Zostel has announced a strategic partnership with Safestay, enabling access to 24 hostel properties across more than 20 cities in Europe and the United Kingdom through Zostel’s digital platform.
Under the partnership, Safestay’s 24 hostels will be listed on Zostel.com, while 82 Zostel properties across India, Nepal, and Thailand will be featured on safestay.com. Together, the combined network will cover more than 8,000 beds across Europe, the UK, India, Nepal, and Thailand. Both companies will continue operating independently while leveraging cross-listing capabilities to strengthen international travel access and booking convenience.
The collaboration comes at a time when India-to-Europe travel has grown by 17% year-on-year in 2025, driven by increasing demand from Indian travellers combining European and Asian destinations within a single itinerary. The partnership is aimed at simplifying multi-stop travel planning and direct bookings without relying heavily on third-party travel aggregators.
According to the companies, nearly 20 properties are expected to go live during the first phase within the coming week, while the complete rollout is targeted for completion by June 2026. The partnership is also supported by a common framework of minimum service standards focused on guest safety, security, fire safety, in-room quality, safeguarding policies, equality measures, and data protection protocols.
Aviral Gupta added: “We believe the best way to travel anywhere is to have a local friend. With Safestay, that’s what our community of nearly 3 million travellers now has across 22 European cities. Zostel unlocks 100+ destinations across India, Nepal and Thailand. We see strong alignment between the two brands on quality, safety and guest experience, and are excited to build on this together. One global community, not just one global brand.”
Larry Lipman commented: “This partnership with Zostel represents an exciting strategic development in extending Safestay’s international reach through a scalable, capital-light model. By aligning with a leading hostel operator in India with aligned values, we will access new customer segments and strengthen our position in key long-haul travel markets. We believe it is a strong commercial fit between two complementary hostel networks with a shared focus on quality, value, safety and guest experience.”
With access to Safestay’s European network, the collaboration is expected to significantly strengthen Zostel’s international business. The company projects 40–50% growth in international bookings over the next 12 months. The cross-listing model is also expected to generate an additional ₹8–10 crore in revenue by 2027 while reducing dependence on online travel agency commissions through stronger direct booking volumes.
The partnership reflects a broader trend within the travel industry where hospitality brands are increasingly leveraging digital transformation, direct-to-consumer strategies, and global collaborations to expand customer reach and improve booking efficiency. As international travel rebounds and travellers prioritise experience-driven journeys, partnerships that combine regional strength with global accessibility are expected to play a larger role in shaping the future of travel and hostel ecosystems.
