YHA Ltd, trading as YHA Australia, is a not-for-profit of members trading corporation providing hostel and other accommodation, travel and associated service in Australia. It is a member organisation of Hostelling International. YHA Ltd became a management and director controlled corporation with managers and directors now controlling the selection of successive directors and directors being able to appoint a least one-third of their number without election Directors may profit from payments but ordinary members are not entitled to a share of profits or assets. Profits are not necessarily spent or re-invested in the network of hostels or the provision of accommodation and services to members. In recent decades, the organisation changed focus and closed many hostels in rural areas and concentrated on providing travel accommodation in major tourist destinations, particularly large accommodation in metropolitan areas and coastal cities and towns where accommodation was already readily supplied. While still using the name YHA (Youth Hostels Association), the organisation no longer has a focus on providing accommodation for youths and now provides accommodation regardless of age. At the same time, the types of accommodation provided has changed from hostel to include hotel-style rooms and suites and self-contained accommodation. Having accumulated large debts on city and prime tourist location properties, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic decline in travel revenue, the organisation was forced to sell more hostels, many well below their account book value, with nineteen hostels closed. Purpose & Mission statement The organisation's current corporate statement of purpose is: "To create an open and accommodating world where life flourishes" and its current corporate mission statement is: "Our mission is to create a community in diverse spaces, by connecting the curious, inspiring personal growth and creating genuine local experiences, in a sustainable way". History For the history of Youth Hostelling as a movement distinct from YHA Ltd see Origins of youth hostelling. YHA Ltd was registered on 28 May 2002 under the name, YHA NSW Ltd. The organisation succeeded YHA NSW Inc., formerly named the Youth Hostels Association of New South Wales Inc. which had succeeded the unincorporated Youth Hostels Association of New South Wales which had been formed in 1942 under the auspices of the Government of New South Wales. The first Youth Hostel Association formed in Australia was YHA Victoria, founded in 1939 Melbourne, followed by YHA New South Wales (1942), YHA South Australia (1949), YHA Tasmania (1951), YHA