Youth travel accommodation customers go mobile

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands – STAY WYSE, the Association of Youth Travel Accommodation, is due to launch the results of its 6th annual industry survey.

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands – STAY WYSE, the Association of Youth Travel Accommodation, is due to launch the results of its 6th annual industry survey. This year’s survey reveals interesting information on both mobile usage by YTA consumers and the provision of mobile applications by YTA providers.

YTA consumers are using mobile applications for a variety of purposes; with 35% of YTA consumers using mobile applications for research, 16% for bookings, and 18% to review existing bookings. The provision of mobile applications by YTA providers has seen a significant increase with almost 25% in 2011 developing a mobile application; the vast majority of which also accepted bookings. These findings are in line with recent findings released by Google.

Carmel Dunne, Director of Accommodation at Hostelworld.com, said today: “The speed with which YTA providers have reacted to consumer needs is remarkable, it reveals an industry that is in touch with its young and mobile customers. At Hostelworld.com, usage of our mobile app has soared since we launched it in 2011 and continues to rise every month.”

The survey of nearly 2,200 YTA establishments worldwide has become particularly important, because it is the only global indicator of the state of the YTA sector, and because it seeks to provide concrete business metrics that allow operators to benchmark their own performance against global and regional standards.

This year’s survey provides data on global and regional level, as well as on 26 countries and 9 cities. This includes: occupancy rates, bed rates, revenues, booking lead times, booking sources, revenues per available bed, and more.

The aims of the study are:

– To collect data for the purpose of identifying trends and making relative comparisons.

– Provide guidance to youth travel accommodation providers in assessing their business performance, cost effectiveness, revenues, and expenses relative to the industry standard.

– To enable youth travel accommodation operators to benchmark their business characteristics in order to develop strategic concepts and optimize business outcomes.

– To help youth travel accommodation providers to develop business plans and help guide investment decisions.

STAY WYSE would like to thank Hostelling International, Hostelworld.com, Backpackers Villa Sonnehof, One80 Hostel, Smart City Hostels, Palmers Lodge, and Hatters Hostel who all helped distribute the STAY WYSE YTA consumer survey.

Detailed findings of the survey will be released during the STAY WYSE seminar at the World Youth & Student Travel Conference, Wednesday, September 19 at 10:45 am at the Sheraton San Diego Bay Hotel.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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