Zostel, a community-led, experience-driven ecosystem, has reached 65-70% of pre-COVID times in terms of revenues as compared to the previous calendar year. Having achieved this significant feat, the platform now plans to build on the existing momentum to return to pre-COVID levels by early next year.
The brand’s remarkable growth trajectory comes on the back of multiple initiatives taken for customers and partners, and to increase sales to tide over the pandemic without much damage. For customers, Zostel introduced the Travel for Tomorrow (TFT), an initiative taken by the company to reach out to relevant industry stakeholders including cafe owners, small homestays, adventure companies, property managers and staff, and franchise owners. The initiative aims at enabling recuperative transformation within the tourism and hospitality ecosystem to help it tide over the pandemic.
Under the TFT initiative, Zostel also included the Zostel Credit feature, facilitating redeemable, credit-based travel packages for new-age travelers. Additionally, the brand also provides Move-in Long Stay packages, Co-living packages that are available in Zostel homes in metro cities , and even a Backpacker package that offers discounted stays at any Zostel property on any given date if booked in advance. For its partners, the company came up with reduced commissions, arrangements for a long stay, case-to-case dealing without uniform policies, and operational handholding that will help its partners weather the storm.
Speaking on the brand’s progress amidst the global crisis, Dharamveer Singh Chouhan, Cofounder & CEO said, “We are incredibly proud to announce that our revenues have almost reached 70% of the pre-COVID times. With this as an impetus, we look forward to clocking 100% pre-COVID levels soon. Zostel has always been committed to offering best-in-class services to its customers and the necessary guidance for our partners and we will continue to do the same. For the future, we are actively looking at more targeted supply and distribution and reach out of direct channels through better-customized solutions and systems.”
Zostel has ensured that all COVID regulations and safety protocols are strictly followed. The platform even offers customers an option of ‘social distancing dorms’ and ‘group dorm rooms’, where groups of travelers can book the entire dorm for themselves.
