You can read about different HI hostels from all over the world as well as various HI organisations in our online magazine. But do you know there’s rich history behind the HI abbreviation and that it stands for certain quality? Dive in and read the article that will tell you more about the story of HI.
Hostelling International is the largest hostelling chain in the world with more than 4,000 hostels in more than 80 countries. Its origins date back to 1909 when the German teacher, Richard Schirrmann, felt that there was a lack of affordable accommodation for school groups that would enable them to more thoroughly explore the countryside. He opened the first hostel in the town of Altena. The hostel moved to the nearby Altena Castle in 1912 and the superb hostel with a rich history is still located in the castle. Richard founded the German Youth Hostel Association in 1919. Soon after, similar organisations started to pop up in other countries, calling for a common organisation. As a consequence, an international hostel association was founded in Amsterdam in 1932, known as International Youth Hostel Federation, and the representatives of 12 countries elected Richard Schirrmann as the first chairman.
The seat of the organisation is now in a town called Welwyn Garden City in England. The Federation now has 80 fully fledged national organisations all over the world. One of these is also the Slovenian organisation that also bears another name – Hostelling International Slovenia.
The international organisation’s uniqueness can be evidenced by its mission that is about promoting education among young people of all nationalities and respecting all places of the world. The emphasis also goes to the fact that hostels are places where there is no differentiation between nationality, gender or social class, and the goal of all this is to help ensure a better tomorrow.
Hostels have become a place for meeting all sorts of people who respect each other and learn about each other. It’s worth noting that all national organisations are non-profit, which means your every dollar goes into improving our services.
Hostels can now be found in almost all types of buildings, from those medieval ones to proud city houses. They can also be found in lonely lighthouses or high up in the mountains. You can even find them in unusual places, such as on ships or in train cars. Each HI hostel has to meet high quality standards that ensure the well-being of guests all over the world.
The whole HI family is becoming more aware of the importance of sustainable tourism and education of young people. It takes a wholesome approach to sustainable tourism and is committed to reducing carbon footprint as well as water consumption. It also deems well-being of its employees and good co-operation with the local community as equally important. The best hostels receive the HI-Q&S certificate. The organisations even made a step forward by establishing the Hostelling International Sustainability Fund that finances the most sustainable project each year, and these projects are often on the subject of the use of renewable environmental resources.
Hostelling International takes care of its members. Currently, there are more than four million of them and all can enjoy great discounts all over the world. Members also get up to a 10% discount on staying at a HI hostel. In Australia, travellers can enjoy more than 700 discounts, while the number grows considerably to 3,000 discounts on tours of more and less known world attractions if taking into account all the discounts offered by partnered service providers.
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