At the 50th International Conference in Bangkok, 4-6th August 2014, Hostelling International National Association members elected Mrs Angela Braasch-Eggert to be their new President. Mrs Braasch-Eggert has served as a Board Member for a total of ten years, first between 2000 and 2008 and most recently since 2012, and will take up her new post on 7th August 2014. Mrs Braasch-Eggert is a qualified lawyer and currently holds the position of President of the Federation of Youth Hostels in Germany (DJH) as well as that of President of the Regional Association of Nordmark based in Hamburg, where she lives. The Conference also saw a major shake-up of the Board, with five new Trustees appointed to help shape the organisation's future.

Speaking of her appointment, Mrs Braasch-Eggert said: “I am committed to strengthening the value proposition of youth hostels on international level. Youth hostels in Germany stand for a combination of social commitment, high-quality programmes of events for young people, and an economically sustainable business model. I am looking forward to bringing this success to the rest of the world.”

Outgoing President Edith Arnoult-Brill steps down after 12 years on the Board, six of which were as its leader. During the past six years, Mrs Arnoult-Brill has presided over a great number of key projects including a review of the legal structure, the introduction of a new Sustainability Charter and a brand new website platform which launched in April of this year. At the 50th Conference, members voted to adopt the Core Values of Hostelling International which will support the company's vision and help develop the brand over the coming years.

Mrs Arnoult-Brill commented “I am proud of what we have achieved these past six years. The outgoing Board has left a strong foundation upon which to build for the future, especially now we have taken significant steps in strengthening the values and philosophy of Hostelling International, and I wish Angela and her team the very best success.”

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About Hostelling International (HI)

• Hostelling International is a non-governmental, not-for profit organisation representing 69 Member Associations and 4 Associate Organisations all over the world.
• We work closely with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
• HI has been identified as the sixth largest provider of travel accommodation in the world.
• Around 3,500 hostels within 85 countries
• 37 million overnights per year
• 500 million GBP estimated annual revenue within the HI network
• Four million members, HI is one of the world's largest youth membership organisations and is the only global network of Youth Hostel Associations.
• HI will make sure the best experience possible awaits our customers. For us it's not just about having a place to stay, it's about experiencing all that hostelling has to offer, whether that takes the form of learning about different cultures, meeting new people or discovering yourself.

Please visit our website for further information about HI www.hihostels.com.