Originally created to help young people of limited means to experience the countryside and cities of the world, hostels are now at the heart of international tourism for a wide age group. Since 1909, when hostelling was born out of the excursions of German schoolteacher Richard Schirrmann and his pupils, it has become one of the world's biggest international membership organizations for youth, with over 3 million members and a philosophy that has never been more relevant. Hostelling's Global Growth Hostelling International currently provides 35 million overnight stays a year through 4,200 hostels in more than 60 countries. Today's hosteller is just as likely to be in his thirties and bring his family by car, as to arrive alone on foot with a backpack, or be part of a school group. Nor is hostelling an end in itself.
All ages use hostels as their gateway to cultural exploration and the appreciation of nature.
The economic, social and political environment surrounding hostelling has changed dramatically during the last century. The hostel movement has expanded from its European core to embrace the world and fulfil the expectations of today's young people who have more money, more free time and greater mobility than ever before. The hostel network enables young people of differing nationalities, cultures and social backgrounds to meet informally, share experiences, learn about themselves, each other and their surroundings. Hostels foster a remarkable international awareness about current issues. Hostelling also has a fundamental, but unofficial, role in the development of young people as future employees in a global market.