New trend. Keep an eye on us ;)

New trend> bypassing booking engines to book directly with hostels, expecially smaller ones.

Dear All,

we are a new organization that is creating a network of hostels that will cooperate to challenge the monopoly of booking sites that take your 10%. We will change traveling habits in the hostel and backpacking industry with a new effective marketing strategy that may interest you since our publicizing targets are your own guests. We are the first and only firm covering this vibrant and exciting branch in the Balkan peninsula and Eastern Europe.

Lots of hostels have already joined including the youth hostel organizations of 2 countries that can vouch for us.

The idea is simple, Backpackers choose Besthostels because they can save 120 € a month and what is good for the traveler is good for you. On each booking they avoid paying the 2 € per transaction on the bank card fees and the 10% commission to the booking engines - that's again usually 2 € - and lots of time searching for the best accommodation.

A Hostel like yours saves money on publicity printing leaflets, getting them to other places. You will receive many more bookings particularly in low season and you will have higher bed occupancy rate than your competitors because all guest who have been in other Besthostels will want to keep saving money. They won’t have to waste precious traveling time on booking engines and mess around with bank cards. For you it will make no difference to give 10% discount that would otherwise go to a booking engine. We are sure you will keep the standards high without the pressure of getting bad reviews that can easily ruin your reputation often for things out of your responsibility. Many guests are starting to want to make their reservation directly to hostels.

By joining us you will receive:
• Leaflets with all the fellow hostels listed to keep at the reception or common area
• A large wall map of the Balkans with hostels on it
• Stickers
• T-shirts for staff or to give to guests
• Use of the website www.besthostels.org from there you can get direct bookings. Your web page will be linked and we'll have a mailing list service with info and statistics on how things are going, we'll ask for feedback, give tips and try to organize joint events (perhaps a hostel to hostel treasure hunt with prices, or a web-radio to broadcast in all our hostels with traveling vibe...)
• We will setup an online communication system between all Besthostels so that you can exchange tips with other hostels and book for your guests that are going to the next city.
• You will be in around 45 social networks with fan pages, pictures and regular updates.
• We are expecting to expand within this year and already have some interest coming from some hostels in Spain, New Zeland and Uk. If we go worldwide it will be also because of you so you'll receive a big discount if you decide to stay with us so we can grow together offering something special to our guests that will put a spotlight on your business. Future development plans include a hostel to hostel minibus service – Yes, to your doorstep!
• You can buy for very little more t-shirts to sell or give out to guests if they stay a certain number of nights or you can ask guests if they prefer it instead of the 10% discount. We are making sure they will be decent to wear out and not the usual ones to use as rags. We are also trying to sponsor a charity and receive a sponsor from some big company that sells products that interest backpackers.

The cost is € 89 for 12 months (excluding posting). Consider the cost of sending you the material, the printing, the organizing, the hours of work. We are doing it with no profit since it’s the first year and our plan is to get big so we can attract bigger sponsors. You can see for yourself that what you pay covers the price of what we give with no additional charge. Even if we only get you 1 person for 8 nights you make a profit.

We feel obliged to inform you that since we only allow 2 hostels per location except capital cities where is 3, we accept the first applications. We will be contacting first the highest rated hostels. Hopefully you will be interested and join us before the 2 listings for your city are taken.

[email][email protected][/email]