problem!

Make contacts with other Hostels outside your city.

For example, i use to work in a Hostel in Iguazu.
Iguazu is in between Buenos Aires and Rio, everyone goes North or South, so making deals with big popular Hostel to send you people is interesting.

In Argentina there´s a system called H2H (Hostel to Hostel)

Gusts can book their next Hostel with you, paying the first night there and going with a voucher to the next Hostel, and the same the way back.

I don´t now if sounds clear, but works really good. YOU NEED smart receptionists to put an eye on every guest leaving showing them that you can make their trip easier meanwhile you re getting comission!

But first, make alliances with other Hostels nearby!

Ok, I´ll try to be as clear as possible, although it turns difficult in english.

it was originaly done in Argentina, i guess by one guy (i won´t name him) but he used to be my boss.
As far as i know, every Hostelling International Hostel does it.

If you´re staying in, Buenos Aires, for example, and then you´re heading Salta, you can book your next Hostel from reception. Just say how many nights and how many people.
In case you´re booking a bed in a dorm, and you´re staying ONLY ONE NIGHT, you just pay AR$10, as a deposit to have your reservation guaranteed. You will be given a voucher that you have to show in your new Hostel and that money you already paid, will be deducted.
In case you´re booking MORE THAN ONE NIGHT, you have to pay the FIRST NIGHT, and works the same! That money will be deducted in your next Hostel.

In case you´re booking a Double room, the fee is AR$40, doesn´t matter how many nights you´re staying.

The money charged to the guest remains at the Hostel as comission, and usualy (idealy) some part of that comission goes for the receptionists.

Hostelling Internationals charges Hostels for every pack of vouchers, don´t remember how much.

It´s very IMPORTANT to have smart receptionists! During the Check in is good to ask Where are you comming from? Where are you going after?. That information is very important, in order to help gusts to book their next Hostel WITHOUT BOOKING FEE.
Or, if you see there´s a guest checking Hostels on HW, just be polite and offer him some help.

It´s really easy, comission is GOOD and works fine.

To contact other Hostels, MSN is quick, if not, in Argentina, Hostelling International has those Corporate Plans for Cellphones, where you can call for FREE!

Those rates for the Fees, im not pretty sure ir are updated, at least was like that 4 months ago when I use to work in HI

I hope it´s clear, if not let me know, and i can manage to explain it better!

Juan!

A system like this is run in many countries.

HI in England & Wales certainly does this with all their hostels, as each hostel has computer access to vacancies in all the hostels.

Several countries have organisations of independent hostels, and if you stay in one of them, they will book you in any other member of their organisation. This is true in Switzerland and Germany, for example.

In Prague I stayed at Sir Toby's Hostel, and they have in their reception information sheets about a few other hostels in other cities of the country. If you choose one of those, they will telephone the hostel and make a booking for you.

As a guest, I don't know how they work their commission. Sometimes I pay the full fee, sometimes one night, at the time of booking.

That´s way it´s indispensable to have smart, awake, and easy going receptionists.

In Argentina, you´re trained to work like that!!!
They take the business and sales quite seriously