Hostelworld + Gold Coast Tourism launch Sand Hostel on the Gold Coast via Lively Worldwide

Online hostel-booking platform Hostelworld and Gold Coast Tourism have teamed up with global creative agency Lively Worldwide to create the world’s first Sand Hostel on the Gold Coast.

The activation aims to challenge the perception of hostels, build awareness of the Hostelworld brand Down Under and showcase the Gold Coast as a top travel destination for millennials.

Located on Kurrawa Terrace in Broadbeach, the Sand Hostel will be open to the public from 20 – 22 September and will have two exclusive accommodation spaces for guests (an eight-bed dorm and one private double room) with a variety of food, drinks, live music and activities on offer.

Says Niall Walsh, head of acquisition, Hostelworld: “The Sand Hostel came about as both ourselves and the Gold Coast wanted to create something that had never been done before, that people could truly engage with and as such take away unforgettable memories from. We’ve worked with a number of exceptionally talented people to bring this to life and we believe it does an incredible job of both showcasing the modern hostelling experience whilst also highlighting the incredible things the Gold Coast has to offer to young travellers who want to explore Australia.”

Says Dean Gould, executive director corporate affairs and strategy, Gold Coast Tourism: “This partnership with Hostelworld is not only fun and innovative but celebrates one of the most important visitor markets for the Gold Coast.”

A whopping 24 tonnes of sand has been used to create the Sand Hostel, which towers four meters tall and took three weeks to build. The impressive structure was created by production designer Jon Dowding, whose feature film achievements include Mad Max and The Blue Lagoon, and world champion sand sculptor Denis Masoud.

Says Mike White, managing director, Lively Worldwide: “We’re excited to be working with Hostelworld to build and design an experience that would be a hero piece of a global campaign across both a physical and digital experience. Working with local suppliers and their UK creative and digital business, we’ve designed a content series to capture the right stories around the experiences and believe this is a truly innovative and exciting project that reflects our live marketing proposition.”