Hostelworld launches ‘The Solo System’, enabling opt-in travellers to connect and meet in real life

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: Hostelworld Group, the leading platform for hostel travel, today announced ‘The Solo System’, a set of social features enabling travellers to interact and connect with like-minded people.

Users searching on Hostelworld can now find trending places with the ‘See Who’s Going’ feature, and once a booking is made, they’ll be able to ‘Chat’ to people visiting the same locations and view their ‘Traveller Profiles’.

76% of Hostelworld’s customers crave a social hostelling experience, but 30% say they are nervous about chatting to other people in hostels. Hostelworld has released a new native app with a ‘Chat’ functionality inspiring conversations and real life meet ups between travellers visiting the same cities and hostels, around the same time.

Opt-in users will be given access to hostel chats, city chats and interest-based chats up to 14 days before their check-in date – they will also be able to send a direct message to other travellers, provided this has been enabled by users. The app is available in iOS now, with Android launching mid-April.

For solo travellers, who make an average of 10 new friends during a one-month trip, hostelling is all about the vibes. With the ‘See Who’s Going’ feature, identifying trending places from the point of search will be easy. Both on the website and app, this feature shows prospective bookers how many people are going to be in a city (and hostel) around the same dates, including their nationalities.

Gary Morrison, Chief Executive Officer of Hostelworld Group, said the company is perfectly positioned to help hostellers meet people to hang out with while travelling.

 “We’ve always known that our customers choose to stay in hostels as a means to meet other people. By powering social connections through our platform before our customers even get to their destination, we are giving them an incredibly compelling reason to book with Hostelworld. We will continue to launch more social products in coming months including LinkUps, a feature that encourages travellers to create gatherings and social activities.”

Hostelworld has also added personalisation within its ‘Travellers’ Profiles’, which now offer the ability to display a profile photo, first name, nationality and where users have travelled. Only after customers have made a booking can they see other travellers’ profile information.

With a majority (83%) audience share solo travelling at least one, and 24% taking 10+ solo trips, Hostelworld is launching its new social platform to customers as The Solo System. Designed ‘For Solo Travellers and Beyond’, this has been created to enhance the online experience, but only with the intention of encouraging real life meet ups and friendships.