Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic at the beginning of 2020 a lot has changed – both for businesses and consumers.

Unfortunately, hardly an industry has been hit like the tourism sector.

Due to the global pandemic, hostel executives lost control over their businesses. Unpredicted closures of borders, a global lockdown. They had to close their businesses from one day to the other.

In this post we give ideas on how you can actively regain control over your hostel business.

Especially small hospitality businesses have been and are still struggling to survive. Some had to close, some are still deep in a crisis. Others are survive on their last financial and mental resources.

Even now in June 2020, as some borders open again, the future is very unpredictable.

Restrictions and regulations are published by governments on a weekly basis. This leads to an uncertainty how businesses can and are allowed to behave.

Moreover, neither businesses nor consumers really know, when (and if) normal life can be expected again.

In this post, we share the first important steps to sustainably reopen a hostel despite the changes we still all live in.

So while now, mid June, more and more hospitality, gastronomy and other tourism businesses are are allowed to open again, uncertainty about how tourists will behave remain. Moreover, selected borders are closing leading to a change of influx of tourists from established source markets.

External rules and limitations are being lifted – and along with those new openings, come new chances for new business!

There are certain steps and resources to turn those uncertain factors into new strategy for hostel businesses

Instead of looking at the past and contemplate what is lost – took what worked best in the past AND use it for your new future! The new normal!

Now is the time to regain your control!

Before you continue, take a look at this on-point video by Faisal Sublaban – President and CEO of Bonotel Exclusive Travel. My takeaway from the video is, that even the big players like Las Vegas Casinos have the same challenges and adaptations to go through as the a small hostel.

Even though Sublaban leads a high end chain with no bunk beds and no common kitchen, such a high volume house too

• needs to find out and adapt to constantly changing regulations
• has to adapt and attract new guest types (eg. domestic vs. international)
• finds communication is more important than ever
• sees that safety measures need to be in place

The task now is not to stand still and wait until higher powers (or the authorities) tell you what you SHOULD DO!

Start your own research and education and find out what you can PROACTIVELY do to become attractive and safe for your potential guests.

For this, we recommend you initiatives and activities that help hostels in their decision-making and getting through the crisis:

This way you will be the one who has the right information at the right time to make the right decision!

We have summarized six activities that help regain control of your business. The activities are then endowed by real initiatives that you can use or take as inspiration to go forward.

Check out here amazing collection of customizable products designed for hostel owners – decorations, informational signs, promotional materials and many more

The six steps to prepare your hostel business for the new normal are:

1. Educate yourself about your industry to make a recovery plan.
2. Connect with experts and like-minded to double up forces.
3. Raise your hostel standards to attract guests.
4. Get rid of unnecessary and choose new technologies and services to use your resources effectively.
5. Find alternative ways of how hostel businesses can make new revenue in times of crisis.
6. Take care of yourself to have the strength to stick to your new normal.

In this first part of the series we cover the first step, the recovery plan and give you the sources for your education.

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1. Educate yourself to create a recovery plan for your hostel!

Your hostel might be closed now. You might have laid off your beloved staff. You are struggling to pay your bills. However, you must not loose hope!

If you feel like what you have build up in the past is worth taking the next step into the future, make the decision now. Decide, that you will do all it takes to take your hostel to the next level!

What might sound like a huge change waiting for you, does not have to be big. It can even be just one adaptation that can save your business because it will open it up for a new way of income.

So stay active, stay focused and have an open mind to find the ONE NEWS that will help you reopen your business faster or attract new guests from new places. Make a recovery plan on how to prepare for new or “newish” guests.

Here is the very simple hostel recovery plan:

1. Think new! Better new, than no guests! Check out which unknown guest type you can attract with little adaptations to your offer and website.
2. Think one step at a time! Use the 80/20 rule. Start to adapt your offer and website with details and services .
3. Think out loud! Start spreading the word about your adaptations to reach your potential guests.

(Please note: This “recovery plan” is very basic. Those three steps are very superficial but they are there to nudge you to assess the status quo, see new opportunities, and take steps to go those new paths! This post goes more into depth to show you the resources and initiatives that are free for every hostel business so you can make your own, smart decisions!)

Here are some examples on how you can go those 3 steps to speed up recovery of your hostel business:

Fact: The borders to your old guest type are still closed and there is no opening in sight.

Identify: A border to another country (that you have not served yet) opens.

Who said, guests from another country or even your locals (who in 2020 will much probably have to travel nationally) would not like what your hostel hast to offer? You are a party hostel? Everyone likes to party. You focus on relaxation. Everyone loves to relax.

Adapt: What you can do now is change and customize your offer to this new target group through:

• Language
• Details
• Service

Language: There is nothing easier and faster you could do than adapting your website and social media to a new language.

If you think translation is too expensive, have you heard of Google translator? Or have you asked your staff if they know other languages that might be handy for new guests? Start posting on facebook or instagram in the new language and engage with other travel profiles.

Check out special OTA of that (new) country and get listed to get into the consideration pool of those new potential guests!

Details: Your ideal guest (from the past) loved donuts for breakfast but now borders are open to a place where they have oatmeal in the morning (you know because you did some research about “what do xy eat for breakfast”)? Put it on your menu and talk – scream – about it!

Your older guests were into meditation but borders are now open to a country that loves thai chi (because you checked out some intagram-accounts from this country and saw that they post about that all the time) – so now partner up with a thai chi instructor, put some thai chi pictures on your website and there you go.

Service: You find out that borders might be open, but people can not travel by train. Help them find the right bus carrier, offer free parking in front our your hostel (or team up with a local parking lot provider – they will love this kind of cooperation) or provide them with a pick up service for a little extra cash.

Now with your new language version, details and service identify travel influencers from your new guest source and ask them to write or tag you in their posts. Join facebook or instagram groups from those countries. Adapt your facebook and google ads.

What holds you back to adapt to new customers now and offer some new details and services if this means saving your hostel!?

Another example is reading about an airline offering special prices to certain destinations – maybe even yours?

Or reading about another big ho(s)tel chain starting a marketing campaign around their (your?) destination?

Use those news and energy for your marketing!

Be sure to join the conversations around those campaigns on social media. Publish relevant content that matches those offers with your hostel. Get creative!

If you are struggling coming up with solutions for your hostel, reach out to us. We are happy to match you with experts for your hostel – contact us via the newsletter.

And here we present you some great resources on how you can be the first one to see a chance and adapt fast. We have collected some initiatives and websites that provide the most important, the hottest and relevant news, information and products about the travel business.

It is possible to subscribe to their newsletters, follow their social media profiles, get their RSS feeds (like we did on our homepage) and even join their communities.

Check out here amazing collection of customizable products designed for hostel owners – decorations, informational signs, promotional materials and many more

It’s up to you to use this free information collected for you by experts, hostel lovers and bloggers and journalists.

Take you time to browse and find the information that will save your business!

Here are some great, free resources about the hostel industry:

Let real travel lovers do the work for you through Travel Massive COVID-19 RESOURCES

According to their website, Travel Massive are “the world’s largest community for travel industry professionals to build connections, learn, and share their stories.”

I stumbled upon this resource during the cancellation of the ITB: Travel Massive was able to connect stranded bloggers, companies and travel lovers with each other with social media and through live events.

I value Travel Massive information because it does not seem curated, its raw, it genuinely comes from travel lovers.

Check out their Covid-19 Resources.

It’s an extensive resource of news concerning developments, events, resources, and support in travel, tourism, and hospitality.

Here you’ll find helpful links, news, discussions, online events, support groups, and other resources about COVID-19.

Check it out here: https://lounge.travelmassive.com/c/covid-19-resources/27

Trust Skift “REOPENING TRAVEL – Global Timeline” for the most recent news

Skift is the source” of expertise in the larger media world” – talking about travel in a “human jargon-free, user experience-friendly language”. According to own statements “many others rely on Skift to help them decipher the future of travel.”

Skift has come up with a comprehensive resource of “news events about the reopening of various travel sectors around the world on a timeline, in order to better explain the when and the where of how the reopening and potential recovery” of travel.

I value Skift for their honest and challenging topics. They are not afraid to point at the elephant in the room. They seem to have deep knowledge and up-to-date information about the most relevant topics in the travel industry.

You can follow all openings across the globe, below, or by selecting their specific timelines for international openings or U.S.-specific openings.

According to Skift`s statements, the resource is updated daily: https://reopening.travel/reopening/

Find youth travel related news on the WYSE “Digi-Hub“

The international organisation for the youth and student travel industry, WYSE Travel Confederation publishes a variety of specialised resources on this unique international travel market, including research publications, webinars and podcasts. 

In their Reseacrch and Education Hub, the provide an overview of relevant:

• Research Publications
• Webinars
• Podcasts
• COVID-19 Travel Business Impact Series
• as well as news all about travel, tourism, youth travel, hostels and more

I find their website not too easy, but WYSE Travel is THE resource when it comes to international youth travel. A must-read (or at least must-acknowledge) for everyone involved with this guest type.

Find the resources by WYSE TRAVEL here https://www.wysetc.org/research-and-education-hub/

Get industry-wide information through World Tourism Organization Covid-19 Response

On their website, the UNWTO offers “up-to-date and reliable information is more important than ever, both for tourists and for the tourism sector.”

Next to the World Health Organization, the UNWTO is the most renowned, but not always the fastest resource for checked and trustworthy information.

Find their resources structured as follow:

• Restarting Tourism
• Sustainability as the New Normal
• Recommendations for Action
• Travel Restrictions
• Travel Restrictions
• Tourism Recovery Technical Assistance Package
• Courses, Webinars and Resources
• Latest Impact Assessment
• UNWTO Global Tourism Dashboard
• Measures to Support Tourism

Find it here: https://www.unwto.org/tourism-covid-19

Stay up to date about the virus and its impact on travel through the WHO

Keep an eye on the global development of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and how it impacts travel advice of different governments through the World Health Organization “Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) travel advice” via: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-advice

Get portioned, curated daily travel updates that can make the difference

While being active on Linkedin, I stumbled upon this daily updated resource of trends, numbers, facts and figures about the hospitality industry published by Simone Puorto from Travel Singularity Consulting.

In his Medium profile, he shares selected and relevant findings, such as

• TripAdvisor suggestions for hotels during reopening
• Foursquare launches “Recovery Index
• HotelBeds introduced the Safe Stay filter

Find the collection here.

What to expect next.

Did you like what you read?

In the upcoming posts we will introduce you to free exchange hubs and communities that you can join to find support with your plan!

Take one step at a time!

We are in this together!

Leave us a comment and be sure to subscribe to the newsletter to read about the next steps to recover your hostel business.

Check out here amazing collection of customizable products designed for hostel owners – decorations, informational signs, promotional materials and many more