Rebuilding and Renewal: 1946-1965
The end of the war brought a time of rebuilding and reflection worldwide. Groups of American youth went to Europe to help rebuild hostels. International youth travel, while still nascent, was embraced by governments as a way to encourage understanding, and avoid future conflict.
The International Youth Hostel Federation grew, as the German youth hostel system was reestablished and new hostel associations were formed in Africa, Asia, Australia and South America.
In the USA, John D. Rockefeller III recognized the value of hostelling and agreed for several years to serve as president. The organization was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1949, and donations were solicited for the first time as a charitable institution.
Hostelling slowly grew through the 1950’s with a continuing emphasis on rural hostels in bicycle vacation areas. The first association-owned hostel was opened in Indiana in 1954. The end of the 1950’s brought with it the end of the steamship as the most economical route for travel to Europe; the age of affordable commercial airline travel was born.