eire wrote:i don't know much about it, i just came across it online on a page listing sydney hostels and thought it looked alright.would you recommend we stick with YHA hostels then?
The YHA in Australia is a pretty professional organisation but even then you would be wise to research their hostels in Sydney carefully. As you are no doubt aware the backpacker industry in Australia has exploded in recent years. Here in Adelaide where I live I've seen former corner shops and pubs (excuse me while I have a little weep about the pubs) turned into backpacker hostels. For the most part they seem to be pretty good but I would be a bit wary of the ones that are for a quick buck. Adelaide is only about a million people but we have a lot of backpacker hostels as we host those who are about to make the trip up through the centre to Darwin.
Anyway back to your question. YHA Australia is affiliated with the worldwide organisation so it has to maintain its standards. I'm a member and I get quite a bit of information from them about travel overseas so for mine they are a reputable organisation. Were I going to Sydney for a while think I would stick with YHA there rather than take my chances with independent hosteliers. Not that there wouldn't be some good independents of course, just that with the YHA you have a large organisation that you can go to if you need help.
This website might help
http://www.tourism.nsw.gov.au/home/
it's the tourism authority for NSW.
This is from the corporate part of that site
Quote:Hostel Chains
The last ten years have seen the development of a large number of converted or purpose built backpacker hostels. There are now around 100 backpacker hostels in New South Wales. There are three major chains of hostels, and quite a number of independent, non-aligned hostels. The major chains are YHA (37 hostels in New South Wales/ACT), VIP Backpacker Resorts (40 hostels) and Nomads World (11 hostels) and they are predominantly marketing collectives (though YHA is also a hostel owner/operator).
And this
Quote:Safety Issues of Significance
The New South Wales Police Service has established a Tourism Liaison Unit whose role is to provide general safety instructions, trace missing tourists and work to recover stolen property.
Tourism operators providing adventure activities with an element of risk are required to adopt safe practices and have a duty to implement adequate safety precautions. Membership of the relevant organisation, like OTOA (see below), provides accreditation.
Key safety advice backpacker operators can provide to the adventurous backpacker includes instructions concerning hitchhiking, swimming hazards, sun exposure, venomous creatures, outback travel precautions (e.g. water and fuel supplies etc) and other personal health risks.
And again
Quote:Accreditation
The Backpacker Operators Association of NSW Inc. (BOA) was established in 1992. This trade organisation represents the concerns and interests of NSW backpacker operators. Its objectives include:
Promoting Sydney and New South Wales to overseas and interstate visitors.
Promoting cooperation between operators and other tourist and travel sectors.
Providing an avenue for approaching government.
Members are required to provide evidence of compliance with appropriate regulations and standards.
BOA was involved with the drawing up of the New South Wales Backpacker Development Action Plan in conjunction with Tourism New South Wales in 2000, and is committed to being involved in the implementation of its recommendations.
Outdoor Tour Operators Association (OTOA) is the industry association for small and medium sized tourism operators in nature based, adventure sports and other outdoor tourism sectors in New South Wales.
OTOA has developed an accreditation scheme for members and provides cooperative marketing and networking opportunities for operators.
Bit more
Quote:Guidebooks
Guidebooks are considered essential travel accessories prior to and during a backpacker holiday. Backpackers will usually carry at least one or two books, with the most popular titles being produced by Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Let?s Go. There are also specialist foreign language guides to Australia.
It is absolutely essential to ensure your business is included in these guides. There is no paid advertising, but reviewers are constantly travelling Australia. A good impression, and therefore a good write up, will attract the interest of backpackers.
Backpacker Publications
There are a number of locally produced backpacker publications, which are mainly free, distributed through hostels, airports, coach stations etc. They rely on advertising for their income.
Many fly-by-night operators have set up publications, selling advertising to unsuspecting operators, so it is worth fully checking out publications before placing advertisements.
Magazines that have existed for a number of years include TNT (various state editions), Aussie Backpacker and The Word:
Backpacking Australia (formerly Travel Maps Australia).
The magazines are here:
Quote:
Aussie Backpacker
PO Box 1264
Townsville QLD 4810
Ph: (07) 4772 3244, Fax: (07) 4772 3250
E-mail:
[email protected]
Website:
www.aussiebackpacker.com.au
The Word: Backpacking Australia
TMA, Suite 1505A, Level 15, Tower 1,
500 Oxford Street
Bondi Junction NSW 2022
Ph: (02) 9369 2738, Fax: (02) 9389 5450,
E-mail:
[email protected]
Website:
www.tma.com.au
TNT Magazine
Level 4, 46-48 York Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: (02) 9299 4811, Fax: (02) 9299 4861,
E-mail:
[email protected]
Website:
www.tntmag.com.au
And a few more:
I hope that helps.
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