January 2011

January 24, 2011

Arthur Frommer’s Vision

Travel legend Arthur Frommer recently identified in his syndicated column the work of four USA travel-related nonprofits as worthy of donor support. One of those is Hostelling International USA.

About HI-USA, Mr. Frommer said “the organization enables a great many people to travel who otherwise could not afford to do so, and it obviously is dependent on grants and contributions for a large part of its expenses. Though you might never have thought of this institution as an object of charitable giving, you definitely should.”

Of course, we agree! HI-USA builds intercultural understanding among hundreds of thousands of young people each year by bringing them to together in our hostels. The hostel stay is a powerful tool for promoting international exchange. And related hostel programming increases the impact.

January 18, 2011

The Meaning of a New Hostel Project

On Thursday January 13th I attended the ground breaking ceremony for the development of a beautiful, new Boston hostel that will open in Spring 2012.

On my flight into Boston from Washington DC, I knew I would be seeing the aftermath of a massive Northeastern snow storm that had hit the day before. But not to worry, the streets were cleared by City plows, and the turnout was terrific … more than 125 people attended.

The event featured speech making and toasts, to a new hostel twice the size of the building it will replace and many times more convenient for hostel users (on Stuart Street, a few blocks from Boston Common).

January 13, 2011

Let Me Introduce Myself …

Over the years I have stayed in hundreds of hostels and met thousands of travelers, including some who have also made hostelling a life choice.

These “intrepids” have chosen to make travel an important part of who they are – inquisitive and adventurous – and have decided that hostels – welcoming and interactive – are an essential part of the journey. Some choose to continue on the travel path, while others, like me, decide to devote their career to it.

My own story began in April 1983 with my first extended trip to Europe. I had started my career four years earlier and was firmly and happily entrenched in economics and finance. A summer program at Oxford University seemed a perfect next career step, both to my employer and to me. I received a leave of absence for education, plus a few extra months for some backpack travel.