From keys to concierge: YHA’s quiet technology wins

From a technology perspective, YHA has spent the past 12 months modernising the backbone of its operations, moving to a fully cloud-based system and investing in tools like AI to sharpen the guest experience and lift productivity across the network.

“We're leading with optimism when it comes to AI. When a company doesn't really have a position on using AI, that stifles innovation,” says YHA Chief Information Officer Popy Bernardo.

Over 2025, YHA set clear guardrails and policies to encourage responsible use, raised AI literacy across the workforce, and begun shifting pilot projects into daily operations. Suzie AI, an internal assistant which is trained on more than 70 organisational policies, speeds up policy and operational queries for new and existing staff. Robot cleaners at YHA Sydney Central and YHA Brisbane City tackle corridors and deep cleans, freeing up housekeepers to focus on higher-value work. 

For guests, YHA is trialling self check-in kiosks at YHA Sydney Harbour. These will eventually complement check-in via the Explorer app, a feature coming very soon.

One of the most visible changes is the launch of digital wallet keys through the YHA Explorer app, which lets travellers access their rooms with a simple tap of their phone. More than a third of guests are now using the app, and among those, more than two thirds are using wallet keys. This means faster access to rooms, fewer lost cards and a sustainability win, with an estimated 2000 plastic keycards now out of circulation each quarter.

“Everyone's so used to going to a hotel and getting a plastic card, but having your phone to do that, it's quite remarkable. It's a game changer. As soon as you've done it once, you won't go back to a physical key. The proof is in the pudding. It’s really elevated the guest experience,” adds Popy.

Across all these examples, the impact from a technology perspective is practical and tangible, providing faster answers for staff and smoother self-service for guests.

Looking ahead, YHA is turning to more personalised communications and a modernised groups system. With groups representing about 15 per cent of business, technology updates will improve efficiency and the overall experience for customers. Crucially, technology sits inside the business strategy. YHA’s principles are simple: Reuse and buy before build, maximise value from what is already deployed, and invest in AI literacy across the organisation.

For the year ahead, the focus is on getting the most from our technology investments, alongside driving adoption and uptake, so self check-in and other tools translate into measurable improvements for guests and overall productivity.