The nexus between hiking and youth hostels (1907–1933): A historical analysis of the evolution of the German youth hostel movement

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a historical analysis of data on the history of German youth hostelling up until 1933. While providing a detailed historical account of the evolution of German Youth hostels, the paper draws attention to the strong link between this evolutionary process and the dissemination of hiking. Consequently, the paper proposes that hiking fostered the emergence of youth hostels, which, in return by the 1920s, provided the entire German population the opportunity to participate in multi-day hiking. In concluding, it is suggested that future research should extend the knowledge on this topic, by investigating the role youth hostels in different countries played in spreading the idea of hiking. Management implicationsThe paper provides a detailed historical analysis of the evolution of German youth hostelling. The advantages for management are the following:•It explores the relationship between this evolutionary process and the dissemination of hiking.•It facilitates the understanding of the role historical events play in the evolution of tourist accommodations and the influence that these facilities, in return, can have on the leisure activities of a whole nation.•It may enable managers to be aware of and to integrate these new insights into planning or developing outdoor recreational facilities at a very early stage.