Youth Hostels Progress

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30740, 3 May 1965, Page 3

Youth Hostels Progress

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 2.

Steadily increasing demand for hostel accommodation by young people travelling was raising a formidable challenge, said . the annual report of the Youth Hostels Association presented to the annual meeting of the national council in Wellington today.

In the last year the organisation had made considerable progress both in the numbers of new members and the completion of new hostel accommodation, the report said. The last 15 months would probably prove to be the

most remarkable in the association’s history in regard to hostel development. Eight new hostels were opened, a record number.

Membership increased by 12 per cent from 6319 to 7104 and the number of nights hostel beds were used increased by 4408 to 28,610, of which 9972 were by visitors from overseas.

Most popular of the hostels conducted by the association throughout tie year had been Mount Cook with 4164 bed nights, and Arthur’s Pass with 2400 bed nights.

A number of hostels were being built or were to begin soon and plans had been approved for enlarging of two others.

The branch showing the highest percentage increase in membership was Blenheim, winning it the Nash Cup. Te Aroha, last year’s winner, was second.

It was encouraging to note, said the report, that 18 branches had increased membership and only four recorded a small decrease. The number of affiliated organisations had increased from 69 to 74.

A large decline was shown in the numbers of New Zealanders enrolling abroad. It was expected, however, that if present membership drives were maintained the association could look forward eventually to enrolling 90 per cent of all young people travelling. The number of visitors enrolled under the special international foreign visitor provisions rose by 70 per cent on the 1963 figure of 437. Since 1962 the number enrolled has increased annually from 329 to 9972 in 1964. Last year the increase was 3843, the highest on record.