YHA revamp connects to digital nomads to the future of work

Today’s digital nomads want to stay connected to friends and family as well as work while they roam the country, a trend that has become more pronounced since COVID-19 normalised hybrid working environments.

YHA, famous throughout its 85-year history for offering inexpensive accommodation to young holidaymakers, now caters to a broader range of travellers and its 40 properties across the country still have the same friendly atmosphere for those that want to connect and socialise with others.

“Everyone wants reliable, convenient, secure Wi-Fi to stay connected with colleagues, friends, and family,” YHA Australia CEO Paul McGrath says. Sustainability and a small carbon footprint is also a key part of YHA’s modern-day appeal, he adds.

Combining work and travel

Modern travellers want access to on-demand entertainment from streaming services like Netflix while combining travel with some work so it’s become essential for accommodation providers such as YHA to provide a reliable, high-capacity internet service.

“YHA wanted to prepare for the future where work is no longer rooted in one location and high-speed internet connectivity is the norm. We worked closely with YHA to prepare for that future,” says Enablis’ Jon Evans. “With our YHA network design, we optimised robust connectivity offered by a high-speed solution over business nbn^Ⓡ Enterprise Ethernet.* We were able to successfully digitise YHA’s network and greatly enhance the user experience for their staff and, more importantly, their digital nomads.

“Business nbn Enterprise Ethernet has provided our guests with great speed and a fantastic user experience,” McGrath adds.^

Moving to the cloud

Working with Enablis, YHA shifted its applications to the cloud, which not only improved efficiency and scalability, but also allowed YHA staff to continue to work and collaborate when COVID lockdowns made coming to the office impossible.

At the same time, YHA has been refurbishing its properties as part of a major refresh of its brand. New “Y-Hive” co-working spaces are an integral part of the new offering. Kicking off at YHA locations in Byron Bay and the Blue Mountains, the new Y-Hives promise the connectivity and convenience of a modern office accompanied by stunning natural surroundings.

New direction

These changes, along with new food and drink options and sustainable travel experiences, mark the start of a new journey for YHA, the organisation says, and with the help of Enablis and business nbn Enterprise Ethernet, has taken some major steps towards its goal of becoming a leader in greener, more inclusive travel for decades into the future.^

© 2022 nbn co ltd. ‘nbn’, ‘Sky Muster’, ‘business nbn’ and nbn logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of nbn co ltd | ABN 86 136 533 741

* business nbn® Enterprise Ethernet is only available in the nbn® Business Fibre Zones, nbn® Fixed Line network footprint and at limited premises served by the nbn® Fixed Wireless and Satellite networks.

^ nbn is very happy with YHA’s experience with the nbn^® network. Of course, end customer experiences may vary. An end customer’s experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn^® network, depends on the nbn^® access technology and configuration over which services are delivered to their premises, whether they are using the internet during the busy period, and some factors outside of nbn’s control (like their equipment quality, software, chosen broadband plan, signal reception, or how their provider designs its network). If the service provider has not selected a bandwidth in the highest of three classes of service available for business nbn^® Enterprise Ethernet, the speeds experienced may be affected by contention on the nbn® network, particularly in busy periods.