It is a good and proper way. For several years, youth shelters have been in full reinvention. Bar on the roof, pool, night with DJ … in Jost in Bordeaux, we are far from the dusty and Spartan image. “Today we think of private spaces, capullos, quality bed, light, personal affairs, Internet connection …”, takes the director of the establishment, Audrey Cecille. And success is there. The inn registered a 20% increase in reserves this summer compared to last year and the filling rate is 80%.
“Since 2019, there has been an explosion in the amount of shelters, notably arrested for large private groups,” explains Isabelle Focchot, a professor at the Bourgogne Europe University who specializes in tourist marketing. “Investors have identified a large cheap accommodation gap for a young clientele.” For vacationers who cannot pay the hotel and face the increase in platform prices such as Airbnb, these large groups have recognized an unspecified market segment.
Hybridization of spaces and uses
These new players have developed in recent years establishments of great capacity, with 200, 300 beds (see 900 beds for the generator inn in Paris). They also prefer the term more modern “shelters”, which is for everyone (not only for young people). “They bet a lot in the image, with renewed places, bright colors, certain groups have requested renowned designers,” Isabelle Frachot develops. But it is not just a matter of work since the offer is also completely redesigned.
Many inns now offer, in addition to traditional bedrooms, rooms for 2, 3 or 4 people, which also allows families to accommodate. Some establishments have even developed Japanese “capsules”. Many services are also offered, such as cycling, a bar, the organization of the afternoons …
And tourists are no longer the only objectives. Some shelters also try to attract the local population, to drink a drink, for example. Others offer companies to rent rooms for meetings or seminars.
“Poshotels” or traditional shelters
However, this modernization was accompanied by an increase in prices, compared to traditional associative inns, according to the specialist. Even if large groups manage to dominate prices thanks to their great capacity.
This modernization movement brought with it the traditional inns that have also adapted. “The arrival of new actors is always enriching, there is space for all because there is demand,” explains Virginie Fonseca, director of the United Federation of Juvenos, which represents many associative shelters.
“We adapt to customer demand, we now offer a more hybrid offer with double rooms and private bathrooms, this was not the case a few years ago,” he said. Since 2022, 27 new shelters have joined this network, which, however, wants to continue practicing accessible prices.
SlowTourisme and cities outbreaks
Finally, youth shelters benefit from the emergence of “Slowtourisme” with, for example, traveling, bicycle or hiking trips. “For these vacationers, the route is not fixed and can evolve according to the weather, the breakage of the equipment … and the interest of the shelters, is that there is often space,” says Isabelle Frochot. In addition, for solo travelers, youth shelters remain places of coexistence. But according to the researcher, shelters are sailing mainly in the development of tourism among young people.
In particular, the emergence of “Citybreak”, these trips of a few days in a large possible European city thanks to the development of low -cost flights.
Source: BFM TV
