Hostelling Scotland

Youth hostel organization

Hostelling Scotland

Abbreviation| Hostelling Scotland (HS)
Formation| 1931 (1931)
Type| Scottish Charity SC013138
Legal status| Company limited by guarantee SC310841
Purpose| Accommodation and advancement of education[1]
Headquarters| Stirling, Scotland
Location|

* 58 hostels (31 HS, 27 affiliates)[2]

Region served

| Scotland
Membership|  12,840 (2018)

Official language

| English, Gaelic

Chairman

| Sally Mayer

Chief Executive

| Margo Paterson
Affiliations| Hostelling International
Revenue|  £8,650,464 (18/19)
Staff| 166 Low Season
252 High Season (18/19)
Volunteers| 122 (18/19)
Website| Hostelling Scotland

Hostelling Scotland (SYHA; Gaelic: Comann Osdailean Òigridh na h-Alba) is part of Hostelling International and provides youth hostel accommodation in Scotland.[3] As of January 2022[update] the organisation represents 58 hostels: 31 run by Hostelling Scotland and 27 affiliates.[2]

## History

[edit]

The organisation was founded in 1931 as the Scottish Youth Hostels Association (SYHA).

The first youth hostel in Scotland was a converted row of four cottages in Broadmeadows and opened on 2 May 1931.[4]

In 1938, there were more than 60 hostels and membership was approaching 20,000.[5] At its peak, the SYHA had 99 hostels; by 1995 this had reduced to 85.[6]

In 2013, around 60% of guests came from outwith Scotland.[1]

As of 2016, the hostel guide and website lists over 60 hostels,[3] 28 of which are independently owned affiliate hostels such as those of the Gatliff Hebridean Hostel Trust and various local communities and authorities. Hostels vary from modern purpose-built premises to historic buildings and country cottages, sited in major towns and cities and in rural locations, including remote islands.[7]

Tourist sign used to indicated location of a Youth Hostel

Accommodation is generally dormitory-style but increasingly this is being subdivided into smaller units. For example, the most modern hostel, Edinburgh Central, has many single and twin-bedded rooms with ensuite facilities. All have a lounge, shared bathrooms and self-catering kitchens. Many hostels provide meals at request.

Hostelling Scotland is a self-funding charitable organisation, and as a not-for-profit business invests all surplus back into the organisation, both to develop the network and to improve older hostels.[citation needed] Today it faces competition from the more numerous independent hostels, and from rural hotels which provide bunkhouse accommodation.[citation needed]

It has been claimed that it has left its roots as a working class movement to "provide accommodation to people of limited means" behind, and become too expensive. The SYHA's defenders, including Allan Wilson MSP, point out that hostellers today require higher levels of comfort than when the hostelling movement began.[8]

The organisation later became SYHA Hostelling Scotland, then in 2018, the organisation rebranded as Hostelling Scotland, dropping the SYHA from their name.[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "About SYHA | SYHA Hostelling Scotland". Syha.org.uk. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
2. ^ a b "Hostelling Scotland > Search by". hostellingscotland.org.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
3. ^ a b "About SYHA". SYHA Hostelling Scotland. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
4. ^ "Browse Resources: Records of the Scottish Youth Hostels Association | Archives and Manuscript Catalogue". manuscripts.nls.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
5. ^ "Youth Hostels in Scotland". The Herald. Glasgow. 16 June 1938. p. 10. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
6. ^ Hume, George (22 July 1995). "Youth hostels pack up their troubles". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
7. ^ Hostel Guide 2018, Retrieved 19 March 2018.
8. ^ "motion S1M-1829 Official report 9 May 2001". Scottish Parliament. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
9. ^ "Our New Brand Identity | Hostelling Scotland" (Press release). February 2018. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018.

* NLS (May 2014), Inventory. Acc.13372. Scottish Youth Hostels Association (PDF), National Library of Scotland, retrieved 1 August 2016

## Source material

[edit]

* Martin, John (2012). An Illustrated Survey of SYHA's Youth Hostels 1931-2011. Stirling: SYHA.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Present-day hostels and hostelling associations by country

Australia|

* YHA Australia

Canada|

* Hostelling International – Canada
* Ocean Island Inn
* Ottawa Jail Hostel

England and Wales|

* Baden-Powell House
* Barrow House, Cumbria
* Bellever
* Birdoswald
* Castle Horneck, Penzance
* Greenhead, Northumberland
* Grinton Lodge
* Hartington Hall
* Holland House, London
* Ilam Park
* Kettlewell
* Kielder, Northumberland
* King's House, Slaidburn
* Mankinholes
* Ninebanks
* Once Brewed
* St Briavels Castle
* Thurlby, South Kesteven
* Wilderhope Manor
* Youth Hostels Association (England & Wales)

Germany|

* German Youth Hostel Association

Hong Kong|

* Mei Ho House
* Youth Square

India|

* Nariman House
* Youth Hostels Association of India

Ireland|

* An Óige

Israel|

* Ami'ad
* Avdat
* The Heritage House
* Khan al-Tujjar (Mount Tabor)
* Khan al-Umdan
* Sidna Ali Mosque

Jersey|

* Haut de la Garenne

Northern Ireland|

* Hostelling International Northern Ireland

Palestine|

* Khan Al-Ahmar
* Khan al-Tujjar (Nablus)
* Khan Yunis

Pakistan|

* Pakistan Youth Hostels Association

Scotland|

* Hostelling Scotland

Sweden|

* Jumbo Stay
* Swedish Tourist Association

United States|

* Hostelling International USA

Worldwide|

* Hostelling International
* YMCA
* YWCA

* v
* t
* e

Tourism in the United Kingdom

* Tourism
* Economy of the United Kingdom

Nations and
regions|

| England|

* Hotels in England
* Lists of tourist attractions in England
* List of National Trust land in England
* List of National Trust properties in England
* London Tourist Board
* Resorts in England
* Tourism in Leeds
* Tourism in London
* Tourism in Yorkshire
* VisitEngland
* Welcome to Yorkshire

|

Northern Ireland|

* Hotels in Northern Ireland
* List of museums in Northern Ireland
* Nature reserves in Northern Ireland
* List of tourist attractions in Ireland
* List of National Trust properties in Northern Ireland
* Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Scotland|

* Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise
* Resorts in Scotland
* Scottish Youth Hostels Association
* VisitScotland

Wales|

* Capital Region Tourism
* Forgotten Landscapes Project
* List of museums in Wales
* South West Wales Tourism Partnership
* Tourism Partnership North Wales
* Visit Wales

UKOTs and Crown
Dependencies|

* Akrotiri and Dhekelia
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Companies|

| Current|

* ACE Cultural Tours
* Airtours
* Carnival Corporation & plc
* Cunard
* P&O Cruises
* City Sightseeing
* Co-op Ski, Co-op Travel, Co-op Holidays
* Cosmos Holidays
* Cox & Kings
* Ebookers
* Ffestiniog Travel
* Flight Centre
* Great Rail Journeys
* Hays Travel
* Holidaybreak
* Jet2holidays
* NST
* Kuoni Travel
* Lastminute.com
* Martin Randall Travel
* PGL
* Superbreak
* Swan Hellenic
* NetFlights
* Thomas Cook Holidays
* TUI Group
* Trailfinders
* Traveleyes

|

Defunct|

* Clarksons Travel Group
* Club 18-30
* Court Line
* Directline holidays
* EasyCruise
* First Choice
* Hogg Robinson Group
* Horizon Travel
* Kiss Flights
* Lunn Poly
* Mark Hammerton
* MyTravel
* Palmair
* Thomas Cook Group
* Thomson Travel
* TUI Travel
* XL Leisure

Organisations|

* Camping and Caravanning Club
* Caravan and Motorhome Club
* Landmark Trust
* National Trust
* Youth Hostels Association

Industry bodies|

* ABTA
* Association of Independent Tour Operators
* Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality
* Tourism Concern
* VisitBritain

Tourist
destinations|

* Blue Badge tourist guide
* Holiday
* Les Routiers
* List of airlines of the United Kingdom
* List of airports in the United Kingdom and the British Crown Dependencies
* List of museums in the United Kingdom
* List of amusement parks in the United Kingdom
* List of past and present youth hostels in England and Wales

* Category
* Commons

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

Other|

* Yale LUX

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