What is a hostel in 2030?

At the 2026 STAY WYSE Hostel Conference held in Budapest, Hungary last week, three hostel brands operating in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States took to the stage to discuss what the future looks like for hostels. Facilitated by Valentina Rodoni, Lead Sustainability for Capsule Hotel (Switzerland), the panel discussed a wide range of issues, including the guest of 2030, the impact of platforms and AI on discovery and trip planning, the changing role of hospitality staff alongside AI integration, and approaches to sustainability, people and culture. In an examination of what hostels will be in 2030, the panel identified several key factors that could be considered non-negotiable for hostels in the coming few years.

The guest of 2030 will raise the bar

Louise Garner of Kabannas highlighted that the next generation of travellers will expect everything to work seamlessly: fast check-in, smooth booking flows, instant answers, and frictionless digital experiences. At the same time, they will still look for authenticity, trust, and real connection. In other words: high expectations, low patience, and one big focus: safety.

The group agreed that hostels will need to “show up where guests are”, and that word-of-mouth and reviews will continue to play a huge role in decision-making.

Discovery is changing, and visibility is becoming harder to own

Gábor Forgács of MAVERICK emphasised that OTAs will remain important, but the ecosystem will likely shift. Instead of a few dominant platforms, we may see more niche, themed or experience-driven intermediaries, alongside AI-driven discovery.

The question that came up repeatedly was whether visibility is something hostels can truly build long-term, or whether it increasingly becomes something they “rent” through platforms, ads, and algorithms. There was, overall, consensus that OTAs are not really going anywhere.

Technology should support hospitality, not replace it

A strong moment in the discussion was around the role of technology. Gábor Forgács summed it up clearly: the “S” in hostel still stands for social. Technology should remove admin and friction, freeing staff to focus on hosting, guest experience, and community.

Deirdre Felgar of Sin City Hostel strongly agreed, noting that while automation and self-check-in can improve efficiency, there are still core elements of hospitality that cannot (and should not) be replaced by machines.

Hostel identity will keep evolving, but the ‘vibe’ still matters

The panellists agreed that the hostel category is stretching: more private rooms, higher comfort expectations, and more hybrid models. But what makes a hostel a hostel isn’t only the room type – it’s the energy, the social design, and the feeling that something is happening.

As Gábor Forgács put it: “We don’t just sell beds. We sell a vibe.”

Sustainability is already built into the hostel model – but it needs to be clearer

The sustainability part of the discussion focused less on “greenwashing vs perfection” and more on practicality. Deirdre Felgar reflected on how earlier generations grew up with the mindset of “waste not, want not”, and how the rise of consumerism has made this harder.

Valentina Rodoni highlighted that hostels are often already ahead compared to other accommodation types, simply because of their shared spaces, communal models and efficient use of resources. The real opportunity is to understand this strength, build on it, and communicate it credibly – without overcomplicating it.

Deirdre Felgar captured the importance of credibility well: “Sustainability is a credibility test. Guests can tell if it’s real.”

The five non-negotiables for hostels by 2030

1. Deep understanding of guest behaviourHostels must actively understand how guests discover, choose and experience accommodation. Tools, platforms and channels will continue to change but knowing guest behaviour, not relying on past habits, is essential.
2. Visibility can’t be fully rentedPlatforms will remain important, but hostels need some level of owned identity and brand clarity to avoid becoming interchangeable.
3. Technology must simplify operations and elevate staff, not replace hospitalityAutomation is unavoidable, but it must reduce complexity and free staff to focus on hospitality. Technology should support people, not replace human interaction.
4. Clarity of relevance over rigid labelsWhether something is called a hostel or not matters less than whether it is relevant to its guests. Clear positioning and experience matter more than category definitions.
5. Sustainability is already a strength for hostels — the non-negotiable is understanding it, measuring it and communicating it crediblyIt will be critical to understand where you stand, take realistic actions, and communicate sustainability credibly, including the people and community aspects, not only environmental ones.

The discussion Five non-negotiables: Hostels in 2030 took place on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the STAY WYSE Hostel Conference. Since its founding in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in 2016, STAY WYSE has become the premier business event connecting hostels with buyers of international youth travel accommodation.

“The hostel business has changed considerably since we started the STAY WYSE Conference back in 2016,” said David Chapman, Director General of WYSE Travel Confederation. “Hostels have professionalised while maintaining their unique, core characteristics such as flexibility, affordability and social vibe. It’s rewarding to see their successes and to know that the STAY WYSE Conference has played a role in developing and advancing the business.”

The STAY WYSE Hostel Conference is an annual business event of WYSE Travel Confederation, the only global not-for-profit organisation representing the youth travel industry. WYSE Travel Confederation also organises WYSTC, an essential B2B trade event bringing together all aspects of the global youth travel industry. In 2026 WYSTC will take place from Monday, 14 September to Thursday, 17 September in Bilbao, Spain.