Hostelling International's Boston Hostel to Move to Chinatown

Hostelling International Boston to move to Chinatown

A youth hostel that hosts thousands of visitors is planning to move to Chinatown in about two years. Its executives presented the project to the Chinatown Safety Committee at a monthly meeting on December 2. This safe, vibrant and welcoming 24 hour-a-day facility is expected to spur the tourist industry by promoting sustainable cultural interaction and social change.

Hostelling International Boston has recently entered into an agreement to purchase the 55,000-square-foot structure at 25 Stuart Street to meet the increasing level of demand for accommodation, especially during the peak summer season. The hostel is planning to expand its number of beds more than 80 percent, from 205 to 375 to serve 45,000 guests annually.

The HI Boston hostel benefits the local economy:

Plans at the new site include a complete structural renovation creating a brand new, state-of-the-art facility whose related costs will infuse between $21 million to $33 million into the local economy, along with 355 to 555 project-supported jobs, with an emphasized preference on local hiring. It will also greatly benefit all local businesses with both guests and staff taking advantage of the neighborhood’s restaurants, business and shops. According to a study by Suffolk University, the youth hostel’s 32,800 guests in 2007 pumped about $12.5 million into the local economy. The expanded capacity is anticipated to increase direct spending from $12 million to $16 million annually in expenditures.

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Hostelling International Boston to move to Chinatown