Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand

The Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand (often shortened to YHA New Zealand or YHANZ) is a youth hostelling association in New Zealand. As of 2017, it comprised 41 backpacker hostels—19 in the North Island, and 22 in the South Island. 14 are owned by YHA New Zealand, with another 4 properties being franchise partners and the remainder associates. Tourism is a major industry in the country, and Tourism New Zealand has said that 11 per cent of visitors stay in backpackers' hostels.^[1] YHA New Zealand is one of the major providers of hostel accommodation within this market.

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the organisation in 2007, then Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand described YHA NZ as a "standout New Zealand organisation" and "such an iconic feature of holidaying in New Zealand".^[2] The YHA hostel in Wellington won the Hostelworld "Hoscar" prize for Best Hostel in Oceania in 2007 and 2008.^[3] In 2009 the YHA hostel in Rotorua won the award.^[4]

In November 2021, it was reported that YHA New Zealand would close its remaining 11 managed hostels in December, due largely to COVID-related financial losses.^[5] However, 20 other individually-owned YHAs will continue to operate as normal; Ahipara, Paihia, Bay of Islands, Gisborne, National Park, New Plymouth, Taupō, Waitomo, Whanganui, Whangarei, Arthur's Pass, Golden Bay, Hanmer Springs, Hokitika, Kinloch, Nelson, Picton, Punakaiki, Springfield, Westport.^[6]

History[]

The Sunlight League was formed in 1931 in New Zealand and their attention was drawn to German youth hostels later that year;^[7] youth hostels had begun in Altena in 1912.^[8] The first ones in the Southern Hemisphere were those of the Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand, after its formation on 8 April 1932,^[9] at a meeting of 9 Canterbury tramping organisations, brought together by the League^[10] and chaired by Sir Arthur Dudley Dobson. Sir Arthur was elected as President and vice-presidents included Sir Heaton Rhodes and Professors Arnold Wall and Macmillan Brown. Cora Wilding had negotiated for trampers belonging to the clubs forming the Association to stay at nearby Le Bon's Bay, Port Levy, Pigeon's Bay, Okain's Bay, Akaroa, Duvauchelle, and Hill Top, all on Banks Peninsula.^[11] Teddington and Diamond Harbour were also added in 1932.^[12] YHA-NZ had 895 members by 1953.^[13] in 1983 there were 47 hostels, 6,700 life members and 21,000 ordinary members.^[9]

It has been a member association of Hostelling International since 1946.^[9] YHA New Zealand was established in 1932 in Canterbury by Cora Wilding.^[14] The national office is based in Christchurch. A national council was created in 1955. In 1965 there were 39 hostels and 7000 members.^[14] Previously, the patron of the association was the Governor-General of New Zealand.

Sustainability[]

This section contains content that is written like an advertisement. Please help by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links, and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view. (November 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

YHA New Zealand has placed a focus on sustainability. The organisation has taken initiatives aimed at reducing organic waste, recycling, reducing emissions, energy reduction^[15] and reduction of water consumption. Initiatives include composting waste on site, separate disposal facilities for recyclable waste and intelligent flush systems in toilets. Energy reduction includes heat recovery from shower waste water and air-to-air heat recovery ventilation systems for condensation control. YHA Wellington was the first backpackers' hostel in New Zealand to achieve Qualmark's Enviro-Gold rating. YHA have gained Enviro-ratings for 10 of their hostels so far.^{[16][better source needed]}

Current YHA-NZ hostels[]

This is a list of current YHA-NZ hostels.^[17] This section was up-to-date as of October 2021.

Name	Image	Region	Year opened
Ahipara		Northland
Aoraki Mt Cook		Canterbury	1958[18] replaced in 1987[8]
Arthur's Pass		Canterbury	1955[19] replacing 1948 hostel
Auckland International	Auckland International YHA, Turner Street in 2015	Auckland	refurbished 2018[20]
Bay of Islands, Paihia		Northland
Bay of Islands, The Rock		Northland	cruise boat
Christchurch		Canterbury
Franz Josef	YHA Franz Josef in 2017	West Coast	1980[9]
Gisborne		Gisborne	1974[9]
Golden Bay (Tākaka)		Tasman
Hanmer Springs		Canterbury
Hokitika		West Coast
Kinloch, Glenorchy		Otago
Lake Tekapo		Canterbury	1967[9] replaced 2019[20]
National Park		Manawatū-Whanganui
Nelson		Nelson
New Plymouth		Taranaki
Picton		Marlborough
Punakaiki		West Coast
Queenstown Central		Otago
Queenstown Lakefront	YHA Queenstown Lakeside in 2017	Otago	1972[8]
Rotorua	YHA Rotorua in 2013	Bay of Plenty	2008[8]
Springfield		Canterbury
Taupō		Waikato	1984[21]
Te Anau		Southland	1961 replaced 1977[9] and again since[22]
Waitomo		Waikato
Wanaka		Otago	2009[8]
Wellington		Wellington
Whanganui		Manawatū-Whanganui
Whangārei		Northland
Westport		West Coast

Former hostels[]

This section lists the locations of former YHA-NZ hostels.

This list is incomplete; you can help by . (October 2021)

Name	Image	Region	Opened	Closed
Cora Wilding, Christchurch		Canterbury	1966[8]	1997[23]
Rolleston House, Christchurch	Rolleston House YHA	Canterbury	1974[8]	2020[24]
City Road, Auckland	Auckland City Road YHA in 2010	Auckland	1990,[8] refurbished 2016[20]
71 Stafford Street, Dunedin		Otago	1969 replaced 1980[9]	listed 1986[25]
1190 Victoria Street, Hamilton		Waikato	1961, replaced 1981[9]	2006[26] to 2013[27]
Montgomery, Hill Top		Canterbury	1957[28]
Napier	Napier YHA in 2018	Hawke's Bay	1984[21]
42 Weka Street, Nelson		Nelson	1981[9]	after 2010[29]
Ōkārito		West Coast	1958[9]	1990[30]
Kukupa, Pigeon Bay		Canterbury	1952[9]	1995[31]
Raglan	Solscape, YHA Raglan in 2016	Waikato	during 2010s[32]
Trout Stream, Cooper’s Creek		Canterbury	1948[33] now derelict[34]

References[]

• Cora and Co: The first half-century of New Zealand youth hostelling by Dion Crooks (1982, Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand)

External links[]

• Official website