How to Help Your Hostel Conquer The Digital Age

How to Help Your Hostel Conquer The Digital Age

The recent boom of online hostel bookings has gate-crashed the travel industry, proving hostels can no longer be labelled as “alternative accommodation”. These days, budget-conscious Millennials prefer to book their stays in hostels rather than hotels or resorts. The result is a generation that creates over 70% of a hostel’s revenue. Today’s hostels need to adopt the necessary tools to manage their property and better accommodate the digital-savvy travellers of the world.

We’ll show you how to best use modern-day technology to help your hostel conquer the digital age.

The Right Tools for the Job

Source: Pixabay

Travellers from Gen X to Gen Z no longer book directly through hostel sites. Online booking sites and booking apps such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Trivago.com and Hostelworld.com offer travellers the chance to search for better deals, perks and rewards. List your property with multiple booking sites to increase your online presence.

Ensure you have secure booking software to accept and manage payments, monitor occupancy for check-in and check-out, send emails and texts, create customer profiles and manage reviews. More importantly, your system needs to be supported by a strong connection from a reliable internet provider.

Create Engaging Content

Content isn’t just about throwing together a few descriptions and some pictures you took with your phone. Great content will help you to rank you higher in Google and show your URL at the top of search engine results.

You need to engage travellers with relevant content and demonstrate what they can do at your hostel and in your town. Discussing landmarks, weather, tours, special events, and displaying Insta-worthy pictures and videos will not only attract more traffic to your site, but it will inspire travellers to book with you and give them confidence in your accommodation.

Ensure searchers are drawn to your listing with a well-lit photograph displaying your high-quality furniture and modern decor.

Get On Social Media

Source: Pixabay

We all know Millenials love to showcase their experiences on social media. This is why any hostel marketing campaign should take advantage of popular social platforms to promote their destination.

Encouraging guests to use your hashtag and reposting user-generated content - with permission - is a great way to sell your hostel experience. Viewing snaps of others enjoying themselves at your hostel helps travellers find inspiration for their next trip.

Make Friends With Tripadvisor

When it comes to reviews, Tripadvisor should be your best friend. On average, Tripadvisor helps 490 million travellers make informed decisions each month.

Once you’ve added your listing to Tripadvisor and the reviews start rolling in, respond to every single one (good and bad). Properties that respond to reviews within 24 hours boast an increase in occupancy rates of 12.8% over their competitors.

Doing this builds a rapport with your recently departed guests, and it helps prospective guests feel more comfortable about booking with you. In fact, 62% of Tripadvisor users revealed they are more likely to book with a hostel after reading management’s responses to reviews.

No longer seen as the poor cousin of the hotel industry, hostels have transformed to meet the needs of the modern traveller and have completely re-branded their image. The rise of “poshtels” and eco-hostels has positioned hostels as a much cooler alternative to chain hotels.

With our tips on how to help your hostel conquer the digital age, you’ll open your accommodation up to a whole new world of travellers. Get online and onboard and provide your guests with a fun and vibrant place to meet, share travel stories and create amazing memories.

Cloe Matheson from NZ loves to read, learn and write about a diverse range of topics covering lifestyle, sustainable living and technology. She has penned various articles for local and eco-friendly businesses. Read more of Cloe’s Writing on her blog.