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Last Wednesday the 6th, Thursday the 7th and Friday the 8th of November we attended Segundo Congreso Internacional de Hostels in the city of San Rafael (Mendoza, Argentina). This event, organised by the Asociación Civil y Federal de Hostels de Argentina, brought together more than 70 hostel managers from different provinces of Argentina and Chile.

What happened at the event

Wednesday

The conference began on Wednesday 6th at 7pm at Chaglasian Wine & Suites, where we met many hosteliers who had just arrived in San Rafael from different parts of the country.

Those who had met at the First Conference were reunited, and those of us who were attending for the first time were greeted with a lot of good vibes and hospitality.

After a short tour, during which Juan, the owner of the winery, invited us to taste some of his wines, we went down to the winery to enjoy the folclore show. We sang, danced and enjoyed the reception.

Thursday

Thursday 7th saw a full day of lectures and exhibitions at the Alfredo Bufano Conference and Exhibition Centre.

It began with the opening and presentation of the local authorities and the Association's Executive Committee, who expressed their gratitude and pleasure at having brought so many hotellers together.

The 10 presentations covered topics such as financial management and cost control, experience design, creativity and marketing.

We highlight:

• Why a Hostel? - Eugenio Monforte (BananaDesk)

  Eugenio, between anecdotes and love stories, talked about the importance of hostels in his life and encouraged hostellers to keep betting on this type of business.

• Sustainability and social responsibility - Jhonny Albino (Hostel EcoMalargüe)

  Jhonny, owner of Hostel EcoMalargüe (Malargüe, Mendoza), began his presentation with a brief history of hostels in Argentina and his first steps in the hostelling world.

  He then shared his experience of running a sustainable hostel, EcoMalargüe, where the social and environmental impact of every action and service is studied and measured. https://hostelmalargue.com/wp/sobre-nos/sustentabilidad/

  Jhonny's experience is inspiring because it shows what every hostel manager can do in their business to be environmentally and socially responsible.

• Digital Nomads - Guillermo Reyes (Hostel Punto Patagonico)

  Guillermo from Hostel & CoWork Punto Patagónico (Neuquén) told us how, through a detailed analysis of his audience, he was able to promote a co-working space that has the Sello Nómades Digitales.

  Guillermo's talk highlighted the importance of knowing who chooses your hostel in order to offer experiences that not only adapt to their preferences and needs, but that are also a differentiating factor for your business.

• From Hosteller to Hostel Entrepreneur - Pablo Molteni (Hostel Achalay)

  Pablo spoke directly to his fellow hostellers, encouraging them to think of themselves as entrepreneurs and giving them tips from his experience on how to optimise their time management and focus on business strategy.

  We highlight these three presentations because they are real experiences of hostellers, who not only came to discuss their results, but also used their examples to show the hostel managers present that it is possible to work on a solid strategy to offer customers different and valuable proposals.

Cerramos el segundo día del congreso compartiendo un asado con todos los asistentes en Shanti Hostel.

Friday

The last day of the event kicked off at the Centro Tecnológico de Desarrollo Regional UTN Los Reyunos with a presentation by the Hostelworld team on the various paid tools the platform has at its disposal to increase visibility and boost bookings.

This was followed by the Group Discussions. An invaluable space for debate and exchange between hostel managers. Although time was limited, the hotellers who took part shared their experiences on various topics organised by the association.

• Marketing and sales
• Human resources management
• Fight against informality
• Professionalisation and security

Last but not least, the place of the next conference was defined: Rosario (Santa Fe, Argentina).

After sharing lunch with an incredible view of Embalse Los Reyunos, the day ended with a ride on the catamaran.

Our experience

It was a very intensive three days. We talked to hostellers from different parts of the country and made the most of every moment. We talked with:

• Guillermo from Punto Patagónico (Neuquén)

• Johnny from Hostel EcoMalargüe (Mendoza)

• Elio from Shanti Hostel (Mendoza)

• Pablo from Achalay Hostel (Río Negro)

• Leo from Hostel Point (Santa Fe)

• Mariano from ChileSertur (Chile)

• Lucrecia from Hostel Luan Posada de Montaña (Chubut)

• Leyla from Hostel Estación Mendoza (Mendoza)

• Rodrigo from Vi&Vi Hostel (Mendoza)

• Darío from Lost and Found Iguazú (Misiones)

• Patricio from Florida Hostel (Entre Ríos)

• Patricia from Hostel Anacrusa (Chubut)

• Rodrigo from Tierra Andina (Jujuy)

We noticed in each of them that they spoke about their hostel with love and a desire to share their experiences: what worked for them, what didn't, their obstacles, difficulties, challenges and prospects for the future.

In relation to the Conference as an event, we believe that in order for it to continue to grow as THE hostelling event, and with a view to the next Conference (Rosario 2025), it is of the utmost importance that there are more spaces for co-creation, exchange of experiences and collaborative work, as well as giving priority to exhibitions of real experiences of hoteliers.

The associativity that this type of space promotes is fundamental to the consolidation of the hostel sector as a leading player in the tourism industry.

Together we are stronger