

INFORMATION PACK

THE ASSOCIATION OF YOUTH TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION WWW.STAYWYSE.ORG

SPONSORS STAY WYSE would like to thank the following sponsors

www.hostelworld.com

www.hihostels.com

www.ish.org.uk

www.hiphophostels.com

www.mundojoven.com

www.generatorhostels.com

www.statravel.com

www.umihotels.co.uk

INFORMATION PACK

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ABOUT STAY WYSE

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

STAY (Safe Travel Accommodation for Youth) WYSE Association was established in 2006 by the world’s leading youth travel accommodation providers to represent the entire global Youth Travel Accommodation sector.

! A global network of trading partners across the youth and student travel industry e.g hostels, booking agents, tour operators.

STAY WYSE is the only not-for-profit industry association bringing together the diverse segments of this significant $6 billion per year industry. We work to provide much needed support and representation for one of the youth travel industry’s fastest growing niche markets.

The Association's mission is to provide safe, affordable and clean accommodation within a communal atmosphere that encourages youth mobility and cultural understanding.

WHY JOIN?

! Access to accurate and reliable industry intelligence ! High profile representation of the STAY WYSE community at travel industry events worldwide ! Lobbying of tourism boards and governments to develop opportunities for youth travel accommodation in countries around the world.

STAY WYSE offers its members the following benefits and services: ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

! !

A global network of trading partners across the youth and student travel industry.

Access to accurate and reliable industry intelligence and market research.

High profile representation of the STAY WYSE community at travel industry events worldwide.

Networking opportunities at annual industry events such as the World Youth &!Student Travel Conference.

Best practice guidelines and sharing of leading industry practices.

Lobbying of tourism boards and government officials industry to raise recognition and develop opportunities for this sector in countries around the world.

Professional development seminars that support member’s ability to learn from each other and operate to high professional standards.

Raising the global profile of member organisations with a listing in the annual WYSE Travel Confederation Member Directory and on the STAY WYSE website and in the YTI Magazine (sent to 36,000 tourism organisations and universities around the world).

Use of the STAY WYSE logo, a trusted global brand.

Annual membership of the World Youth, Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation which provides direct!access to a global community of 550+ member organisations providing! travel experiences to 10 million youth and students.

"STAY WYSE creates a much needed platform for hostels to connect with each other, develop the hostel product and represent the hostel sector in the travel trade. We at Generator Hostels are excited about these opportunities and confident that STAY WYSE will help to make all youth travel companies even safer, better informed and well connected".

Eric van Dijk, Managing Director, Generator Hostels, Germany

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MEET THE BOARD

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Chairperson

Mr Ulises Ortega Mundo Joven Mexico

Board Members Carmel Dunne Hostelworld Ireland Mikael Hansson Hostelling International United Kingdom David Chapman International Students House United Kingdom Steve Lowy Umi Hotels United Kingdom

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John Dickson Hostelling International United Kingdom

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INFORMATION PACK

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WORLD YOUTH STUDENT & EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL CONFEDERATION STAY WYSE is a Sector Association of the World Youth Student & Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation.

The Confederation was founded in 2006 with the merger of the Federation of International Youth Travel Organisations (FIYTO) and the International Student Travel Confederation (ISTC).

The Confederation's mission is "to increase international understanding through the promotion of travel and educational opportunities for students and youth".

Members of the Confederation work through specialist sector associations such as STAY WYSE to provide a range of valuable services and products for young travellers around the globe including Student Identity Cards, Language Travel Experiences, Work Exchange and Au Pair Experiences, Student Flights, Youth Accommodation and Travel Insurance.

In addition to assisting with the provision of these services and products, the Confederation is committed to understanding the ever changing characteristics, motivations, and needs of young travellers. The Confederation gathers, analyses and shares important research data and market intelligence with its members, academics, corporate and government decision-makers, and the general travelling public.

Accommodation providers with less than 100 beds have their membership of the WYSE Travel Confederation subsidised. All accommodation providers with more than 100 beds are required to become members of the WYSE Travel Confederation.

TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP There are two types of voting Members and two types of non-voting Members according to type of organisation. Voting members are! entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and help set the strategic direction for the STAY WYSE Association. This is typically held every September during the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC).

VOTING •

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Type 1: Accommodation Providers Any specialist organisation that is primarily an owner or operator of facilities for youth and student accommodation services.

Type 2: Service Providers Any specialist organisation that has a proven involvement in youth and student accommodation services e.g. booking agent etc

NON-VOTING •

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Type 1: Affiliate Members Any organisations that is not a specialist in youth and student travel services but!supplies goods or services to the youth travel accommodation industry e.g. insurance, cleaning, catering services, etc.

Type 2: Official Organisation Official tourism organisations such as tourism authorities, governments and non-government organisations.

All STAY WYSE members are required to abide by the Constitution and regulations for the Association.

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NEWSLETTER MARCH 2011

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LAUNCHING THE HOSTEL REVENUE MANAGEMENT TOOL

CONTENTS

The hostel sector has always been regarded as inferior to the hotel sector in terms of professionalism. STAY WYSE will help hostels overcome this hurdle by providing you with a tool which will help you grow your business.

Are you carrying the STAY WYSE logo?

Ever heard of benchmarking and revenue management?

Benchmarking is a widely used process in the hotel sector which can help you amongst others, manage your revenue. The idea is to compare your operations against your competitors; operators of a similar size, or with a similar target market. Benchmarking is considered to be a major part of business development as it gives hotels a clear and thorough understanding of which things need to be achieved in order to be the best. The purpose of benchmarking is to learn from others and not to reinvent the wheel.

STAY WYSE has partnered with a benchmarking industry expert, the Benchmarking Alliance Nordic AB, ! and developed a benchmarking tool specifically for the hostel sector. The tool will, unlike hotel tools, allow competitor comparisons according to beds and rooms (the hotel sector currently only looks at rooms).!

“The backpacker industry needs this new STAY WYSE tool to become as savvy !as the hotel sector . To be able to compare our statistics! to our competitors is crucial in growing our business and should be part of any hostel's strategy.!“ Lorraine O’Reilly – hostelworld.com In summary the tool will allow you to see what your competition is doing and by knowing this you will be able to adjust your rates to increase sales. To gauge the interest for such a tool, STAY WYSE is currently requesting hostel operators to complete the following short survey.

ARE YOU CARRYING THE STAY WYSE LOGO ON YOUR WEBSITE? It was agreed at the STAY WYSE AGM that all members would be required to carry the STAY WYSE logo and link to the STAY WYSE website on their website. A range of STAY WYSE Banners are available online for download for STAY WYSE members.

Highlight your membership of the only global forum for Youth Travel Accommodation providers and your dedication to providing safe, clean and affordable travel accommodation to your customers. Don’t forget to link to www.staywyse.org!

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Hostel Business Tool Increase your revenue

Hostel Skills Exchange Follow the latest update WYSTC 2011 Barcelona, September 20-23 The Hoscars YHA: Australia Needs You UK to scrap star reviews HI launches new website Welcoming New Members A bed bug sniffing dog Generator Wins

MEET THE BOARD Chairperson

Mr Ulises Ortega Mundo Joven Mexico

Board Members Lorraine O’Reilly Hostelworld Ireland Mikael Hansson Hostelling International United Kingdom David Chapman International Students House United Kingdom Steve Lowy Umi Hotels United Kingdom John Dickson Hostelling International United Kingdom

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NEWSLETTER MARCH 2011

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HOSTEL SKILLS EXCHANGE - REAPING THE BENEFITS It’s a tough call, saying who gained more here. Was it the founder of umihotels, Steve Lowy, with the cultural and charitable benefits that he received? Or was it Rachel and Simon of Rosy Guesthouse, who received a business tune-up in almost every area of their cosy hostel?

Let’s call it a draw, as the ISTC Skills Exchange wrapped up a very successful inaugural effort in Siem Reap, Cambodia earlier in February. Taking the expertise of a larger, more established hostel operator with its head office in London and pairing it with a small, active hostel in a Cambodian village was a great success for both parties.

The exchange was put together with the help of STAY WYSE and ISTC (the International Student Travel Confederation). With a number of interested candidates on both sides of the exchange, umihotels and Rosy’s were ultimately chosen. The project, which will take place again with new participants in the near future, has also caught the attention of the larger companies. David Smith COO of HostelBookers, underlines how important hostels can be in the developing world. “Hostels promote travelling and exchange opportunities among students, young people and anyone looking to volunteer and give something back, and as such we fully support this great initiative by STAY WYSE.” In that same spirit of volunteering and giving back, Steve spent ten days in the company of the owners of Rosy’s and the village as a whole, where he managed to make several charitable contributions and really felt the community spirit of the very hospitable locals.

As for Rosy’s, they received a wealth of business best practices that include better financial reporting, forecasting, and a seriously revamped website with the help of umi partners 2am media that benefits both the hostel and young travellers who will be making their travel plans from afar.

“The experience has been wonderful and I really hope that the work and help done both at the guesthouse, and at the charities, will be fruitful for all parties. From the minute I landed I have been so impressed with the warmth and friendliness of everyone here” – Steve Lowy, umihotels “The suggestions and push in the right direction in the office is invaluable and yet completely logical and something that we are already putting into practice and seeing results from since Steve has left” – Rachel Band, Rosy Guesthouse Instead of a draw, let’s call it a win-win!

To participate in a future Hostel Skills Exchange, please contact Laura Daly at l.daly@wysetc.org.

JOIN STAY WYSE AT WYSTC 2011 BARCELONA, SPAIN, 20-23 SEP! Each year, youth, student and educational travel industry professionals gather from around the world at WYSTC to network with fellow decision makers, take advantage of new market opportunities and learn from industry experts.

If you want to meet agents, buyers, suppliers and policy makers from around the world, then you can‘t afford to miss the next WYSTC! "The first conference we went to, Wake Up! was not yet opened and we took a huge financial risk. The fact that we attended WYSTC that year gave us so many contacts that within three weeks of opening the hostel, it was 80% full (of 500 beds). I have been the world’s biggest fan of WYSTC ever since."

Margaret Millett, Wake Up! Australia

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NEWSLETTER

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MARCH 2011

U K S E T T O S C R A P S TA R RATINGS IN FAVOUR OF USER REVIEWS

CONGRATULATIONS TO VILLA SONNENHOF For the second year running, STAY WYSE member Villa Sonnenhof was awarded the prize of top hostel in Switzerland based on the reviews from Hostelworld.com based on your reviews in 2010.

The Hoscar (Hostelworld.com Customers Annual Ratings) Awards now in their 9th year, recognise top hostels around the globe. Hosted by one of the UK & Ireland’s most popular TV presenter’s Craig Doyle, the 2011 Hoscars took place in London on 4th February and was the biggest awards ceremony to date, attended by 500 guests.

YHA BUILDINGS‘ STILL STANDING’ IN CHRISTCHURCH Returning belongings to guests will be the first priority for YHA New Zealand once staff are permitted to re-enter its Christchurch properties following last week’s devastating earthquake, manager – marketing and sales Daniel Shields has said.!!

Staff have been unable to return to the City Central hostel on Manchester Street and the Rolleston House property on Worcester Boulevard due to a civil defence cordon around the city which has impeded the hostel chain from releasing a re-opening date.

Shields said the re-opening of the hostels would depend on the state of the buildings, surrounding structures and the CBD in general.

“We know that both buildings are still standing,” he said. He added: “Once the buildings are inspected and deemed fit to enter our first task will be to gather all guest luggage and effects from around the hostel and begin the process of trying to get this back to owners.”

Source:http://bit.ly/gowACq

STAR Ratings Australia may have stopped grading backpacker accommodation, but the UK is set to go a step further and drop star ratings altogether.! !The Government’s tourism strategy, due out shortly, is expected to recommend phasing out the official star rating system for hotels in favour of user reviews online.

Tourism minister John Penrose Said: “The current official ratings systems are too often unreliable and unfair not only for the industry but for the consumer too. So we will encourage any rating schemes or customer websites that improve the quality of information which visitors can use to choose the right holiday for them, so they make informed choices rather than discovering problems when it is too late.”

Source: http://bit.ly/eTPgLr

HI LAUNCHES REFRESHED SITE Hostelling International (HI) has launched a new and improved version of hihostels.com. The website has been refreshed to reflect HI’s new brand image and it also includes some additional features, as well as improved usability.

HI’s new brand image has a contemporary look, using black and orange colours with the marketing strap lines: ‘Discover the real hostel experience’ and ‘Say HI to the world’. This new brand image is in steady progress being used in all H I ’s m a r k e t i n g a n d communications, both online and for printed materials.

Pssst ;-)

There are not any major changes to the booking engine and the functionality on the website, but the “look and feel” is brand new. The homepage has become more attractive, customer ratings and reviews are given more attention, and tab navigation has been introduced on the hostel pages.

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NEWSLETTER

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MARCH 2011

WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS! • • • • • • •

Bakhytty Hostel - Kazakstan - 1-50 Beds Woonstichting de Key - Netherlands - 1000-4999 Beds Farah Hotel - Jordan - 51-100 Beds Milhouse Hostel - Argentina - 200-999 Beds Azure Property Investments - Luxembourg - 200-999 Beds Unreal Hostel Lisbon - Portugal - 51-100 Beds 92Y Residence - USA - 200-999 Beds

Lola - the bed bug sniffing dog Lola was born on a farm in Wales two years ago, bought soon after by entrepreneur Mark Astley, and sent to America to get an education. After a few months at the madeup sounding National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association, she started work in London's hotels and homes. She has the distinction of being the only certified bedbug sniffer dog in Europe.

Source: http://bit.ly/ehsV1j

SEND US YOUR PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL

Generator wins!

Generator Hostels, a member of STAY WYSE, has been awarded with the UKinbound Awards for Excellence for ‘Small Hostel/ Hotel Group of the Year’ at this year’s convention at Alton Towers.

The annual awards are voted for by members of UKinbound, followed by the final decision of the chairman and board of directors. Award categories include ‘Events of the year’ and ‘Customer Welcome Award’ amongst many others.

On receiving Generator Hostels award Alison Armitage, commented ‘This is a great achievement for the Generator brand, and I would personally like to thank everybody for their dedication and support during the past year. Generator Hostel is definitely building the hostel brand of the future’.

STAY WYSE is offering all members a brochure racking service. This means that where possible we will promote your organisation at the industry events STAY WYSE and the WYSE Travel Confederation attends. All you need to do (if you havent already) is send STAY WYSE your promotional materials such as brochures and flyers to: STAY WYSE - WYSE Travel Confederation Keizersgracht 174 1016 DW Amsterdam The Netherlands

LET STAY WYSE PROMOTE YOU ONLINE STAY WYSE regularly promotes our members on all our social networks. Want to benefit from this too? Join us on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and You Tube!

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THE YOUTH TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION INDUSTRY SURVEY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

BY GREG RICHARDS

STAY

ASSOCIATION OF YOUTH TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION STAY WYSE IS A SECTOR ASSOCIATION OF WYSE TRAVEL CONFEDERATION

RESEARCH PROGRAMME WYSE Travel Confederation and STAY WYSE Association are committed to understanding the ever changing characteristics, motivations, and needs of young travellers.

The Confederation and STAY WYSE gather, analyse and share important research data and market intelligence with their members, academics, corporate and government decision-makers, and the general travelling public.

Our investment in research and market intelligence informs the policies, services and products which make international travel and educational experiences exciting, safe, accessible and affordable for young people.

Please visit www.wysetc.org for more information about WYSE Travel Confederation’s research programme.

For more information about STAY WYSE, please visit www.staywyse.org.

Author Greg Richards (Tourism Research and Marketing) Survey manager Laura Daly (STAY WYSE Association Manager) Title The Youth Travel Accommodation Industry Survey

Publisher WYSE Travel Confederation Front cover Image: Hikers in Luxembourg supplied by Hostelling International Printing Drukkerij Tesink, Zutphen, The Netherlands

SPONSORS STAY WYSE would like to thank the following sponsors

Introduction ABOUT STAY WYSE STAY (Safe Travel Accommodation for Youth) WYSE Association is the global forum and trade association for organisations involved in youth travel accommodation. The Association was formed in 2006 by the world’s leading youth travel accommodation providers to represent the entire global Youth Travel Accommodation (YTA) sector. STAY WYSE is the only not-for-profit industry association bringing together the diverse segments of this significant multi-billion dollar industry.

The association works to provide much needed support and representation for one of the youth travel industry’s fastest growing niche markets.

The Association’s mission is to provide safe, affordable and clean accommodation within a communal atmosphere that encourages youth mobility and cultural understanding.

STAY WYSE was officially approved as a sector association of the World Youth Student & Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation in October 2007 at the World Youth Student Conference (WYSTC) in Istanbul, Turkey. This is the fourth survey of the global Youth Travel Accommodation market produced by STAY WYSE, and the third survey which has included key benchmarks for the industry.

YOUTH TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION INDUSTRY: MARKET DYNAMICS Thanks to young people travelling more frequently, more widely and more independently, the global youth tourism market continues to expand. In 2009 there was an estimated worldwide market of around 176 million international youth tourism trips a year, compared with about 160 million in 2005. This market growth has created a growing demand for youth accommodation, and stimulated the development of new forms of accommodation. Professionalisation and commercialisation of the sector continue to drive a convergence between youth travel accommodation (YTA) providers and other sectors of the accommodation market, particularly budget hotels.

Even though the YTA industry is growing in size and importance, information on the business operations of hostel-style accommodation is scarce, certainly in comparison to the frequent and detailed analyses of the hotel sector.

Information on how the YTA sector operates is useful in allowing operators to benchmark their business and assess their own performance relative to industry standards.

This study was commissioned by the STAY WYSE Association in order to continue a review of the business operations of the Youth Travel Accommodation sector, to establish crucial business metrics and identify trends in this dynamic sector. The information generated by this research also supports the mission of STAY WYSE to provide a voice and identity for the youth travel accommodation industry.

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The aims of the study are: t 5P DPMMFDU EBUB GPS UIF QVSQPTF PG JEFOUJGZJOH USFOET BOE NBLJOH SFMBUJWF DPNQBSJTPOT t 1SPWJEF HVJEBODF UP ZPVUI USBWFM BDDPNNPEBUJPO QSPWJEFST JO BTTFTTJOH UIFJS CVTJOFTT performance, cost effectiveness, revenues and expenses relative to the industry standard. t 5P FOBCMF ZPVUI USBWFM BDDPNNPEBUJPO PQFSBUPST UP CFODINBSL UIFJS CVTJOFTT DIBSBDUFSJTUJDT in order to develop strategic concepts and optimise business outcomes.

The survey of 2009 provides more detailed information than previous reports, including new questions on social networking and environmental issues. The quality of the financial data has also been improved compared with previous years, and for the first time we have a sufficiently large sample to provide some analysis at country level as well as region level. The STAY WYSE survey is the only consistent source of information on the global YTA industry.

Methodology Leading Youth Travel Accommodation (YTA) operators around the world were asked to participate in a detailed survey, which was open for the period June to August 2010. Respondents were asked about their business during calendar year 2009. Data was collected from 321 YTA operators from 73 countries, operating a total of 563 accommodation establishments with a total of almost 70,000 bedspaces. This is a significant increase on the response to the 2009 survey, when a total of 216 accommodation establishments from 42 countries were covered. This reflects the ability of STAY WYSE to reach operators across the YTA as a whole, as well as the effort made to increase response rates in the survey of 2009.

The responses were analysed anonymously, and only general figures for regions, countries or types of operation are reported here for reasons of confidentiality.

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Executive Summary This study is the fourth global review of business operations in the YTA sector by STAY WYSE, and the 2009 report covers 563 accommodation units in 73 countries. Data on activities for the period January to December 2009 was collected through an online survey held in June to August 2010.

YOUTH TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION ESTABLISHMENTS t &VSPQF DPOUJOVFE UP IBWF UIF HSFBUFTU DPODFOUSBUJPO PG ZPVUI USBWFM BDDPNNPEBUJPO TVQQMZ with 50% of total reported bed spaces in 2009. t :5" FTUBCMJTINFOUT MPDBUFE JO DJUZ DFOUSFT BDDPVOUFE GPS PWFS IBMG PG UIF FTUBCMJTINFOUT SFQPSUJOH in this study. t PG SFQPSUJOH :5" FTUBCMJTINFOUT PQFSBUFE PO B GPS QSPmU CBTJT 0OMZ XFSF TUBUF PXOFE t 5IF BWFSBHF UPUBM OVNCFS PG BWBJMBCMF CFET XBT QFS FTUBCMJTINFOU B TJNJMBS MFWFM UP UIF TVSWFZ mHVSF "MUIPVHI PWFS IBMG PG :5" PQFSBUJPOT IBWF MFTT UIBO CFET MBSHFS establishments with 200 or more beds accounted for around 60% of total bed sales in 2009. t 5IF IJHIFTU CFE DBQBDJUJFT UFOE UP CF GPVOE JO 8FTUFSO &VSPQF BOE 0DFBOJB &BTUFSO &VSPQF and South America having the smallest average bed capacities. t 0WFS IBMG UIF :5" FTUBCMJTINFOUT IBWF CFUXFFO BOE SPPNT 5IF BWFSBHF OVNCFS PG CFET per room was just over 4 in 2009. t &O TVJUF GBDJMJUJFT XFSF QSPWJEFE JO PG :5" FTUBCMJTINFOUT 5IF QSPQPSUJPO PG SPPNT XJUI en-suite facilities was around 40% in 2009. t 5IF BWFSBHF OVNCFS PG CBUI BOE PS UPJMFU GBDJMJUJFT QFS SPPN XBT IJHIFTU JO "TJB BOE MPXFTU JO Oceania and Africa. In Asia the ratio was close to one per room, reflecting the large proportion of private rooms in this region.

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YOUTH TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION GUESTS t *OEJWJEVBM USBWFMMFST DPNQSJTFE BSPVOE UISFF RVBSUFST PG UIF UPUBM :5" NBSLFU JO UFSNT PG bed nights, with groups of 10 persons or more accounting for around 17%. t 5IF :5" JOEVTUSZ SFNBJOFE mSNMZ PSJFOUBUFE UPXBSET UIF UP BHF HSPVQ JO t 5IF TNBMMFTU BOE MBSHFTU :5" PQFSBUJPOT UFOE UP IBWF UIF MBSHFTU QSPQPSUJPO PG JOEJWJEVBM travellers in private rooms, whereas groups are more prevalent in the largest establishments. t "GSJDB BOE "TJB IBWF UIF IJHIFTU QSPQPSUJPO PG JOEJWJEVBM HVFTUT JO QSJWBUF SPPNT BOE UIF Americas and Oceania have the highest proportion of dorm guests. t 5IF NPTU GSFRVFOU MFOHUI PG TUBZ JO XBT UP EBZT PG SFTQPOEFOUT

BOOKING SOURCES t #PPLJOHT NBEF EJSFDUMZ UISPVHI XFCTJUFT BDDPVOUFE GPS PG CVTJOFTT JO B WFSZ TMJHIU JODSFBTF PO UIF TVSWFZ GPS )PXFWFS UIFSF IBT CFFO B TIJGU UPXBSET UIJSE QBSUZ XFCTJUFT (26% of bookings) compared with the YTA provider’s own website (19%). t 5IF NBKPSJUZ PG CPPLJOHT BSF NBEF XJUIJO UISFF XFFLT PG BSSJWBM

YOUTH TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION OCCUPANCY RATES t 5IF BWFSBHF PDDVQBODZ SBUF SFQPSUFE CZ ZPVUI USBWFM BDDPNNPEBUJPO QSPWJEFST XBT BSPVOE 56%. However, there were a wide range of variations by region, location and business size and type. t *O HFOFSBM SFQPSUFE PDDVQBODZ MFWFMT XFSF IJHIFTU JO 0DFBOJB BOE "TJB t *O UFSNT PG TJ[F FTUBCMJTINFOUT XJUI CFUXFFO BOE CFET SFQPSU UIF IJHIFTU PDDVQBODZ levels.

YOUTH TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION REVENUES t 5IF TBMF PG CFET BDDPVOUFE GPS PG SFQPSUFE SFWFOVF 'PPE BOE CFWFSBHF TBMFT JODMVEJOH alcohol) accounted for 14% of total revenue. There were some signs that other sources of revenue, although still relatively small, have increased during 2009. t #FE SFWFOVFT UFOE UP CF IJHIFTU BT B QSPQPSUJPO PG UPUBM JODPNF GPS FTUBCMJTINFOUT JO /PSUI America, Oceania and Eastern Europe. In general, for-profit and city centre YTA providers generate higher proportions of their revenues from bed sales than not-for-profit and rural YTA providers.

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t 5IF BWFSBHF SFQPSUFE CFE SBUF GPS TJOHMF SPPNT XBT é JO IJHI TFBTPO BOE é JO MPX TFBTPO %PVCMF SPPN DIBSHFT SBOHFE GSPN é JO UIF QFBL TFBTPO UP é JO MPX TFBTPO %PSN CFET WBSJFE CFUXFFO é JO UIF IJHI TFBTPO BOE é JO UIF MPX TFBTPO t 5IF PWFSBMM BWFSBHF CFE SBUF GPS XBT BSPVOE é B SJTF PG NPSF UIBO DPNQBSFE XJUI UIF é BWFSBHF SBUF JO t 5IF IJHIFTU CFE SBUFT XFSF GPVOE JO 8FTUFSO &VSPQF BOE /PSUI "NFSJDB

YOUTH TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION COSTS t 5IF NBJO DPTU JUFNT GPS :5" FTUBCMJTINFOUT BSF TUBGG BOE QSFNJTFT XIJDI UPHFUIFS BDDPVOU GPS 45% of total expenses. t .BSLFUJOH DPTUT BDDPVOU GPS BMNPTU PG UIF UPUBM CVEHFU

SELLING POINTS FOR YTA t 5IF NBJO TFMMJOH QPJOUT GPS :5" JO XFSF MPDBUJPO BOE DVTUPNFS TFSWJDF CPUI SBOLFE BT number one by more than 20% of respondents in 2009.

SOCIAL NETWORKING ACTIVITY t "CPVU UXP UIJSET PG :5" PQFSBUPST VTF TPDJBM OFUXPSLJOH TJUFT UP NBSLFU UIFNTFMWFT BOE UP keep in touch with their customers. t 'BDFCPPL JT UIF NPTU XJEFMZ VTFE TPDJBM OFUXPSLJOH TJUF t 0O BWFSBHF UIF DPOUFOU PG TPDJBM OFUXPSLJOH TJUFT JT VQEBUFE UJNFT B NPOUI BMUIPVHI UIF majority of establishments only update 5 times a month.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES t 5IF NPTU DPNNPOMZ VTFE FOWJSPONFOUBM NFBTVSFT XFSF SFDZDMJOH GBDJMJUJFT BOE UIF VTF PG energy efficient lighting. t 0OMZ PG :5" PQFSBUPST DVSSFOUMZ QBSUJDJQBUF JO HSFFO DFSUJmDBUJPO TDIFNFT

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Conclusions The STAY WYSE survey of YTA business in 2009 continues to point to a relatively healthy industry, in spite of the effects of the economic downturn. YTA operators remain optimistic about their business prospects in 2010, following a year in which business contracted, but to a lesser extent than in other sectors of the global tourism industry.

The fact that occupancy levels were strong in many areas allowed YTA operators to raise their bed rates by over 3% in 2009. Although bed revenues are still by far the most important source of income, there were also signs of an increase in other revenue areas during the year.

One of the reasons for a relatively strong performance is the tendency for YTA operators to innovate and adapt their products to suit market conditions. In particular, it seems that YTA operators are making good use of new marketing opportunities, such as social networking sites, to reach new client groups and market their products more effectively. The fact that YTA operators could generally sustain business levels through the downturn was probably one of the major reasons XIZ PWFSBMM BWFSBHF CFE SBUFT GPS SPTF CZ NPSF UIBO DPNQBSFE XJUI 8JUI BWFSage reported bed occupancy rates also being higher than in previous editions of the STAY WYSE Survey, this indicates that the YTA industry has managed to negotiate the economic downturn relatively effectively.

Other data from the survey does indicate, however, that YTA establishments will have to remain flexible and creative in order to maximise the opportunities that arise in the marketplace. For example, the growth of third party websites as a source of bookings indicates a potential source of pressure on achieved revenues that may grow in the future. There are also indications that difficult economic conditions may be taking attention away from some important issues which not only affect YTA establishments, but also their customers. The relatively low penetration of environmental and sustainability initiatives, for example, shows that some YTA operators may not be on the same wavelength as their customers, in view of the fact that WYSE Travel Confederation research has consistently shown a high level of concern for such issues among young independent travellers.

45": 8:4& #&/$)."3, 456%:

Bibliography ! Australian Bureau of Statistics (2010) Tourist Accommodation, Australia, March 2009. ! Richards, G. (2007) New Horizons II – The Young Independent Traveller 2007. Amsterdam: WYSE Travel Confederation. ! Richards, G. and Welk, P. (2009) Youth Travel Accommodation Industry: A Benchmark Study.

Amsterdam: STAY WYSE. ! Statistics New Zealand (2010) Accommodation Survey 2009. ! United Nations World Tourism Organisation (2010) International Travel Statistics. Madrid: WTO. ! WYSE Travel Confederation (2009, 2010) Youth Travel Monitor. WYSE Travel Confederation: Amsterdam.

Acknowledgements STAY WYSE Association would like to thank the following individuals and organisations for their valuable contributions to this report: ! The Members of STAY WYSE ! STAY WYSE Board Mr. Ulises Ortega, Mundo Joven (Chair) Mr. David Chapman, International Students House Mr. John Dickson, Hostelling International Ms. Carmel Dunne, Hostelworld Mr. Mikael Hansson, Hostelling International Mr. Steve Lowy, UmiHotels Mr. Murray Roberts, St. Christopher’s Inn ! WYSE Travel Confederation Mr. David Jones Ms. Wendy Morrill Mr. Robin Wicks ! Scribble design (www.scribbledesign.nl) STAY WYSE would also like to thank all of the Youth Travel Accommodation providers who kindly participated in this study.

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STAY WYSE BENCHMARK STUDY

The 2010 STAY WYSE Members Organisation PAX Hostel #BDLQBDLJOH )PTUFM "VTUSBMJB 1 - Wake Up! YHA Australia Toerisme Vlaanderen Global Village Backpackers Inc Le Jazz St-Denis Travel CUTS 'JOOUPVSJTU ,PVMVNBULBJMVUPUPJNJTUP 0Z Hip Hop Hostels A & O Hotels and Hostels Holding AG SANDEMANs New Europe GmbH Celtic Budget Accommodation Centres Hostelworld.com CTS Associazione Elite Vacanze Srl Farah Hotel Bakhytty Hostel Kazakhstan National Student Travel Foundation Amigo Hostel Group Hostelling International Mexico Mundo Joven Travel Shop Woonstichting De Key Zavod Souhostel Coffee Shack Backpackers Lodge SaltyCrax Adventures Agora BCN Equity Point Youth Hostels Feet Up Hostels MelonDistrict "MM 0VU "GSJDB -JEXBMB #BDLQBDLFS -PEHF Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof Hostelling International Marketing GmbH Britannia Student Services Ltd Clink261 Generator Hostels Ltd Hatters Hostel Ltd HostelBookers Hostelling International International Students House

10

Country Argentina "VTUSBMJB Australia Australia Belgium Canada Canada Canada 'JOMBOE France Germany Germany Ireland Ireland Italy Italy Jordan Kazakhstan (Rep. of) Malta Mexico Mexico Mexico Netherlands Slovenia South Africa South Africa Spain Spain Spain Spain 4XB[JMBOE Switzerland Switzerland United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom

Website www.paxhostel.com XXX CPIFNJBSFTPSU DPN BV www.wakeup.com.au www.yha.com www.visitflanders.be www.globalbackpackers.com www.jazzhostels.com www.travelcuts.com XXX mOOUPVSJTU m www.hiphophostels.com www.aohostels.com www.sandemans-new.com www.celtic-accommodation.ie www.hostelworld.com www.cts.it www.plusvillages.com www.farahhotel.com.jo www.nsts.org www.ciarogroup.com www.hostellingmexico.com www.mundojoven.com www.dekey.nl www.sou-lj.si www.coffeechack.co.za www.saltycrax.com www.agorabcn.com www.equity-point.com www.feetuphostels.com www.melondistrict.com XXX BMMPVUBGSJDB DPN www.villa.ch www.britanniatravel.com www.ashleehouse.co.uk www.generatorhostels.com www.hattersgroup.com www.hostelbookers.com www.hihostels.com www.ish.org.uk

STAY WYSE BENCHMARK STUDY

Organisation Smart City Hostels Edinburgh St Christophers Inns STA Travel Group umi Hotels 6OJWFSTJUZ PG #BUI Hostelrescard.com Inc NYCHostels.com YMCA of Greater New York

Country United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom 6OJUFE ,JOHEPN USA USA USA

Website www.smartcityhostels.com www.st-christophers.co.uk www.statravelgroup.com www.umihotels.co.uk XXX CBUI BD VL IPTQJUBMJUZ www.hostelrescard.com www.nychostels.com www.internationalymca.org

The following Hostelling International Member Associations are non-voting members of STAY WYSE Organisation Country Website FÊdÊration AlgÊrienne de Auberges Algeria www.faaj.org )PTUFMMJOH *OUFSOBUJPOBM "SHFOUJOB "SHFOUJOB XXX IJIPTUFMT DPN BSHFOUJOB Österreichischer Jugendherbergsverband Hauptverband Austria www.oeijhv.or.at Bahrain Youth Hostels Society Bahrain www.byhs.org.bh Les Auberges de Jeunesse Belgium www.laj.be Fundacion Hostelling International Bolivia Bolivia www.hostellingbolivia.org Federaçao Brasileira dos Albergues Brazil www.hostel.org.br Hostelling International-Canada Canada www.hihostels.ca Asociación Chilena de Albergues Turisticos Chile www.hostelling.cl YHA China China www.yhachina.com Chinese Taipei Youth Hostel Association Chinese Taipei www.yh.org.tw Hrvatski Ferijalni i Hostelski Savez (Croatian YHA) Croatia www.hfhs.hr Czech Youth Hostel Association Czech Republic www.czechhostels.com DANHOSTEL Denmark www.danhostel.dk Fundación Hostelling del Ecuador Ecuador www.hihostels.com.ec Egyptian Youth Hostels Association Egypt www.egyptyha.com YHA England & Wales England & Wales www.yha.org.uk Suomen RetkeilymajajärjestÜ-SRM Finland www.hostellit.fi FÊdÊration Unie des Auberges de Jeunesse France www.fuaj.org DJH Hauptverband Germany www.jugendherberge.de Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association Hong Kong www.yha.org.hk Magyarorszågi Ifjúsågi Szållåsok SzÜvetsÊge (Hungarian YHA) Hungary www.miszsz.hu Bandalag Islenskra Farfugla (HI Iceland) Iceland www.hostel.is Youth Hostels Association of India India www.yhaindia.org An Óige, Irish Youth Hostel Association Ireland www.irelandyha.org Israel Youth Hostels Association Israel www.iyha.org.il Associazione Italiana Alberghi per la GioventÚ Italy www.aighostels.com Japan Youth Hostels Inc Japan www.jyh.or.jp Jordan Youth Hostels Commission Jordan www.jyhc.jo

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STAY WYSE BENCHMARK STUDY

!

INFORMATION PACK

WWW.STAYWYSE.ORG WWW.STAYWYSE.ORG WWW.STAYWYSE.ORG

MEMBERSHIP FEE STAY WYSE Category

# Beds

SW Fee

WYSETC Fee

Total

Voting

Accommodation Provider

1-50 beds

"225

"100

"325

Voting

Accommodation Provider!

51-100 beds

"350

"100

"450

Voting

Accommodation Provider!

101-200 beds

"500

"1,250

"1,750

Voting

Accommodation Provider

201-999 beds

"600

"1,250

"1,850

Voting

Accommodation Provider

1000 - 4999 beds

"1,100

"1,250

"2,350

Voting

Accommodation Provider

5000+ beds

"5,000

"1,250

"6,250

Voting

Booking Engine

"5,000

"1,250

"6,250

Voting

National Association

"5,000

"1,250

"6,250

Non-voting Affiliate (e.g. insurance, cleaning, catering services)

"700

"1,250

"1,950

Non-voting Official Organisation Member

"600

"750

"1,350

!

HOW TO APPLY To apply for STAY WYSE membership please complete our application form and upload a copy of your organisation’s proof of registration and either a copy of your most recent audited annual accounts or a letter from your accountant verifying your financial good standing. Supporting documentation is for internal use only and will be handled with utmost confidentiality.

Any other questions? Please feel free to contact the STAY WYSE Association manager, Laura Daly: STAY WYSE Keizersgracht 174 1016DW Amsterdam l.daly@wysetc.org Tel: +31 20 421 2800 Fax: +31 20 421 2810

JOIN THE STAY WYSE ONLINE NETWORK What better way to stay informed about new developments within the YTA sector, discuss ongoing industry issues and develop your professional network than joining the STAY WYSE members’ Linked In group?

Current discussions include: “How much support are you getting from your local tourism body and do they show an understanding of the whole youth sector and the benefits it brings to the entire tourism sector?”

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STAY WYSE Keizersgracht 174-176 1016 DW Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0)20 421 2800 Fax +31 (0)20 421 2810 mailbox@staywyse.org STAY WYSE IS A SECTOR ASSOCIATION OF WYSE TRAVEL CONFEDERATION

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