The year 2023 started as the year 2022 ended. The booking figures are highly promising and the overnight stays were at 30.4% above the prior year in the months of January until March 2023. The prior year was initially still strongly characterised by the restrictions on freedom of travel due to the pandemic.

The beginning of the year was overshadowed by the news that our former CEO Fredi Gmür had died following a long illness. By the end of 2018, Fredi Gmür had left a large footprint in our organisation over 23 years, as well as many lasting memories with all those who were able to work together with him during this time.

From 1 March 2023, the network of the Swiss Youth Hostels was expanded by another franchise operation. In the picturesque village of Scudellate, located in the upper valley of Muggio in the Canton of Ticino, you will find the renovated Ostello Scudellate. In addition to a total of 24 beds in four six-bed rooms, four double rooms with their own bathroom in the Osteria Manciana, located a few metres away, are also available to individual travellers, families, groups and school classes as an inexpensive overnight accommodation.

In the spring of 2023, the Montreux Youth Hostel will be reopened after the entire restaurant area and the rooms in particular were completely renovated during the winter closure. Following the pandemic-related slowdown, the Swiss Foundation for Social Tourism will forge ahead with the important projects at Geneva, Lucerne and Pontresina. Added to this, construction will start on the Martigny Youth Hostel in the spring of 2023. The commune of Martigny wants to set up a youth hostel with around 50 beds in the historic “Bâtiment de l’Horloge” and lease it for operation by the Swiss Youth Hostels. Opening is planned in summer 2024.

The Swiss Youth Hostels and the Swiss Foundation for Social Tourism have already achieved a great deal together. And now we can celebrate birthdays together. The Swiss Foundation for Social Tourism will celebrate its 50th anniversary on 11 May 2023 and the Swiss Youth Hostels its centenary on 28 April 2024. We’re looking forward to celebrating with you during one whole year! You can find out which events are currently happening on our anniversary website: Anniversary highlights 2023/24 | Swiss Youth Hostels (youthhostel.ch)

At the beginning of the 20th century, travelling was a privilege of just a few, generally well-to-do people. In addition, craftspeople went hiking, along with teachers and their students, for study purposes. Industrialisation made a lasting change to humanity’s living environment. The youth especially increasingly suffered poor living and working conditions in the industrial world. In order to escape their cramped and less than satisfactory living conditions, at the beginning of the 20th century more and more young people began hiking and travelling in their limited free time. On the one hand, they wanted to experience nature in contrast to city life, and on the other, hiking was an expression of a self-defined, youth-oriented lifestyle.

Our organisation’s journey started with the foundation of the Cooperative for Youth Hostels in Zurich on 28 April 1924. In autumn 1932 Switzerland was already a founding member of Hostelling International, the international network of youth hostels, and thus played an important role in cultural exchange, in peace building and in commitment to education through travel. Hostelling International currently has 62 member organisations and encompasses a network of more than 3,000 hostels worldwide.

Then as now, the Swiss Youth Hostels are actively committed to a supportive, responsible society full of joie de vivre. Our commitment focuses on individual travellers – young people, families, schools, groups and persons with disabilities. In particular, we enable persons with a low budget access to affordable accommodation and catering options in Switzerland and together with the member organisations of Hostelling International worldwide.

We look forward once again in 2023 to offering sustainable travel experiences and enriching encounters in Switzerland’s most beautiful locations to as many people as possible. See you soon in one of our youth hostels!

In April 2023