Hostelworld Group Plc is a ground‐breaking social network powered OTA focused on the hostelling category.
Hostelworld Group plc is a ground-breaking social network‑powered Online Travel Agent (“OTA”) focussed on the hostelling category with a clear mission to help travellers find people to hang out with. Our mission statement is founded on the insight that most travellers go hostelling to meet other people. Our platform allows travellers to connect through our social features, facilitating real-world interactions.
Hostelworld’s vision is to be the world’s leading social travel platform. Since launching its social network in 2022, the Group has experienced a period of transformational growth, welcoming over 3.4 million social members. Engagement among social members has grown faster than trips booked, with messaging volumes and community participation demonstrating the platform’s utility. This engagement supports increased adoption of Hostelworld’s mobile‑native apps and enhances customer lifetime value.
Our proprietary dataset - generated from social interactions and bookings - strengthens our ability to understand traveller behaviour, personalise experiences, and build network effects that differentiate Hostelworld from generalist OTAs.
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Ireland, Hostelworld is a recognised brand with around 270 employees and hostel partners in more than 180 countries.
Hostelworld has a long‑standing commitment to improving the sustainability of the hostelling industry. The Group has commissioned independent research to evidence the category’s sustainability credentials and introduced a hostel‑specific sustainability framework that helps partners adopt more sustainable practices while giving travellers clearer information for decision‑making. Customers can choose to offset trip emissions, and the Group has maintained its “Taking Climate Action” label from South Pole.
