YHA Live More campaign recognised at Global Youth Travel Awards

YHA (England and Wales) Live More campaign has been internationally recognised for reconnecting with 16 – 24 year olds in the UK through its Live More campaign. The youth hostelling charity has won the prestigious Innovation in Marketing award at the Global Youth Travel Awards 2014.

The annual awards, which were recently held in Dublin, celebrate the outstanding performers within the youth, student and educational travel industry and act as a benchmark for excellence within this fast-growing sector.

YHA's Live More campaign was launched in England and Wales last year, combining adventure and music to engage with young people. The campaign reached 832,256 students and increased YHA's Facebook community by 255% and has contributed to a 21% rise in awareness of YHA amongst the under 26s in the last 12 months.

Commenting on the award win, Joe Lynch, Director of Marketing for YHA (England and Wales) said: "This is a tremendous achievement and tells us that our Live More campaign is working. We set out to reconnect with young people – because that is what YHA is all about – and we are making excellent progress."

Confirming YHA's reputation as youth brand, YHA has also been shortlisted in the Travel category of Voxburner's Youth 100: The UK's Top Brands According To 18-24s.

Estimated to be globally worth £80 billion, youth travel is recognised as the fastest growing travel industry sector. In Europe, the UK is second only to Germany in the number of its young people that travel abroad each year.

The Live More campaign is designed to challenge any misconceptions young people may have about YHAs, positioning them as contemporary, comfortable accommodation in a range of great locations. YHA has been commended for its interior styling by Cosmopolitan and Elle magazines and the Daily Telegraph.

Capitalising on the range of locations, the Live More campaign categorised 21 YHAs according to five holiday moods, from adventure, escapism and partying to culture or taking over a hostel for a weekend with a group of friends. The campaign promoted stays within the YHA network for as little as £10 per person per night

As part of the Live More campaign a young unsigned band, The Intermission Project, embarked on the YHA Road Trip travelling in a vintage YHA-branded campervan, playing free gigs at five iconic YHAs. The band was joined on the Bristol leg of the trip by British breakthrough artist George Ezra. The two-week Road Trip was filmed and footage uploaded to YouTube where it generated more than 20,000 views.

The YHA Road Trip positioned YHA in the psyche of up and coming musicians, with a number choosing to use the 160-strong network of properties to showcase their music. One such musician included 20 year-old Rose Redd who, earlier this year used 10 YHAs to create her own Road Trip to promote her EP release.

As well as providing venues for artists to showcase their talents, it is also an opportunity for YHA (England and Wales) to reach out to young people and highlight incredible wealth of affordable adventure and accommodation on their doorstep and YHA is the gateway to exploring it.

Joe Lynch added: "YHA's Live More campaign is all about enabling young people to make the most of their freedom while not breaking the bank. We want to encourage them to take a gap weekend and get out and discover what the UK has to offer now.

"Because of the fact YHA is a charity and our network of accommodation is so diverse, we're able to offer a truly unique experience to young people and the opportunity for them to literally, live more."

Since 2011 YHA has invested more than £25 million in its network helping put further distance between the outdated public perceptions of YHAs. Today's modern YHAs include private en suite rooms and licensed bars and restaurants. Later this year YHA (England and Wales) will be opening brand new YHA's at the Eden Project in Cornwall on 24 October and also in Brighton, where the former four star Royal York Hotel has been transformed and will open its doors on 17 November.

To take a virtual tour of a modern YHA Youth Hostel visit www.yha.org.uk/hostel-virtual-tours

For further details or to make a booking at YHAs in England and Wales, visit www.yha.org.uk or call 0800 0191 700.

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About YHA (England and Wales)

YHA is a charity with a clear mission: to inspire all, especially young people, to broaden their horizons gaining knowledge and independence through new experiences of adventure and discovery.

YHA has a network of around 140 diverse hostels throughout England and Wales – often situated in exceptional locations. These welcoming and sociable spaces are open to everyone.

YHA helps young people take part in educational or recreational visits with their friends or classmates by providing financial support from YHA's bursary scheme, Breaks for Kids. In 2012, YHA awarded grants totalling £189,000, providing 5,722 funded trips for young people.

Caroline White, Chief Executive of YHA (England and Wales) is listed in the Women 1st Top 100 Club; a network of the most influential women in hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism, who act as ambassadors and role models for the female leaders of tomorrow.

YHA (England and Wales) ranks 69th in The Sunday Times top 100 best not–for–profit organisations to work for 2014.

In 2012, YHA welcomed 862,000 guests of all ages and backgrounds, who enjoyed 1,743,539 overnight stays.

In 2012 YHA (England and Wales) had 190,801 members.

Further information about YHA can be found at www.yha.org.uk