Foreword
Financial Year 2023
«The Swiss Youth Hostels on their journey into the next 100 years». This was our motto in 2023, which was rich in experiences, encounters and joint activities. A special birthday, a Youth Challenge, a mascot and an overnight stay record. We have lots of good things to report.
St. Moritz Youth Hostel
Dear Readers
The year 2023 was a record for overnight stays in own hostels. This was increased to 807,196 and thus 7.4% above the prior year (751,722). The share of Swiss guests dropped to 73.3% (prior year: 78.4%), but remained around 3.1% points above the figure before the pandemic. The foreign overnight stays were only 1.7% behind the year 2019 (219,211) at 215,474.
In 2023, the network of the Swiss Youth Hostels consisted of 42 own and 7 franchise hostels. It was extended by one franchise operation. Since 1 March 2023, the renovated Ostello Scudellate, in the upper Muggio Valley in the canton of Ticino, has been welcoming individual holidaymakers, families, groups and school classes. The youth hostel offers a total of 24 beds in four six-bed rooms as budget-friendly overnight accommodation. The Osteria Manciana, located just a few metres away, also has four double rooms with their own bathroom. A large sun terrace on the slopes of Monte Generoso offers travellers a wonderful view of the Muggio Valley.
Scudellate Youth Hostel
On 11 May 1973 the Swiss Foundation for Social Tourism was established. The aim of the foundation by the Zurich Youth Hostels Association was to better secure assets. The property holding was thus protected from decisions by the general meeting which could not be estimated in advance. From then on, the Foundation became a property and asset manager, while the Association dealt with managing the hostels. On 11 May 2023 the Swiss Foundation for Social Tourism celebrated its 50th anniversary. We offer our hearty congratulations and look forward to further successful cooperation.
At the same time, the Swiss Youth Hostels set off on their journey into the next 100 years, with numerous anniversary activities. You can read about the encounters and activities we experienced together with our community on our website. We thank all our benefactors, donors and sponsors for their generous support which has made these experiences possible.
Grand Töggeli-Turnier, Zurich Youth Hostel
The Cooperative for Youth Hostels in Zurich was founded on 28 April 1924. Being able to celebrate the 100-year anniversary is, for us, not a simple matter of course. A great many committed individuals with much vision and diligence have become involved in our organisation in the last 100 years, with the aim of achieving our civil society goals. In particular, those who have done so in an honorary post deserve our respect and our resounding thanks. In the Outlook at the end of the Annual Report, you can find out more about our history.
Reporting is mainly in digital format. A short print version provides a quick overview of important key data from the reporting year 2023 and refers interested parties to the detailed digital reporting. It offers interesting insights from the past financial year as well as an outlook to the future.
We would also like to express our sincere thanks to all our employees, our delegates, the honorary Executive Board members, the Swiss Foundation for Social Tourism, our members and benefactors as well as our partners for their wonderful support. We look forward to starting the next 100 years together!
April 2024
Frank Reutlinger
President
Janine Bunte
CEO
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