But among these, there is only one winner.

Traveling it is, of course!

Just kidding. (Not really!)

Well, I didn’t know that traveling was winning in such a dramatic way till I recently talked with two of my colleagues, Shreeya and Harshajit.

They were exploring these beautiful accommodations on the internet and told me how they wanted to visit all these places to experience amazing stays there.

Now, I am an amateur when it comes to traveling (thanks to my parents), so I stayed quiet.

But I noticed one thing that was the highlight of their conversation – “Hostels are better than other accommodations! They provide real, raw, and a comfortable experience with the added magic of crazy fun.”

And I decided to dig into this remark a bit more. 

So here in this blog, along with discussing how hostels are providing exhilarating experiences to guests, we will widely look into the future of hostels and what new they are bringing in.

Why Are Hostels Popular Among Travelers?

Hostels are ideal accommodations for solo travelers, backpackers, hitchhikers, and young tourists. Of all the people staying in hostels, 72% are solo travelers. Now this proves that the experience of a hostel is genuinely something else. It must have been homelike, comfy, and adventurous to build a strong niche among solo travelers.

With all the hostellers living together, sharing rooms, sleeping on bunks, socializing on rooftops, and participating in fun activities, people find hostels the most welcoming accommodation.

All these things help hostels leave an ever-lasting impression on travelers.

It should also be noted that the new hostel chains and their creative ideas have added magic to this industry. From choosing the perfect locations to building amiable infrastructures, they have successfully managed to create a wholesome experience for travelers.

Also, hostels may have young people as their mainstream niche but other age groups are also keen in exploring them. Because when people are traveling they love to fetch the experience of youthfulness. And hostels seem to be an ideal place to get it from.

On top of all, the affordability of hostels just adds up to the delights of travelers.

Hostels and Their Future Potential

Hostels are no longer limited to just bunker beds and community halls. That’s long gone!

Then, what is the future of hostels? What does it look like? Will they be successful?

Well, the new hostel chains like a&o Hostels, Zostels, Backpackers, Nomads World, Mad Monkey, GoSTOPS, Madpackers, and many more have already proved their unparalleled capability in the travel industry and there’s a lot more in their bucket. The future of hostels is going to madden their fanbase for sure.

Also, there is no doubt that with the tremendous rise of the traveling buzz, the new and creative strategies of the hostel industry are going to be a big hit.

To back this up, let’s have a quick look at how hostels are adding value to their property and welcoming a prosperous future ahead.

Hostels and Their Add-ons

Though many hostel chains are surging ahead with new trends and setting the benchmark for the industry, there are still those which need to improve their pace. For helping them out, I am listing the ideas modern hostels can opt to add more flavors to their traveler’s experiences. Here it goes:   

1. Budget hotels

With time, hostels have upgraded themselves. Most hostels now offer private rooms and the rest are eventually following the trend to broaden their guest spectrum. This way hostels are also functioning as budget hotels.

Let’s understand this with a scenario:

A few years ago, Samay had traveled to Kasol for his college trip and stayed at Serene Hostel which had a beautiful river-facing view. Now, Samay is taking his family there and wants to experience the same scenic beauty. But staying in a dorm with his family doesn’t appeal to him. 

Although when he searched on this hostel’s website, he found that this hostel is now offering private rooms as well. So, he could still go to this amazing location without worrying about his family’s privacy.

And in my opinion, most of the hostels are situated in exotic places and hence seem to attract a wide range of travelers. Therefore, filling in as budget hotels is coming naturally in the hostel market. And in this way, they are optimizing their reservations.

2. Thrilling themes

Going to a party is fun but going to a Halloween party is what excites people!

Simply put, themes add extra flare everywhere. And this is what hostels are harnessing successfully.

Let’s look at a real scenario where you and your gang of cousins are bored of visiting the same old places of Poona. And one of your cousins suggests a staycation at a haunted place (I am this cousin!). Then you come across ‘The Hidden Hour’ – A horror-themed hostel that gives you a safe but horror experience altogether.

But this isn’t it!

While I was researching, I found the quirkiest themes that hostels are offering. There’s a lookup-themed Prison hostel in Goa! In Udaipur “Hostelcrawl” is giving a real-time Hogwarts experience to all the Potterheads. Fascinating enough?

These amusing and funky themes are what make hostels stand out and spice up the user experience.

3. Innovative infra

One of the prime aspects of hostels is to facilitate the dorms with flexible infrastructure. The way hostels furnish a small room with all basic requirements and still manage to craft a spacious look fascinates travelers a lot.

My colleague Harshajit mentioned that the interiors and exteriors in modern hostels are so creatively designed that they are enough to grab anyone’s interest. And travelers do look out willingly to design their personal rooms at home like the ones in hostels.

This is true! I mean check out the hostels on the internet, they are literally a treat to your eyes. You will get stunned by the vibrant colors, makeshift furniture,  eccentric decor, and eye-catchy graffiti.

Apart from these, hostels are now taking extra care of the hostellers by prioritizing their work commitments. 

For instance, Moustache cowork hostels in Goa provide everything a digital nomad requires. Besides 24/7 wifi, they have dedicated coworking spaces, laptops, stationery, and other types of equipment to support the hostellers with the new workation trends.

4. Savor experience

According to a source, 40% of backpackers travel just to experience new cultures. 

One of the ways hostels can lure these backpackers is by giving a local touch to their services, maybe by arranging a free tour for them of the localities and the culture around – including clothing, historic places, food, dance, music, etc. 

Hence, the secret sauce to hostels’ successful future will always be, the experience.

Though they are still handling it very well with the evening rooftop sessions, singing and dancing beside the bonfire experience and funny socializing games, etc., there is more.

Let’s start to dig it with Zostels’ amazing “Meet your fellow travelers” policy. 

So, Zostels purposely shuffle the travelers visiting together and allot them dorms with strangers to spice up their socializing experience.

Likewise, Gostops has designed a whole new section named “goEXPERIENCES” for this purpose which offers planned and guided trips and treks to the hostellers thus adding a package of outdoor experiences to their indoor ones.

5. Technology

In this digitally driven world, we can’t go ahead without discussing a solid take on technology. The way it is molding every business, no wonder hostels must leverage it for performing at their best.

Also, over 70% of the hostellers are millennials and I have already discussed in one of my previous blogs that millennials are tech-savvy. Therefore, to keep a strong hold on this audience, you need to shake hands with technology.

In fact, a few things that you can never overlook to secure a prosperous future are: Listing your hostel on effective OTAs, moving forward with mobile technology, and most importantly opting for an ideal Hostel Management Software.

All these technological advancements are a must if you want to conquer the future challenges of the hostel industry.

The post The Hostel Industry Is Up for Huge Success! [Here’s Why and How] appeared first on eZee Absolute.

Now, with the Covid-19 graph flattening, people are starting to travel again. But this time, it’s not just the rules, but the travel preferences have changed too.

Similar to staycations and weekend gateways, workations have become increasingly popular among travellers.

It’s not just the hotels that are turning to workations; hostels are also adopting this trend, especially to cater to those digital nomads who wanted to get away from the city hustle-bustle.

To learn more about the workation trend, we talked to two experts from the industry — Pranav Dangi, Founder and CEO at The Hosteller, and Darshan Bora, Sales and Revenue Manager at goSTOPS.

During the interaction, Dangi and Bora have shed light on a lot of interesting aspects. If you’re a hospitality enthusiast, this article is the best thing since sliced bread.

Before we jump to the interaction part, let me first give you a quick explanation of ‘what is workation’.

What is Workation?

A workation is exactly how it sounds; it is work + vacation. Simply put, it is about staying in a place for long, feeling the local essence, and getting any work or project done.

If you can’t take a vacation because of work, take the work along with you. Now you can write those marketing copies or send emails while sipping on a passion fruit punch by the pool.

Further, during workation, travellers usually keep certain things in mind.

• Keep their expenditure low
• Travel light
• Stick to a location for a good amount of time
• Try to experience road karma

The Rise of Workation

The pandemic has significantly changed how people work. Numerous companies around the world have turned to the WFH regime and no doubt, this has in turn been a boon for us.

However, there are repercussions; it is taking a toll on productivity and mental health. Therefore, people are now inclined towards vacationing and working at the same time. And that’s how the workation trend came into the picture.

“The real cause behind increased accommodations is the will in the youth to explore and stimulate the lost human connection in the pandemic. The need to connect with like-minded people and relieve stress leads to escape in the name of work away from home,” said Bora.

“Sitting at home in a pandemic and working within four walls of the home has hit like a saddening wave to many people which affected their mental health as well.”

Furthermore, he’s also addressed the concerns of students and young professionals. Bora feels that home isn’t always a conducive place to work and study. With family members constantly around, it’s not always easy for everyone, which is definitely a significant factor.

“People require enough space; a healthy and stimulating environment to work, study or just function normally,” Bora added.

While Bora was explaining the reason behind workation becoming popular, Dangi also pitched in and seconded.

“To be honest, people are tired of WFH and the same is affecting their efficiency, mental health and making them less productive at work. However, since the time people were allowed to move out, WFH has converted into Work from Anywhere (WFA),” said Dangi.

“The freedom to travel alongside working with different landscapes and views is quite enticing. Plus, the hospitality industry has been adapting to make themselves more aligned with the trend.”

What Role Hostels are Playing?

While both the experts were covering all the aspects already, I was keen to know about the roles of hostels. Because I am sure, a trend like workation cannot be limited to regular accommodation providers.

So, when asked about the same, Bora said that the workation trend in the hospitality industry has aided hostels in accommodating long stays (for weeks and months) with affordable prices. Hostels are now exploring this trend with an open mind; and as a result, they are able to attract youth at a large scale.

The Hosteller’s CEO also agreed and explained further.

Hostels, though operating on a lean model, were hit no differently than anyone else in the industry. However, according to Dangi, it was sort of a breather for hostels.

If you look closely, you’ll see that the hostel segment has done some pretty good innovation, leading to developing services like Workation. Many hostels even upgraded their infrastructure to make it suitable for people coming to stay for a longer duration.

And, one way or the other, it has worked out for hostels. They are today, a vital player in the workation arena.

“You can take our example. Today, almost 50% of the inventory under the brand is filled by people coming for workation,” emphasized Dangi.

Over and above, he also said that even their branding has been – Why WFH when you can work from anywhere.

“A good Wi-Fi network, a clean/hygienic place to stay, easy meal options, and a vibing environment to chill on the weekends/work-offs is all that a person seeking workation needs,” Dangi added. “And The Hosteller got all of it, making us an ideal place for workation.”

The Technological Aspect of the Workation Trend

Adapting to a trend is one thing, but there are a few other important things that go behind the scene. If you want your operations to be seamless, you need much more than just a PMS.

Your property must have a solution that automates mundane tasks.

Now, while there are several solutions in the market, nothing comes closer to eZee. However, you might still be wondering whether we actually walk the talk.

So, when I asked Dangi and Bora about their tech preference, both of them settled on the same page as well.

 “eZee, as I have mentioned countless times earlier, is our backbone. The tech capabilities that we get from eZee enables us to roll out or customize products quickly,” said Bora.

“goSTOPS and eZee Technosys have been partners for more than 5 years now and our strong partnership has been nothing but fruitful to us,” said Dangi “eZee has supported us in implementing a new strategy for inventory and pricing for workation. Not only this, but they also have been a guiding light in integrating with new channels which have resulted in building a smooth workation experience for our guests.”

Technology is crucial and we have realized it the hard way. If you are tapping on a new trend or planning to tweak your business to make the most of an opportunity, you need to have a robust tech stack.

We also have a guide that will help you pick the best software for your property. Do give it a read.

The post The Workation Trend is Here to Stay. Do You Want to Know Why? appeared first on eZee Absolute.

Here’s a sneak peak of the event:

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During the event, HostelWorld presented some great insights to attendees. Out of which, one data showcased the top 5 hostels in India receiving maximum bookings from the travel site. Those 5 hostels were:

• Zostel
• goStops
• Joey’s Hostel
• The Madpackers Hostels
• The Hostel Crowd

Now let me mention an important finding here.

4 out of these 5 top performing hostels are using eZee’s hostel software.

Wonders never cease! Right? It was definitely a proud moment for us, which lead me to a thought on what made these hostels choose our hostel software.

And one more fact dawned upon me gradually.

With more than 70 hostels onboard, we are the preferred choice of majority of hostels in India.

Why do hostels need technology?

Now if you see, hostels have evolved with the latest trends of travelling and backpacking.

Hostels these days are not limited to just offering dormitories, but rather a unique experience with a wholesome stay to the guests within budget. They’ve embraced versatility by providing shared and private rooms besides dorms with amenities like free WiFi and breakfast. Besides, they even organize activities like city tours, treks, musical nights and more.

More than 70% of hostellers are millenials.

Consequently, with the evolving trend of backpacking, the significance of hostels has increased to a great extent in India as well.

The exponentially increasing number of hostellers has transformed the mission of hostels from providing only accommodation to imparting an unforgettable experience to the guests.

Certainly this would need them to seek for a technology to manage their expanding operations, which could even help them grow in their business, which is where eZee fits in.

What made these top hostels and others choose eZee’s hostel software?

So, after meeting and talking with many of our hostel customers in the conference, I figured two major reasons behind eZee as hostels’ choice of technology.

1. We provide technology which they exactly need

Ever since we determined hostels’ need of technology some years ago, we started constantly researching on their requirements, on how they operate, and their mindsets.

And we developed a technology, a completely integrated hostel management system which would help all the types and sizes of hostels, as well as hostel chains in managing their operations. This technology is periodically updated to ensure optimum performance and efficiency.

Here are some special features of our hostel software which sets us apart from others:

1. Dorms or private rooms: Hostels can set up dorms as well as private and shared rooms in the system and sell them accordingly.
2. Connection with the right OTAs: They can manage their availability on the right channels directly from the system and acquire more guests
3. Booking engine for direct bookings: Hostels are able to get more bookings from their website through our integrated booking engine
4. Dynamic pricing for hostels: Hostels can set up and manage slab-wise pricing depending on the occupancy and seasons.
5. Handling promotions and packages: As I mentioned previously, hostels these days offer a myriad of services along with accommodation. Hostels are able to manage the sale of these activities and packages and even run promotions along with their regular operations
6. Managing Pay@hostel bookings: Hostels can easily accept booking deposits for pay@hostel bookings by sending an online payment link from the system.

In addition, hostels are even able to manage their online reviews and reduce their last minute no-shows and cancellations using our technology.

You can explore our completely integrated hostel software from here.

Here’s what Deep Banka, the Online Sales Manager @ Zostel had to say about our technology at the conference, and why they have chosen eZee:

Headquartered at Gurugram, Zostel is the biggest backpacker hostel chain in India. Started with 5 hostels in India, they now have hostels at 36 locations across India and Nepal; that aim to provide safe, hygienic, relaxed and affordable accommodation to travelers.

2. Unparalleled, round-the-clock customer service

Well, customer service is an important aspect of any business. Even more, when you’re in an industry which revolves around guest experience.

We have always been on our toes to provide not just the best technology, but equally excellent customer services, which include:

1. 24x7x365 live support
2. Dedicated account manager
3. Unlimited free product training
4. 100% product implementation and onboarding

Similar to what it is for all our users, we have been able to offer the hostels an unforgettable customer experience, helping them wherever required and enabling them to look after guest experience by automating day-to-day operations.

This is what Pankaj Parwanda, the Co-founder of goStops shared on why he swears by eZee:

goStops is known as India’s most trusted experiential and social hostel chain. They have hostels at 12 locations across India; in which they offer great amenities, along with carefully curated activities to ignite the passion to travel.

About the 1st Annual Hostel Conference

The Backpacker Hostel Association of India (BHAI) organized the Annual Hostel Conference from 18-21 April for the first time in India. The conference witnessed hostel owners across India getting together with travel giants like HostelWorld, Goibibo and Tripoto, companies like Veepay, RedBus and Arbor Bewing, and other industry professionals along with eZee as the hostel technology providers to discuss on the latest industry trends, challenges and solutions.

Niral Ramani, the Regional Manager of eZee Goa and I represented eZee in the event to showcase our special offerings to the hostel industry. It was a memorable experience for both of us, where we were able to meet our various long-term customers and even converse with several interesting industry professionals.

Our cutting-edge technology is all set to facilitate the evolving hostel industry in all possible ways. Just as these 4 leading hostels, many hostels worldwide are simplifying their hostel operations with our hostel software. And we’re welcoming more such hostels and hostel chains onboard everyday.

But we are not ceasing here! We’ve already fueled our hostel management system with nascent technology such as a booking engine chatbot, digital assistant, data analysis tool; and we promise to continue to augment our technology which transforms the way the hospitality industry conducts business.

The post [Case Study] What made ⅘ leading hostels in India choose eZee’s hostel software appeared first on eZee Absolute.