The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) today (August 2) approved the fourth project under the Subsidy Scheme for Using Hotels and Guesthouses as Youth Hostels to the Tin Shui Wai Residents Services Association Fund Committee Limited.
To help further meet the housing needs of young people and assist with their development, the Chief Executive announced in the 2022 Policy Address that the Government would explore ways to increase the supply of youth hostels, including subsidising non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to rent suitable hotels and guesthouses for use as youth hostels, with the target of providing about 3 000 additional hostel places within five years. To this end, the HYAB launched the Subsidy Scheme in 2023 to subsidise NGOs to rent suitable hotels and guesthouses for use as youth hostels.
The fourth youth hostel project approved under the Subsidy Scheme is located at 8 Tin Sau Road, Tin Shui Wai, with a total of 336 rooms, providing up to 672 hostel places. The project, which is named Sky One Hostel, will be launched by the Tin Shui Wai Residents Services Association Fund Committee Limited and the Billion Development and Project Management Limited. One of the features of the project is to help youth tenants broaden their horizons and enrich their understanding of the country and the world through different kinds of trainings and cultural exchange programmes. Youth tenants will also be invited to organise activities to make good use of their talents and nurture their sense of belonging to the community. In addition, the Tin Shui Wai Residents Services Association Fund Committee Limited will regularly arrange volunteer services to encourage youth tenants to contribute to the community and cultivate their sense of ownership. For details about the project and the means of application, please visit the website of Sky One Hostel (www.tsw-yh.org.hk).
A spokesperson of the HYAB said, "Sky One Hostel is the second project under the Subsidy Scheme located in the New Territories and is in close proximity to a Light Rail station and shopping malls. This project provides young people who aspire to have their own living space with more diversified accommodation options, and enables self-enhancement during their stay to achieve their personal development goals.
"Since the full resumption of normal travel with the Mainland and the international community, the operating environment of hotels and guesthouses has been improving. We are delighted that there are still many hotel and guesthouse operators who are willing to collaborate with the NGOs in taking forward the youth hostel projects as set out in the Youth Development Blueprint. The implementation of Sky One Hostel project by the Billion Development and Project Management Limited and the Tin Shui Wai Residents Services Association Fund Committee Limited is an example that fully demonstrates the power of the tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community. The HYAB will continue to collaborate with NGOs and relevant stakeholders who share our vision to implement the next project under the Subsidy Scheme as soon as possible to benefit more young people."
Details about the Subsidy Scheme, including the guidelines to application and the application forms, have been uploaded onto the HYAB website (www.hyab.gov.hk/en/policy_responsibilities/Social_Harmony_and_Civic_Education/youth_hostel_scheme.htm). Relevant organisations can submit their applications to the HYAB by post, email or other means.
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