Invitation to all Hostel Management Forum lurkers

Hello to all of our silent forum readers! Whether you're a frequent visitor or an occasional browser on HostelManagement.com we want to hear what you think about hostels.

For years the Hostel Management Forums have been an invaluable resource of information and support for aspiring hostel owners, hostel professionals, and people interested in the hostel industry. That value comes directly from the community of enthusiasts who ask questions and share their experiences with one another.

There are a lot of lurkers visiting the site - people doing research, people curious about what's happening in the industry, people looking for a solution to a particular challenge, people with questions, people just like you! A lot of those lurkers read everything but never speak up and join the conversation. And that's a shame, because we all miss out on valuable ideas.

When I first started visiting this website about a decade ago I was shy about posting in the forum. Despite my experience I wasn't sure if my knowledge would be relevant enough or useful enough to be helpful. I was afraid my input might be too ruimentary. There were a lot of times when I held back and didn't answer a question or join a discussion because someone else might have offered a different solution than the one I could offer. And I didn't want to sound silly asking a question that I thought I should already know the answer to.

And yet, I still had the questions without the answers. Or sometimes I had a solution to someone else's question that hadn't been offered. So I took the plunge and posted my thoughts. Instead of being rebuffed, I was welcomed into the community.

What I have found after having countless discussions with other hostel professionals online and offline, at conferences and industry events, during my travels and while hosting colleagues as guests, is that EVERYONE who is interested in hostels has something to offer. Some people have knowledge or experience to share. Some people have great questions that will also help others to expand their knowledge. Some people offer new perspective on old ideas. And some people offer new ideas that just might change everything. Every time I sit down for a good hostel chat I walk away with new ideas and new inspiration, and I love that!

Everyone's thoughts on hostels are relevant and useful, and they might be exactly what someone else on this site needs to hear.

If you have been lurking for a while, now is the perfect time to come out of the shadows and join the conversation. What would you like to learn? What would you like to share? Start a new thread or jump in and offer your thoughts on someone else's post. The more people we have getting involved in industry discussions, the better this forum will be, and the better off the industry will be. Don't be shy. Speak up. Get involved. Join the conversation, and step into the community.