The site is planned to go live during the week of 25 May 2026. The schedule below sets out the key dates for each stage of content submission and what each milestone means for your hostels
We want to be straightforward about how this works: only hostels with complete core records will go live on 25 May.
But don't worry. Hostels whose content is still in progress will simply follow in a subsequent release -there is no penalty for this, and the site will continue to grow after launch as more content comes in. The goal is to have as many hostels live as possible on day one, and we will work with you to make that happen.
We also want to be clear that if we need to delay go-live, we will. We would rather launch at the right moment with the right content than rush something out that doesn't do your hostels justice. This is a website for the whole HI network, and we will make the decision that is right for everyone.
This is the date by which we would love to have all Tier 1 core hostel content submitted — whether as completed CSV templates, reviewed AI-generated drafts, or integration pilot files. Submitting by this date gives the HI Digital team the best possible window to import, validate, and resolve any questions before go-live, and gives your hostels the best chance of being live on day one.
This is the date by which we would like all Tier 1 hostel content to be in your MA folder. Content arriving after this date may not make the 11 May window, simply because there may not be enough time to import and validate it before launch. If that happens, those hostels will go live in the next release.
The HI Digital team will spend this period importing all submitted content, checking it against the required field standards, and resolving any queries. We may be in touch if anything needs clarifying, so it is worth making sure someone in your team is reachable during this window.
You will also have access to the staging site throughout this process to ensure you are happy with your own content.
Hostels with complete, approved core records will go live. Tier 2 content — facilities, experiences, services, deals, rooms, guides — can continue to be submitted and imported on a rolling basis after launch.
Hostels with complete core records on launch day will go live on 11 May. Hostels whose content arrives after 30 April will go live in a subsequent release — this will happen quickly once their content has been imported and validated.
Tier 2 content and offering collections — facilities, experiences, services, deals, rooms, and guides — are not tied to the go-live date at all. These will be imported and published on a rolling basis as they come in, before and after launch.
The site will keep growing well beyond launch day, and later content submissions are just as valuable as early ones. What matters most is that every hostel's core record is accurate and representative when it first appears.