What Makes Hosteling International Unique?

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Hi Japan travel guide

7 min readDec 3, 2018

Hostels are often a budget traveler’s go-to choice for accommodations around the world. Not only do they provide us with the basic necessities for life on the road, but also the chance to meet — and learn from — other like-minded travelers from all corners of the planet.

If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ve probably already encountered Hostelling International. At first glance, HI appears to simply be a large international chain of youth hostels, but the reality is much more fascinating.

Few guests probably realize that HI is a federation of 64 non-profit Youth Hostel Associations.

Each national association has a different focus, regional flair, and identity. They might be focused on getting guests to activities outside the hostels, like the ones in the United States, or employing and training local guides like the regional association of hostels in Tunisia.

As HI CEO Darren Barker puts it, “Our mission as a non-profit means that everyone can connect with what’s going to make a difference locally.” What unites all these associations is their commitment to their core values of inclusivity, sustainability, and self-discovery.

Don’t forget to listen to the companion podcast here.

A Time-Tested Commitment to Inclusiveness

Hostelling International got its start during uncertain times. In 1932 the horrors of modern warfare that World War I introduced were still fresh in the memories of a disillusioned population. The prospect of another war loomed in the minds of many. Lines of nationalism were being drawn and xenophobic rhetoric was all too common.

HI stepped onto the scene, hoping to be a counter-force to the disconcerting trends of the day. They started with the ethos that all are welcome in their hostels, that inclusivity might serve as a balm to the more threatening directions the world was moving in.

This continues today. HI welcomes all guests regardless of nationality, race, creed, sexual orientation or any other walls that others might try to erect between groups of people.

This is one of the most important parts of the company for Barker. “We have a rather long mission statement which talks about all the reasons you can’t discriminate [at HI]. I prefer to say that we’re inclusive. That we welcome everybody to stay at our hostels.”

A Focus on Sustainable Travel

Another core tenet of HI’s philosophy is the promotion of sustainable travel. As Barker explains, this is a natural fit for any hostel. “There’s nothing more sustainable than lots of people sharing a space,”. Because people share more space in a hostel than they would in a hotel, the resources and energy used per traveler is much lower.

The hostels in the HI federation want to be good stewards of the planet and locations that travelers have come to enjoy and appreciate. Some hostels even have their own beehives and gardens.

HI’s hostels and national associations get really innovative in order to fulfill this mission of sustainability. One of their hostels in Canada used cold winter air from outside to save the energy that would otherwise be used to power their refrigeration. Not only does this help keep costs down, creating savings that can be passed on to travelers, but it also significantly lowers the hostel’s carbon footprint during the winter. This project alone keeps an estimated two tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere every year.

To encourage and reward sustainability efforts, HI has been holding annual competitions since 2012. Winning hostels receive grants to fund the most innovative, promising, and effective projects aimed at reducing their impact on the environment.

The grant winners in 2017 included some really ingenious solutions — from organic permaculture gardens in France and in‐vessel composters in New York City to sustainability education projects in Spain and installing energy efficient heating appliances in Israel.

A Base for Exploration

Less tangible, but no less important is HI’s commitment to fostering and promoting exploration and discovery among both young people, as well as the young at heart. This applies not just to your destination, but to you as well.

Unsurprisingly, hostels are often near points of interest. Their presence allows us as budget travelers to explore the world, see its incredible wonders, interact with all sorts of varying people, and, in doing so, expand our knowledge and comfort zones.

More than other forms of accommodation, hostels allow us to get off the well-traveled tourist trail. Hostels exist in many out of the way locations because the ethos of hostels is to get people to explore and learn about the world in ways not conventionally done.

“Some of those locations are way off the beaten track,” Barker says. “So you tend to find hostels in places where perhaps big hotel chains or even commercial ventures wouldn’t necessarily think there is enough demand to put them.”

The Advantages of Being a Non-Profit

It is precisely HI’s non-profit status that earns it the trust of so many organizations. They realize that HI is more interested in fulfilling its mission statement and being true to its values than making a profit.

HI works closely with UNESCO and the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization on a number of important initiatives. Together they aim to promote cooperation between countries and travelers through educational programs.

Furthermore, being a federation of non-profit hostels means that the various national associations are able share ideas between their hostels without worrying that those ideas will be used by their competition, thus limiting the effectiveness or advantage of any breakthroughs. Rather, there is a spirit of cooperation between all parts of the organization.

Standing Out in a World Full of Competition

With more accommodation options than ever before, and the ability of technology to help travelers find them, there can be perhaps too many choices out there. Like any overnight stay option, empty beds do exist as a result of a recent explosion in accommodation options. That means low prices, but it also means travelers may be spread out too much and not mixing and socializing they way they naturally would at hostels.

Youth hostels are far from irrelevant though.

As Barker says, “If you think about the options of where you stay, most people are looking for a great location, close to places where you can have great experiences or learn things. One advantage that a youth hostel or a HI hostel has over an Airbnb, for example, is that when you go back to your accommodation the exchange doesn’t stop.” In this sense, hostels provide you with the exchanges to socialize and learn more about your location — and perhaps yourself — that other accommodations don’t.

On Finding and Choosing Your Hostel

There is a huge range of what each hostel is like. From one raised over an archeological site in Sydney, Australia, to treehouses, castles, and hostels straight out of fairytales there is no lack of options. All HI hostels are up to the same standards in comfort and convenience that a traveler might expect, but they also strive to embody the flavor and identity of their individual location.

As a non-profit with a mission to make traveling affordable to young people, HI doesn’t want to raise its rates in order to cover the commision that the online travel agents charge. That’s why Barker urges you to book directly through them and their network in order to make sure that more of your money is benefiting the local economy and the place you end up staying.

According to Barker, “If you want the best prices, if you want to see all the hostels, if you want to support the industry and help keep it sustainable, then my strong advice is either to visit hihostels.com where you’ll find at least a couple of thousand bookable hostels around the globe or visit the website of the local national association [for the country you’re traveling to].”

This is not to say that you can’t find an affordable and comfortable stay elsewhere. There has never been more choice out there for budget travelers. However, HI offers you a base of exploration if you are the type of open-minded traveler that is looking to socialize, interact and share ideas, all while saving money, giving back to the local community, and furthering a mission of making the world a more open, friendly, and accessible place.

Membership has its Benefits

If all that HI does sounds good to you, you should consider becoming a member of either a National Youth Hostel Association or to Hostelling International. Either way, both will grant you the same awesome access and benefits.

As a member you’ll save at least 10% on accomodation at all of HI’s almost 4,000 hostels around the world. Membership also includes discounts to many activities, such as tours, museums, and transportation. Some national associations require membership in order to stay at their hostels, so definitely check that out when you’re booking. Perhaps the best part of membership is that you’ll be joining a global community of travelers looking for authentic and adventurous experiences.

Have You Checked Out HI! Japan?

This article is only half the fun! Be sure to also check out the Japan Youth Hostel Inc ‘s HI! Japan Podcast, featuring more information and interviews with budget travelers to Japan!