Hostels recently got coverage in the Austin, Texas news because of the 20th anniversary of Austin's Hostel.
There are relatively few hostels in the USA, and only one in Austin.
"We are usually at max capacity during all of our festivals. ACL we were full and for SXSW we book up really quick. A lot of Americans come for those," Vaughn said.
Vaughn has been the executive director for the past seven months, and is trying to change the perception that a hostel is just for foreign travelers. Many locals, she said, still don’t even know Austin has a hostel.
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Vaughn has also launched a number of community programs, such as the REI-sponsored World Travel 101, a class on budget travel, and Cultural Kitchens, where Girl Scouts and hostel guests talk about their cultures over dinner.
“Even if I had a million dollars, I would stay in hostels. Because you can travel alone and meet 10 new friends a day,” Vaughn said.
Read the full story here.
