Louise Garner of Kabannas

02/02/24 • 38 min

What’s one of the most important aspects of developing a new hostel brand in the post-pandemic travel space? Staffing? Tech? TikTok? And what about the bed? Comfort? Cool? Cheap?
This Ask Us Anything conversation with Louise Garner, Commercial Director of Kabannas, a new hostel brand in the UK, offers some opinions and insights on the question. Louise discusses the development of tech specifically designed for hostels and around revenue management of the bed. We also touch on developing a social media strategy alongside the development of your guest experience. And of course, something that’s been a challenge for most in hospitality coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic - staffing. Strategic partners have been key to the launch of Kabannas, and as you’ll hear Louise say, 2024 will be a ‘big year’ for the brand, especially when it comes to expansion plans... have a listen.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

Previous Episode

Kahraman Yigit of Olive Living

CEO and Co-founder of India’s vibrant new brand Olive Living is our guest on this episode of the Ask Us Anything podcast: Kahraman Yigit.
Kahraman talks about experience-driven travel and Olive Living's ambition to become the first members club for millennials and gen z. Having launched Olive just a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Kahraman also reflects on some of the big learnings for hospitality that came out of the pandemic and what the must-have tech is for hospitality and providing the ultimate guest experience in 2024. Have a listen.
Recorded December 2023.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.

Next Episode

Kevin Morgan and Randy LeGrant of Academic Language Solutions - iTEP

Guests for this Ask Us Anything conversation are Kevin Morgan and Randy LeGrant, co-founders of Academic Language Solutions. The company specialises in English language proficiency testing, and offers a range of tests under the brand iTEP. There are iTEP tests to assess conversational or business English, as well as career-specific tests for hospitality or child care. There are also academic tests geared for university and high school admissions and tests utilised by cultural exchange programmes.

Kevin and Randy first met in 1979. They iTEP in 2016, but their experience in youth, student and educational travel stretches back much further and across more than just English language learning. In this conversation you’ll learn how each got started in cultural exchange travel and how they went from careers in teaching and communications to technology. Kevin boils it down to two words: curiosity and necessity.

We also discuss the influence of Artificial Intelligence on not only their business and product technology, but young people, education and travel. You’ll also find out what’s in the iTEP pipeline for 2024 and beyond. Have a listen.
Recorded February 2024.

Learn more about WYSE Travel Confederation, the international travel trade association for organisations specialised in youth, student and educational travel.