The UK’s Youth Hostel Association says it is forced to sell off 20 of its 150 hostels in England and Wales to keep the rest alive in the face of pandemic losses and rising costs.
The decision, announced last week, includes a hope that new buyers will continue to operate the sites as low-cost hostels, possibly as franchises that could keep the YHA branding for a fee, although YHA says it can’t guarantee that it will only sell to continuing operators.
The Youth Hostel system has been a model for others around the world for nearly a hundred years, providing low-cost and safe basic accommodations, often dormitory style, for budget travelers, not necessarily youthful.
The sell-off is part of a three-year business plan “to secure YHA’s long-term prosperity,” after it lost more than 80% of its income in 2020/21. Now 90% of its income comes from just 60% of its hostels and the plan will focus on raising occupancy at the remaining sites with goals of increasing customers by 30% while reducing staff by 20%.
