Treasure State Hostel in Bozeman to Host First US Hostel Connect Event
Treasure State Hostel, in Bozeman, Montana, will be hosting the first Hostel Connect event on October 27-29th, 2026. Hostel Connect, which is put on by Hostellife Hub, is an in-person gathering that welcomes hostel owners, managers, and industry members to come together and network while discussing different industry topics and taking part in small-group working sessions. The bi-annual event is regularly held in Europe, and this will be the first time that it takes place in the United States.
Nina Erickson, who owns and operates Treasure State Hostel, spoke about what drew her to take part in her first Hostel Connect event in 2025, and why she wanted to host an event at her hostel.
“I was at the Hostelworld Conference in Seville, Spain, and Frankie (of Bunk and Brew Hostel in Bend, Oregon) told me about Hostel Connect, and since I was already going to be in Spain, I figured, sure, why not?” said Nina.
When she signed up, she thought it would just be a one-off thing, and that she wouldn’t spend much time on the website since there are so many different hostel networks and apps out there. But when Nina showed up to the Hostel Connect event last year in Spain, she ended up loving it.
“I’m used to the big conferences where there are hundreds of people, but these are capped at 30-40 people, and it’s all hostel managers, owners, operators, who are coming together to sit at a few tables, so you actually get to talk to people and have 30-minute conversations about specific things,” said Nina. The prompts, she pointed out, were specifically memorable and noteworthy about the Hostel Connect events, as they were a way to learn about and share information on specific topics within the industry.
While there are certain differences in hostel operations and some of the issues that hostel owners in the US face versus those in Europe or elsewhere in the world, Nina saw that there was a lot of useful information shared at the gatherings. She decided to attend the following Hostel Connect in Rome, Italy, in early 2026, and to bring her manager along with her.
“It’s interesting because I think a lot of the Europeans are baffled by some of the issues we face in the US, but at the same time, even if we’re not getting a ton of answers (for a specific issue), it can give you ideas, plans, or resources on how to solve them,” said Nina.
Her growing interest in the events, plus her naturally affable ways, made Nina a strong suitor for hosting the first American Hostel Connect event. Nina is also on the board of directors for the North American Hostel Association, which hosts an annual conference that is industry-focused and designed for sharing information and building relationships. As with the Hostel Connect event in 2025, this one will take place shortly after the Hostelworld Conference in Naples, Italy, in early October.
Hosting micro-conferences right after a major conference, as hostel owners like Dave Skibinski noted, can be highly beneficial since everyone is fresh with ideas and inspired to share some of the things they learned at the larger conferences, or were not able to cover due to the size of them. Also, overseas travel can be time-consuming and expensive, which makes the draw for a Hostel Connect event in the US appealing to North American hostel owners and operators.
The three-day event will include a meet-and-greet and two full days of Hostel Connect, and then an optional paid trip to Yellowstone National Park on the third day. Following that, the Treasure State Hostel is hosting a Halloween party on Halloween for those who are still around.
Tickets for the Hostel Connect in Bozeman are available, and Treasure State is offering a 50% discount on stays at the hostel to participants of the event. Spots are limited, and more information about Hostel Connect events can be found here.
