Mumbai: The Hosteller is one of India’s leading backpacker hostel chains, headquartered in Mumbai. Under the visionary leadership of Hosteller founder & CEO Pranav Dangi has not only become India’s most sought-after backpacker hostel chain but has also redefined the landscape of budget travel accommodation.
With an extensive network spanning across more than 55 destinations in India, Hosteller has cemented its position as a go-to choice for travelers seeking affordable yet enriching experiences. Dangi’s strategic vision and passion for hospitality have shaped Hosteller into a dynamic entity that goes beyond providing just lodging, offering a unique sanctuary where travelers can connect, explore, and create lasting memories. With a focus on providing exceptional service, fostering a vibrant community atmosphere, and promoting sustainable tourism practices, Hosteller continues to set new benchmarks in the backpacking hospitality industry, making it a preferred choice for budget-conscious adventurers worldwide.
Indiantelevision.com reached out to Dangi, where he shared strategies contributing to its growth and more…
Edited excerpts
On strategic initiatives you have contributed to The Hosteller’s robust growth
Tapping into regional markets: By strategically opening new hostels in diverse locations, The Hosteller taps into various regional markets, appealing to a broader range of travellers. This expansion not only enhances brand visibility but also solidifies its reputation as a versatile and accessible accommodation choice.
Cultural growth and expansion: Each new location, with its unique cultural and environmental setting, allows The Hosteller to offer varied experiences to its guests, thus attracting both repeat and new customers.
Local collaborations: Expanding into new areas creates opportunities for local collaborations and community engagement, strengthening the brand’s ties with different regions. It also allows The Hosteller to adapt and innovate based on different market needs and trends, keeping the brand dynamic and relevant.
Striving to build the community and provide social engagement: Recognizing the diverse needs of travellers, the company has spearheaded initiatives to offer personalised experiences. By organising social events, local tours, and interactive activities, The Hosteller creates an environment where guests can connect, enhancing their travel experience.
Strategic hub and spoke expansion plan: The strategic ‘hub and spoke’ expansion strategy into diverse geographical locations attracts a wider customer base. By choosing locations that are varied in nature, The Hosteller appeals to a broad spectrum of travellers.
On the role you see yourself playing in shaping the company’s culture and values
Focus on high quality accommodations that offer comfort: We have consistently pushed to better the product over the years, enhancing the infrastructure, furnishing, amenities and facilities at the hostels, ensuring that quality remains a key factor in customer retention and attracting new guests.
Example: Standardising the design of our bunk beds so that no matter which hostel they step into, they feel the same comfort and convenience.
Leveraging technology to provide hasslefree experiences: We understand the role of technology in modern hospitality and have actively made changes to improve guest experience using technology. The Hosteller provides contactless check in and check out, hands free (Alexa) controlled rooms in several locations, in-house tracking mechanism to gauge campaigns and has a fully functional web concierge app, Glu.
Example: Glu, our online concierge service allows guests to order food, book local activities or rentals, check our in house events, raise housekeeping requests and much more at the click of a button. This service is only available for The Hosteller guests.
Actively seeking customer feedback: We have actively sought and responded to customer feedback. This approach demonstrates a dedication to continually improving service standards and addressing any guest concerns promptly, enhancing overall customer satisfaction.
Example: The Hosteller has built from ground up, its own Online Reputation Management tool that allows the Customer Experience department to swiftly analyse and correct guest concerns.
On The Hosteller planning to utilise its online platform for customer acquisition
To increase brand reach, here are some strategies The Hosteller will invest in:
Content marketing: The Hosteller plans to continue investing in high-quality, diverse content creation. This includes video travel vlogs, SEO optimised blogs, destination guides, vertical video content, and influencer/creator collaborations. We will also be expanding and becoming regular on our Youtube channel for horizontal style long format content. Organic content has always fetched us great results in terms of age, and interactive displays in high-traffic areas such as airports, train stations, bus stands, cafes, autos and such.
Diversifying ads and introducing display ads: The Hosteller will utilise data driven advertising strategies to increase brand reach via paid methods. This includes targeted ads based on user interests, age and gender demographics, behaviours, and as well as retargeting campaigns to re-engage visitors who have shown interest before.
Brand partnerships: We will soon be introducing an in-house partnerships dept. to form strategic partnerships with other travel brands, lifestyle brands, sports and adventure brands, F&B brands to cross-promote products and reach new audiences with similar interests.
5. What specific operational adjustments or initiatives led to the improvement in EBITDA and Net Margins, and what strategies does The Hosteller have in place to sustain and enhance these margins in the upcoming years?
Factors such as:
- Addition in total inventory
- Geographical expansion to 10+ states
- Technological improvements on the customer acquisition & retention end
- Continued flow of capital for expansion led to an overall growth in the GMV
- Evenly distributed central operations cost on increased inventory
- Better real estate utilisation & yields
Adding ancillary revenue channels leading to the overall increase in ARPC (avg. revenue per customer)website traffic, leads, customer queries, social media shares and SEO optimization. This in turn increases brand visibility and pushes our content organically to non followers and newer audiences.
Influencer marketing: In 2024, The Hosteller will broaden its scope of partnerships and collaborations. We will be collaborating with high ticket Cat A, Cat B and Macro influencers to garner new audiences and increase our social media presence. Modern affiliate marketing is also on the cards. We also have plans to launch a large scale micro influencer campaign to generate interest and leads on the grassroots level.
OOH/DOOH: To complement its online marketing efforts, The Hosteller plans to invest in OOH and DOOH advertising to further enhance its brand visibility. This will include strategically placed billboards, digital sign
Leave a Reply