What are 5 things that would benefit hostels?

A) A booking manager: Some system that gathers the information on all bookings from different engines and gathers it all to one.
B) An IH&RA sort of association that establishes a hostel definition, gathers information, distributes information, etc. Some sort of group that is not involved doing bussiness, coz it´s confusing when prizes are giving to members of a private company...
This would focus the attention not in reviews but on promoting the industry.
This would help hostels in communicating and creating networks.

You know someting? I have no idea if there is such a thing. Hostels are so much different than hotels...This is an idea, and I haven´t got a clue if it already exists. But if its part of a bussiness I´m sure it´snot properly regulated.

What exactly would you like to see along those lines? Could you list a few specific things you would like an organization like that to accomplish?

What I´m saying is that an organization like that one, would make things easier for the industry. Of course, it´ll be a lot smaller than IH&RA, but since hostelling is growing so much this past years, something more "formal" should be helpfull.
Besides It´ll make rules and regulate the many private interests that I saw since I started working in this (which is only a few months but I´m watching many interests playing)

HostelManagement.com was created to promote the hostel industry and is not associated with any specific hostel company*.
(*We also run a marketing & Web publishing business, but it's separate from HostelManagement.com -- I don't advertise it here except brief mentions on 2 pages of the site.)

Maybe this is the beggining of what I see is needed. And I hope we all find a way to give this activity the best conditions and environment.

I want to take HostelManagement.com further. Just tell me what you think would be useful.

Do you disagree with this definition of hostel?

I do not disagree at all with the definiton! It´s the closest we can get to the reality of hostels.

We have a system for industry news, but not enough manpower (yet) to keep it updated consistently. There are many projects in the queue. (A physical office is coming soon and that will make things easier.)

Absolutely! I wish I was closer so that I could help. I love this place, there is so much information, so many areas to explore! I´m still reading and finding usefull information. I really believe that you should go further.

[QUOTE=Hostels]

I would have registered HostelManagement.com as a non-profit organization from the beginning, but I didn't want a board of directors until the direction of the project is well defined. Otherwise the board of directors could take it in the wrong direction.

Yep, this is what I see...this place has the hostel spirit in it. A borard of directors would have just head it to profit and other interests. it´s a big step to go for establishing this as an organization, and it´ll certainly bring lots of crossroads and hassles. Just be carefull and do not loose it! LOL.

Let me know if you have specific hostel promotion goals and maybe it's something HostelManagement.com could work towards.

As I told you before, I´m working in this bussiness for a few months, I love what I do and I need A LOT of learning before even coming closer to suggesting stuff. I think you guys are doing it great!

For rules, I think there is already HI. I don't know if independent hostels would want more rules to follow. (I don't know -- would they?)

I don't think this site will get more formal but hopefully will get more useful. I have some ideas I'm working on...

When I say rules to follow I mean to unify concepts and ways in the bussiness, not rules like "No Alcohol"...Every activity has to establish limits...from tennis to aircrafts.

When I thought about registering it as a nonprofit, I was thinking about who would be on the board.

Maybe the board would decide to lean too heavily towards a specific organization, network, or company.

I decided not to register it as a nonprofit because if a board of directors disagrees with the founder they can fire the founder... :D

I think it works how it is now. It's basically "not for profit". There are no plans for registering it any other way unless there's some kind of benefit.

LOL! Is there any government organization to be invloved with that can support what you guys are doing? The secretary of tourism here supports all activities including hostelling. Maybe they can help...I´m not familiarized with the system there...

1. What is "IH&RA" ?

The International Hotel and Restaurant Association.
http://www.ih-ra.com/about/leadership/

2. Hotels going into hostel business? I don't think it will work, just as front-desk systems for hotels dont work for hostels. One place in England is trying to be both hostel and guest-house, but the two don't fit easily together.

I think you missunderstood me. I´m just saing that it could be a good idea to create a system between hostels like hotels do. But not using the same ones. This industry has grow so much in the past 10 years, it seems necessary.

3. Large chains? I'm not an enthusiast for large chains in anything, though they will happen anyway. A valuable feature of hostels is atmosphere and personal contact, and this is far better done by single small/medium hostels than by chains. YHA started as a collection of single personal hostels, but now they are a giant chain, with some good standards but a lack of atmosphere.

Once again, I´m not saying there should be an association like HI...since they are just not news anymore. The association is between entities not between economic efforts. It´s for and to Hostel communication, not profit.

4. Definition of Hostel? I think this is about right.

Absolutely

I hope I cleared my idea as best as possible.