YHA has its history back in Liverpool where the first meeting was held to kick start a movement offering cheap accommodation in dormitory style arrangements. As YHA evolved as a joint initiative between rambling, cycling and youth organisations, so the movement expanded across England and Wales with separate associations for Scotland and Ireland.
More recently, YHA has embarked on a modernisation strategy and has broadened its reach with the introduction of Do it 4 Real summer camps and Learn 4 Real education visits.
Now, against a completed re-vamped profile and image, YHA welcomes individual travellers, families, school and youth groups and has records in excess of 2million overnight stays each year.
Key Facts -
- 200 Youth Hostels and over 40 Camping barns, in stunning rural, coastal and city locations throughout England and Wales
- Over 213,000 members
- Supported by 2,000 voluntary workers
- Employs approx 1,200 staff including 500 seasonal staff
- Annual turnover of £38.5 million
- One of Britain’s top 50 charities
- Accommodates 750,000 overnight stays by young people under the age of 18 each year travelling independently, with families, or as part of an organised group
- Helps provide learning opportunities for 8,000 school, college and youth groups to meet national curriculum requirements and other educational needs
- Every year gives thousands of disadvantaged young people a part funded trip via the Breaks 4 kids scheme
- Welcomes visitors from 80 difference nations each year, accounting for ½ million overnight stays
- Is an active member of hostelling International (HI) that embraces 60 countries, with 4,000 Youth Hostel and 3.2 million members worldwide.
- YHA is the larges budget accommodation network in the world