Slight Decline in School Trips at NRW Youth Hostels - North Rhine-Westphalia's youth hostels see a 5.4% drop in 2025 bookings
Youth hostels in North Rhine-Westphalia saw fewer visitors in 2025, with overnight stays dropping by 5.4 percent. The region recorded around 1.54 million bookings, a decline compared to both the previous year and pre-pandemic levels. Schools, families and hiking groups showed mixed trends across different areas.
The Rhineland area experienced a slight fall in school group bookings, dipping to just under 374,800 overnight stays. Despite this, schools still made up the largest share at 40.2 percent of all guests. Meanwhile, hiking groups in the same region grew by 2.2 percent, reaching 226,000 stays.
In Westphalia-Lippe, youth hostels faced a sharper decline. School bookings fell by 4 percent to roughly 605,000 stays, partly due to the temporary closure of one hostel. Rising costs and fewer young volunteers also contributed to an 11 percent drop in group bookings overall. Family trips, however, remained stable with around 119,000 overnight stays, keeping their usual 20 percent share of guest groups.
The overall decline in overnight stays reflects broader challenges for youth hostels in the region. While hiking groups grew slightly, school and group bookings shrank due to closures, higher prices and volunteer shortages. The figures highlight shifting travel patterns among key visitor groups.
