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If you run a hostel, you know that your clientele is not the same as those who book in a traditional hotel. Your guests are young travelers, backpackers or digital nomads looking for cheap and social solutions. Therefore, relying on a specialized hostel OTA can make all the difference.
In this article, I explain why these platforms are critical to your business and how to choose the one best suited to your needs.
Why choose an OTA for hostels?
Generalist OTAs such as Booking.com or Expedia are great for visibility, but they do not always enhance the unique features of hostels. On the contrary, a hostel OTA is designed for precisely these types of facilities, with specific tools and filters that attract an audience already interested in shared dorms, communal kitchens and social atmosphere.
One of the main advantages is the targeting. People looking for a hostel on Hostelworld or HostelsClub are not looking for a five-star hotel, but an affordable, community travel experience. This means more consistent bookings with your offering and less competition with completely different facilities.
Hostelworld: the leading platform for hostels
Hostelworld is the world's most popular hostel OTA, with more than 16,500 properties in 180 countries. Its audience consists mainly of young travelers, students and backpackers looking for low-cost but social-rich solutions.
One of Hostelworld's strengths is its community. The platform not only offers reservations, but promotes interaction between guests even before they arrive, with detailed reviews and ratings on aspects such as atmosphere and organized activities.
Commissions are around 15-20%, in line with other specialized OTAs. There are no fixed costs: you pay only on actual bookings. If you want to reach an international and young audience, Hostelworld is almost a no-brainer.
HostelsClub: the dynamic and social alternative
HostelsClub is a young and vibrant platform specializing in hostels and budget accommodation. Owned by Hostelworld, it offers a similar service but with some unique features, such as a Membership Card that entitles you to immediate discounts.
Its audience is very similar to that of Hostelworld: budget-conscious travelers, often interested in experiences such as pub crawls or walking tours organized by hostels. Here, too, commissions are around 15-20%, and integration with channel managers simplifies booking management.
If you want to enhance your hostel's social activities, HostelsClub is a great option. The platform highlights these aspects, helping you stand out from the competition.
Booking.com and Tripadvisor: are they needed for hostels too?
Booking.com, although a generalist OTA, has a section dedicated to hostels with thousands of facilities around the world. The advantage is visibility to a wider audience, but the disadvantage is that your property may get lost among hotels of all types and ranges.
Tripadvisor, on the other hand, is mainly useful for reputation. User reviews can attract quality-conscious travelers, but it is not a platform designed exclusively for hostels.
If you want to maximize results, the advice is to use these platforms in conjunction with a hostel OTA such as Hostelworld to cover both generalist and niche audiences.
How to tell if your hostel OTA is working?
Once you have chosen the right platform, it is important to monitor its effectiveness. Not all online booking platforms generate the same value for your facility. Here are 10 essential metrics for assessing the true effectiveness of each OTA:
- Occupancy rate
Compare how many rooms/berths it fills compared to other channels - RevPAB
Calculates average revenue per available bed - Average price
Analyze pricing differences between platforms - Deletion rate
If it exceeds 25%, reduce visibility on that channel - Average length of stay
Privilege OTAs that bring in long-stay guests - Reviews
Check to see if guests from that OTA leave better ratings - Net fees
Calculates actual margin after fees charged - Acquisition cost
How much you spend per newly acquired guest - Return rate
Monitor how many guests rebook - Data analytics
Use tools such as channel manager and Google Analytics
Devoting even one hour a month to this analysis can significantly increase your hostel's profitability. Remember: the best OTA is the one that brings the right guests at the right price, not simply the one that generates the most bookings.
Conclusion: find the hostel OTA that's right for you
Choosing the right hostel OTA can dramatically change your bookings. Hostelworld and HostelsClub are ideal for those who want to target a young, international audience, while Booking.com and Tripadvisor can be useful for supplementing visibility.
The important thing is to test, monitor results, and adjust your strategy based on performance. This way, you can optimize bookings and grow your hostel without wasting resources on ineffective channels.