https://hosteltrends.com/author/dpitcock Dennis jumped into the hostel industry after a summer backpacking trip across Europe in 2008. He quickly went from guest to manager within weeks and has since consulted for hostels of all sizes across three continents. With a background in eCommerce, Dennis has a strong passion for the tech side of hospitality and activities. Though he has moved on from directly working in hostels to focus on hospitality tech and big tech industries, he remains deeply connected to the hostel community by helping keep this magazine up and running. en-us Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:26:02 GMT https://hosteltrends.com/article/making-smart-tech-upgrades-how-hostel-operators-can-include-cutting-edge-platforms-for-boosted-efficiency-and-guest-experience https://hosteltrends.com/article/making-smart-tech-upgrades-how-hostel-operators-can-include-cutting-edge-platforms-for-boosted-efficiency-and-guest-experience Mon, 01 Dec 2025 12:30:00 GMT Dennis Pitcock Unlock the future of hospitality! Discover how hostel operators can boost efficiency and elevate guest experiences with cutting-edge tech innovations. https://hosteltrends.com/article/making-hostel-thanksgiving-memorable-creative-cooking-hacks-and-choosing-the-right-turkey-fryer https://hosteltrends.com/article/making-hostel-thanksgiving-memorable-creative-cooking-hacks-and-choosing-the-right-turkey-fryer Thu, 27 Nov 2025 13:36:28 GMT Dennis Pitcock Transform your hostel Thanksgiving with genius cooking hacks and the perfect turkey fryer, turning your makeshift kitchen into a festive feast haven! https://hosteltrends.com/article/properly-forcast-your-data https://hosteltrends.com/article/properly-forcast-your-data Mon, 09 Apr 2018 18:23:38 GMT Dennis Pitcock As an owner or manager, you can feel the trends. You can tell that business is growing. Every year, you get a little more guests and/or you are able to raise your price a tad more. When you think into the future, you have an idea of where your numbers will be, but how are others able to forecast so ... Uncategorized Revenue Management Systems Operations Back Office https://hosteltrends.com/article/short-term-rental-hosts-contribute-paris-bedbug-outbreak https://hosteltrends.com/article/short-term-rental-hosts-contribute-paris-bedbug-outbreak Tue, 23 May 2017 15:27:32 GMT Dennis Pitcock In a fairly recent article, International Business Times explains how Paris went on to blame us Yanks for their bed bug problems. They're wrong, for the most part. The article states that Disneyland Paris noted a high correlation between the rise of bed bugs and the increase in American guests, and ... News Policies & Procedures The Industry Opinions Safety & Security https://hosteltrends.com/article/optimize-marketing-efforts-like-hedge-fund https://hosteltrends.com/article/optimize-marketing-efforts-like-hedge-fund Sat, 04 Mar 2017 22:31:39 GMT Dennis Pitcock Running any business is all about obtaining your goals while managing your risk. For the more tangible destructive and debilitating aspects of the venture, you can actually take insurance to mitigate those acts of God. We're talking about fires, tornadoes, and freak accidents. But what about aspects... Technology Marketing Online Marketing Email Online Travel Agents Networks & Affiliate Programs Reviews Company Websites Sales Offline Marketing Opinions https://hosteltrends.com/article/treat-your-tech-providers-like-an-employer https://hosteltrends.com/article/treat-your-tech-providers-like-an-employer Mon, 13 Feb 2017 15:22:25 GMT Dennis Pitcock For an industry that is built upon bed-hopping, we hostellers are exceptionally loyal when it comes to our tech providers. We shouldn't be. We're not saying you should switch contracts every year, but you should always have a potential change on the horizon. The tech providers—those creating softwar... Technology The Industry Opinions https://hosteltrends.com/article/3-reasons-to-allow-guests-to-use-their-own-locks https://hosteltrends.com/article/3-reasons-to-allow-guests-to-use-their-own-locks Sun, 12 Feb 2017 19:10:25 GMT Dennis Pitcock Today, you won’t find guests traveling with Armani suits, but it's evident they are traveling with thousands of dollars in electronics. Smartphones, laptops, cameras... it all adds up, and guests have been demanding our help to keep their belongings secure. Now, their demands have been answered, and... Operations Furniture Dorm Room Safety & Security https://hosteltrends.com/article/must-read-books-hostel-professionals https://hosteltrends.com/article/must-read-books-hostel-professionals Sat, 11 Feb 2017 22:39:49 GMT Dennis Pitcock The hostel industry is rapidly changing and we are all finding it tough to stay on top of the trends. It becomes even more difficult when there is no book, no step by step guide, not even an informative infograph created for hostel professionals such as yourself. To counter that, you can learn and d... Consulting The Industry Opinions https://hosteltrends.com/article/determine-your-compset https://hosteltrends.com/article/determine-your-compset Sun, 13 Nov 2016 15:10:49 GMT Dennis Pitcock Your compset, traditionally known as a "competitive set," is simply your top set of competitors. It's substantially different to know what a compset is and to know what your compset is while backing it up with data. So, you have an idea of who they are, and surely you are right about some of them, i... Uncategorized https://hosteltrends.com/article/multiple-rates-booking-com https://hosteltrends.com/article/multiple-rates-booking-com Fri, 14 Oct 2016 19:55:51 GMT Dennis Pitcock Booking.com is the world's leading accommodation booking site, and they are continuing to grow into new markets while expanding their share in the markets they're currently in. That being said, they care about hostels, but they also really care about hotels. Many of the tools they build are designed... Technology Property Management Systems Channel Managers Revenue Management Systems Back Office Marketing Online Travel Agents https://hosteltrends.com/article/advice-future-hostel-consultants https://hosteltrends.com/article/advice-future-hostel-consultants Thu, 06 Oct 2016 16:08:20 GMT Dennis Pitcock So, you have skills, but you don't want to be tied down to one company. Then you should consider becoming a freelance consultant. Here, you can hop around to 'mostly non-competing' hostels and use your expertise to solve their problems. Hostels are always looking for an outside perspective, and if y... Consulting https://hosteltrends.com/article/length-stay-pricing https://hosteltrends.com/article/length-stay-pricing Mon, 26 Sep 2016 14:13:32 GMT Dennis Pitcock Length of Stay (LOS) Pricing Length of stay (LOS) pricing sounds simple, but it is actually quite complicated. Typically, it offers a better discount for stays that are longer in duration. This is not to be confused with an LOS rate, which is only one rate offering the same discount no matter how lo... Technology Property Management Systems Channel Managers Revenue Management Systems Back Office Online Marketing Online Travel Agents https://hosteltrends.com/article/rate-mixing https://hosteltrends.com/article/rate-mixing Sun, 25 Sep 2016 03:03:20 GMT Dennis Pitcock It wasn't too long ago when hostel guests all assumed that everyone staying in their dorm paid the same for their night's stay, more or less. They didn't even second guess it. At the same time, they would never dream of assuming the person sitting next to them on their flight paid the same. Well, th... Property Management Systems Channel Managers Revenue Management Systems Back Office Online Travel Agents Sales https://hosteltrends.com/article/dorms-com-taking-hostel-concerns-heart https://hosteltrends.com/article/dorms-com-taking-hostel-concerns-heart Tue, 14 Jun 2016 20:31:54 GMT Dennis Pitcock The hostel Online Travel Agent (OTA) space has been seeing some drastic changes over the past couple of years, proving itself time and time again to be one of the toughest markets to exist in, let alone build a new business. Well, Dorms.com has done just that and has already sold over 1 Million beds... Technology Revenue Management Systems Online Travel Agents Spotlights The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/anthony-hotel-impossible-takes-hostel https://hosteltrends.com/article/anthony-hotel-impossible-takes-hostel Mon, 23 May 2016 15:06:11 GMT Dennis Pitcock The Travel Channel program, Hotel Impossible takes on the Gardner Hotel and Hostel in one of its latest entertaining and informative episodes. One of the biggest themes throughout the show is Anthony, a luxury hotel expert, experiencing a hostel for the first time. This reminds me of the Hostelworld... The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/huge-awakening-us-owners https://hosteltrends.com/article/huge-awakening-us-owners Fri, 29 Apr 2016 18:42:26 GMT Dennis Pitcock UPDATE: The changes have been shot down in a Texas court and will likely not be a possibility again in the near future. See more via USNews here. Possible changes in US Labor laws could mean the days of high burnout among hospitality managers (including hostels) might be in the past, at the expense ... Operations The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/2016-hostelworld-conference-recapp https://hosteltrends.com/article/2016-hostelworld-conference-recapp Thu, 04 Feb 2016 16:41:46 GMT Dennis Pitcock For those who were unable to attend this year's Hostelworld conference, do not worry—those of us who did don’t remember much either! Even considering the wholehearted collaborative attempt and failure to drink the Guinness factory out of supply, many of us did not miss a beat when it came to the inf... Events Opinions https://hosteltrends.com/article/revenue-management-numbers https://hosteltrends.com/article/revenue-management-numbers Wed, 27 Jan 2016 11:30:08 GMT Dennis Pitcock Revenue management is finally catching on in the hostel space, and hostels that don't use it are practically leaving money on the table. We all know by now that you have to change your prices frequently and share data to really get conclusive results. You have to price strategically to grow your dem... Revenue Management Systems Back Office Large Hostels https://hosteltrends.com/article/six-reasons-cannot-charge-noshow https://hosteltrends.com/article/six-reasons-cannot-charge-noshow Wed, 06 Jan 2016 10:18:05 GMT Dennis Pitcock There was a contract, a promise, a moment of camaraderie between us and our future guests. We set aside a bed or more, maybe even a private room, and they blew it all by neglecting to show up without even a 'heads up.' We tried to ignore the disappointment of the desperate walk-ins we had to turn aw... Property Management Systems Front Desk Back Office Online Travel Agents Sales Small Hostels Medium Hostels Large Hostels Mega Hostels Policies & Procedures The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/hostelconferences https://hosteltrends.com/article/hostelconferences Mon, 04 Jan 2016 13:10:19 GMT Dennis Pitcock For many northern hemisphere hostel owners and managers, the early months of the year can be slow and depressing. Some diversify their business by perhaps accepting a different type of guest. Others take much-needed vacations, visiting other stressed-out hostel owners in busy winter sports and south... Events https://hosteltrends.com/article/kitchen-closed-night https://hosteltrends.com/article/kitchen-closed-night Wed, 04 Nov 2015 16:59:50 GMT Dennis Pitcock There is a big debate among hosteliers as to whether or not they should close their community kitchen in the late hours of the night. There is no right answer. There are some valid and concerning points on both sides, and each hostel should experiment a bit to find out what is right for their busine... Kitchen Housekeeping Small Hostels Medium Hostels Large Hostels Hostel Size Safety & Security https://hosteltrends.com/article/thack-involving-hostels https://hosteltrends.com/article/thack-involving-hostels Tue, 27 Oct 2015 15:57:20 GMT Dennis Pitcock TNooz is holding a travel hack, better known as THack, in a couple of weeks. It is very NYC-centric, and one of the challenges includes hostels along with all accommodation searches. How novel for a city that is often hostile towards the industry, especially the private hostel sector. Here are the ... Technology The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/tripadvisor-not-hostel-friendly https://hosteltrends.com/article/tripadvisor-not-hostel-friendly Thu, 10 Sep 2015 22:39:37 GMT Dennis Pitcock In a world where non-hotel accommodation is booming, TripAdvisor is working hard to keep up. People are booking apartments, rooms, vacation rentals, and dorm beds as alternatives to hotels, and TripAdvisor has been making a half-hearted attempt to show all those options on their site, giving the s... Marketing Company Websites The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/myallocator-prices-rise https://hosteltrends.com/article/myallocator-prices-rise Mon, 27 Jul 2015 18:33:25 GMT Dennis Pitcock Adam Harris, the CEO of Cloudbeds, the owner of the Myallocator channel manager, has provided clarity on the rumor of a Myallocator price hike. Cloudbeds is restructuring the pricing of all their products. So simply put, yes, Myallocator will raise its pricing; however, we here at HostelTrends belie... Technology Channel Managers News The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/new-hostelworld-page-layout https://hosteltrends.com/article/new-hostelworld-page-layout Tue, 14 Jul 2015 21:34:05 GMT Dennis Pitcock Ah, the wonders of A/B testing. I was fortunate enough to come across a B version of their testing, and wow, what an improvement! You can paste "http://t.hostelworld.com/?home=1&test=b" into your browser and see for yourself. It might not work for every hostel; it could be implemented regionally and... Online Travel Agents The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/accessorize-bunks https://hosteltrends.com/article/accessorize-bunks Sat, 20 Jun 2015 15:27:22 GMT Dennis Pitcock [caption id="" align="alignright" width="250"] Cheap wall mounted LED lamp[/caption] Bunk beds and hostels have been intertwined for years. These two words are practically synonymous. This connection is so strong that many hostels are accessorizing their bunks, providing guests with additional value... FF&E Furniture Dorm Room The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/intro-online-booking-systems https://hosteltrends.com/article/intro-online-booking-systems Thu, 18 Jun 2015 18:39:07 GMT Dennis Pitcock Every hostel should have its own website Every hostel should have its own website and the ability for potential guests to make 'direct bookings' through that website, through what is commonly known as a 'booking engine.' Now, there are many ways to achieve this; however, you have the most control an... Technology Back Office Marketing Online Marketing https://hosteltrends.com/article/using-central-reservations-system https://hosteltrends.com/article/using-central-reservations-system Wed, 17 Jun 2015 13:01:14 GMT Dennis Pitcock A majority of major hotel chains have been reaping the benefits of using a central reservations system (CRS) for at least a decade, and now many hostel chains are getting in on the action as well. If you have more than one hostel, perhaps a CRS is right for you. With a CRS, all reservations at all y... Technology Operations Back Office Large Hostels Mega Hostels https://hosteltrends.com/article/intro-to-channel-managers https://hosteltrends.com/article/intro-to-channel-managers Tue, 16 Jun 2015 23:00:31 GMT Dennis Pitcock Channel Managers are essential for just about every hostel that sells its beds online across multiple websites. They are almost as important as Property Management Systems (PMS; read more about them here). However, not everyone needs to use a Channel Manager because many PMSs already have one built ... Technology https://hosteltrends.com/article/intro-property-management-systems https://hosteltrends.com/article/intro-property-management-systems Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:36:00 GMT Dennis Pitcock [caption id="attachment_591" align="alignleft" width="243"] Hostel PMS introduction[/caption] Property Management Systems are the heart of every hostel. Every hostel should have one.  At the very minimum, they manage your property, and your guests. The more pricey the PMS, the more it can do for you... Technology https://hosteltrends.com/article/truth-price-wars https://hosteltrends.com/article/truth-price-wars Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:46:05 GMT Dennis Pitcock At many of the early Hostelworld conferences, one of the main points they stressed was "Everyone Loses in a Price War," which is misleading. If they changed that statement to "Don't get into a price war because statistically, there is a small chance you would win," then it would be accurate. It too... The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/hostelworld-launches-tv-ad-campaign https://hosteltrends.com/article/hostelworld-launches-tv-ad-campaign Tue, 02 Jun 2015 13:23:13 GMT Dennis Pitcock The audience in the UK this week was surprised to see some nudity during the weekly airing of Game of Thrones because this nudity wasn't the usual; it was Hostelworld's first television advert. See for yourself: [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0xbODE6VLc\[/embed\] Hostelworld is increasingly... Online Travel Agents The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/rename-tripadvisors-hall-fame https://hosteltrends.com/article/rename-tripadvisors-hall-fame Sun, 24 May 2015 15:13:36 GMT Dennis Pitcock 'Tis the season. If you have many connections in the hospitality industry, you've probably noticed a few of them posting their TripAdvisor Excellence Awards that have recently been released. It’s a big deal, and congratulations to everyone who received one! However, what isn't new and should be rebr... Online Marketing Reviews News The Industry Funny https://hosteltrends.com/article/escape-room-work-hostel https://hosteltrends.com/article/escape-room-work-hostel Thu, 21 May 2015 14:22:14 GMT Dennis Pitcock Escape Room Innovation in Hostels: A Revenue Stream Worth Exploring Serial entrepreneur Daniele Colombo has been known to take his X Hostel brand to the next level, but his latest venture to build another revenue stream for his Bucharest hostels could create ripples in the industry. He took his wors... News The Industry Opinions https://hosteltrends.com/article/hostelworlds-new-face-lift https://hosteltrends.com/article/hostelworlds-new-face-lift Wed, 20 May 2015 13:47:48 GMT Dennis Pitcock It has been in the making for quite some time, and Hostelworld's desktop face-lift has finally been rolled out, and we're impressed! On top of all that, they even launched a new logo in orange, which is increasingly becoming the new color of online travel (Kayak.com, Viator.com, Hostelclub.com, GetY... Online Travel Agents The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/shouldnt-accept-guests-cant-pay https://hosteltrends.com/article/shouldnt-accept-guests-cant-pay Wed, 06 May 2015 16:29:04 GMT Dennis Pitcock It happens to all of us, one time or another. Someone is looking for a stay; however, someone else will pay on their behalf. The only major exception here is groups, which are a completely different matter altogether. A person unable to pay for their stay should be a major red flag, and you should o... Operations Pre-Opening Policies & Procedures The Industry Opinions Safety & Security https://hosteltrends.com/article/abr-occupancy-driven https://hosteltrends.com/article/abr-occupancy-driven Sun, 03 May 2015 17:30:58 GMT Dennis Pitcock There are typically two schools of thought in your yield management strategy, where hoteliers either focus on driving up the average daily rate (ADR - average bed rate for hostels) or occupancy as the basis of their varied prices. With ADR, your main focus is on driving up the price per bed. You all... Technology Revenue Management Systems Operations Back Office https://hosteltrends.com/article/no-pay-no-stay-thats-the-only-way https://hosteltrends.com/article/no-pay-no-stay-thats-the-only-way Fri, 01 May 2015 16:28:00 GMT Dennis Pitcock Many new hostels are so focused on their guests that they are willing to accept payment at the guests' convenience. As pleasant as this might be for the guests, this is a major no-no. It is just too risky for the hostel. No matter how convenient it could be for the guests, consider these top reasons... Operations Pre-Opening Small Hostels Medium Hostels Large Hostels Mega Hostels Hostel Size Policies & Procedures The Industry Opinions https://hosteltrends.com/article/treat-otas-like-dating-sites https://hosteltrends.com/article/treat-otas-like-dating-sites Mon, 20 Apr 2015 15:04:07 GMT Dennis Pitcock Ask anyone single today who has been single some other time at least a decade ago, and they'll surely admit that online dating sites have changed the dating game forever. Nowadays, quasi-successful online daters can line up dates for every night of the week, and the truly successful have already fou... Marketing Online Marketing Online Travel Agents https://hosteltrends.com/article/4-companies-priceline-buy https://hosteltrends.com/article/4-companies-priceline-buy Mon, 06 Apr 2015 14:51:10 GMT Dennis Pitcock You might think Priceline (PCLN) and Expedia (EXPE) are playing a chess game with one another, but in reality, Expedia is only reacting to Priceline, which is playing an entirely different game. Priceline buying HotelNinjas and Buuteeq shows they are on a different path—a path that offers hoteliers ... The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/7-reasons-open-hostel-instead-hotel https://hosteltrends.com/article/7-reasons-open-hostel-instead-hotel Wed, 25 Mar 2015 23:15:51 GMT Dennis Pitcock Tourism is booming and expected to grow. You've already found an amazing property, and the hotels in the area have high daily rates and impressive occupancy levels. Everything is looking great, and you’re just about ready to move forward with your new project, but something tells you to wait; there ... Operations Food & Beverage Pre-Opening Hostel Size The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/will-retirement-hostels-be-the-next-big-thing https://hosteltrends.com/article/will-retirement-hostels-be-the-next-big-thing Mon, 23 Mar 2015 22:29:09 GMT Dennis Pitcock This topic actually started off as a joke, but the more I said it, the better it began to sound. With retirement becoming increasingly expensive and medical advancements continuously raising our life expectancy, many retirees are questioning whether they want to settle in one place to spend their re... The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/security-from-a-prison https://hosteltrends.com/article/security-from-a-prison Fri, 20 Mar 2015 19:26:12 GMT Dennis Pitcock Upon visiting Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, I realized that some of the best security tips for hostels can be taken directly from prisons. Eastern State Penitentiary boasts the world's first penitentiary, and its facility has served as an inspiration for some of the greatest prisons to... Operations Pre-Opening Small Hostels Medium Hostels Large Hostels Mega Hostels Hostel Size Policies & Procedures The Industry Opinions Safety & Security https://hosteltrends.com/article/siteminder-exit https://hosteltrends.com/article/siteminder-exit Fri, 13 Mar 2015 15:53:59 GMT Dennis Pitcock I had the pleasure of being introduced to Siteminder in Australia during its early days, and it was just as impressive a product then as it is today. Siteminder started in "Oz" on the premise that the channel managers of the time (cough cough Rate Tiger cough cough) were clumsy, buggy, and simply no... Technology Operations The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/5-reasons-expedia-buy-hostelworld https://hosteltrends.com/article/5-reasons-expedia-buy-hostelworld Fri, 06 Mar 2015 08:53:43 GMT Dennis Pitcock   UPDATE: It looks like even after a float, the company still dreams of becoming part of the Expedia team. Hostelworld has appointed an ex-Expedia executive as their new CEO. Expedia has been on an acquisition rampage lately, shocking the world by buying Wotif, Travelocity, and Orbitz. Even after t... The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/hostel-barriers-nyc https://hosteltrends.com/article/hostel-barriers-nyc Wed, 04 Mar 2015 05:29:53 GMT Dennis Pitcock New York City is one of the largest tourist destinations in the world, yet it is light years behind in terms of hostels. NYC can easily accommodate a couple of for-profit mega hostels, yet none are in the space. Hostelworld has teamed up with some mega hostels, and still no luck. Could the Big Apple... The Industry https://hosteltrends.com/article/expedia-priceline-battle-intensifies https://hosteltrends.com/article/expedia-priceline-battle-intensifies Mon, 02 Mar 2015 13:36:56 GMT Dennis Pitcock Expedia has been flexing lately, demonstrating its powerful stance in the travel market and offering a glimpse as it strengthens its vulnerabilities against its main competitor, Priceline. Take a look at their recent acquisitions: Wotif (July 2014): Wotif is a huge player in the Oceania market, esp... Online Travel Agents News https://hosteltrends.com/article/the-volunteer-labor-force https://hosteltrends.com/article/the-volunteer-labor-force Sun, 01 Mar 2015 08:07:21 GMT Dennis Pitcock The hostel industry is maturing, and competition is growing fierce, where many owners look to save on their salary costs by having so-called volunteers do the work. These owners will tell you that a good hostel employee is hard to find, yet they can easily find a traveler through helpx, workaways, o... Operations https://hosteltrends.com/article/industry-spotlight-generator-hostels https://hosteltrends.com/article/industry-spotlight-generator-hostels Sat, 28 Feb 2015 08:00:56 GMT Dennis Pitcock The European-based Generator brand is ultimately one of the top 5 hostel chains in the world. They have made some major moves over the past 5 years and are taking hosteling to an entirely new level. Generator recently received a capital injection at the end of 2014, which has it evaluated at 260.8 M... News Spotlights https://hosteltrends.com/article/location-location-locations https://hosteltrends.com/article/location-location-locations Fri, 27 Feb 2015 09:30:31 GMT Dennis Pitcock Location matters when it comes to hostels. You can attract guests based on the location alone, even if the hostel is poorly run. If you are looking to start a hostel or expand to a new location, choosing your location should be done with care. Is it close to a bus station? Train station? Subway stop... Pre-Opening Hostel Size