The recent announcement of the reintroduction of Elevate has triggered an unprecedented wave of discontentment among hostels around the world. The news has led to widespread unrest within our industry, with independent hostels, hostel groups, and associations voicing serious concerns about the potential impacts of this move. In response, several key industry players—Europe's Famous Hostels, NAHA (North American Hostel Association), European Independent Hostels, and the founding team of the upcoming Indian Hostel Association—convened to address the rising frustration within their communities and discuss a coordinated path forward.

Our members have raised serious concerns about how Elevate could compromise the integrity of Hostelworld’s rankings by prioritizing visibility based on how much hostels pay rather than on guest satisfaction or their sustainability efforts. This risks distorting how quality is perceived across the industry and could end up rewarding lower-performing hostels, which harms not only individual properties but also Hostelworld’s reputation with travelers.

Many worry that the increased commissions will push prices up on Hostelworld, leading to loss of market share and weakening price parity with other booking platforms. Elevate also seems to favor properties with lower ratings — including those that don’t prioritize sustainability — simply because they can pay more for better placement, which undermines hostels that are better reviewed and more responsible. In destinations with little competition or where Hostelworld doesn’t actively promote listings, Elevate adds little value and may further marginalize rural or lesser-known hostels.

There’s a growing sense that this move signals a shift away from Hostelworld’s long-standing goal of growing the entire “hostel pie” together, toward a model that extracts more from the same base of partners. Hostels are also concerned about “commission stacking” which could quickly become unsustainable. On top of that, the lack of clear, guest-facing criteria for ranking changes could expose Hostelworld to legal or reputational risks down the line.

While hostels have serious concerns, we also recognize and value the important role Hostelworld plays as a representative of our industry. In the past years, the platform has launched commendable products and initiatives that reflect the true values of the hostel community: sustainability, cooperation, and authentic connection. As partners, we’ve stood alongside Hostelworld—welcoming their presence at our conferences, promoting shared campaigns, and helping distribute valuable market research.

This is precisely why the return of Elevate is so disheartening. Small, independent hostels—already burdened by rising operational costs, inflation, and recovery from the pandemic—will find it increasingly difficult to compete on a level playing field. Even larger properties, many of which are financially leveraged and still navigating post-crisis recovery, are questioning how this model aligns with the industry’s long-term health.

We, as hostel associations from around the world, find ourselves in a difficult position. On the one hand, we’ve invested time and trust in building a collaborative relationship with Hostelworld. On the other, we must now represent and support our members in the face of widespread concern. Hostels across all regions have signaled their willingness to take further collective action if necessary to ensure their voices are heard and their sustainability protected.

With this letter, we do not seek conflict but resolution. We strongly encourage Hostelworld to reconsider the reintroduction of Elevate and instead recommit to the cooperative, community-driven path we have worked so hard to build together. We believe there is still room for productive dialogue—and we remain hopeful that together, we can find an approach that benefits the entire hostel ecosystem.

We believe this decision impacts not just individual businesses, but the future of the global hostel industry. That’s why we are calling on hostels, hostel groups, and associations around the world to join us in signing this petition. By standing together, we can send a clear message to Hostelworld: our industry thrives on fairness, cooperation, and shared success—not pay-to-play visibility.

We invite you to sign with your hostel name and city, so we can show Hostelworld hostels across the globe do not agree with the return of Elevate.