ONE OF EUROPE’S largest tourist hostel operators, the Berlin headquartered a&o is to establish its first tourist hostel in the Irish market.

This follows Patrick Crean’s Marlet Group lodging plans to convert a permitted seven storey office development in Dublin’s docklands to a 496 bedspace tourist hostel for Martin’s Terrace, Dublin 2 and adjoining lands at the corner of Macken Street and the newly realigned Hanover Street East.

A planning report lodged on behalf of applicants and Marlet subsidiary, Prime GP4 Ltd with the application by planning consultant, Kevin Hughes of Hughes Planning and Development Consultants states that the a&o chain is to operate the tourist hostel.

Hughes stated that a&o last year accommodated 6.1m tourist bed nights in the most successful year yet for the business.

Hughes states from a practical perspective, the tourist hostel will contribute much more to the vitality of the area throughout the day compared to an office building whilst also ensuring increased activity within the immediate area at night.

He said that while the proposal seeks to substantially alter the use of the permitted office scheme, the form, scale and design of the approved building will not be subject to significant revision.

He said that the proposed hostel will assist in alleviating pressure on the hospitality sector following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions

Hughes states that while there are 24 tourist accommodation and seven student accommodation facilities within 1km of the subject site, the proposed tourist hostel will not result in an over-concentration or proliferation of tourist accommodation in the immediate area.

Hughes states: “We contend that there is a market and a need for additional tourist accommodation within Dublin City Centre and will aid in creating an added tourism draw to the historic and cultural hub that is the Grand Canal Dock and will enhance its status as a tourism destination.”

Hughes states that Dublin at 83.4% has the highest hotel occupancy rate across 35 European countries and there is also the fact that some existing hotels have been taken out of control of general public use for refugees and international protection applicants.

The planning report states that this leaves a direct problem with hotel room affordability with instances such as live music and sporting events regularly resulting in hotel prices becoming unaffordable.

Hughes submits that the proposal “can contribute additional tourist accommodation within Dublin City”. a&o was founded in Berlin in 2000 and operates 41 properties, including three pipeline properties in European city centres. The 41 properties comprise 8,200 rooms and 28,000 beds

Hughes states that the a&o logo is ‘Everyone Can Travel’ and the firm’s guest mx is quite diverse.

The firm has hostels in gateway cities such as Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam and Edinburgh and soon opening in Barcelona and Florence.

Last year, the company enjoyed record revenues of €220m which was an increase of 28% on 2022 revenues.