“We want to get even closer to our customers"

Sina Niemann is the new Head of Sales DACH at a&o Hostels

Berlin, 16 April 2025 – “It's like coming home,” says Sina Niemann about her new position as Head of Sales DACH at the Berlin hostel group a&o. The 33-year-old has been in charge of sales for the budget brand in Germany, Austria and Switzerland since the beginning of the year. After training as a hotel specialist and then studying tourism management, Niemann was most recently a team leader at Deutsche Bahn and is now back in the thick of things – in the international hotel business. Her goal: “To deepen existing relationships and attract new groups of guests. The market is on the move – and so are we!”

Phillip Winter, CMO a&o Hostels: “Sina Niemann combines empathy with analytical thinking, expertise with flexibility and curiosity – we look forward to working together to position a&o as Europe's leading budget brand in the future.”

Sina Niemann: “25 years of a&o – that's a strong message and a lively, dynamic product. I am delighted to be part of the team.” As Head of Sales DACH, Niemann is responsible for employees aged between 25 and 60.

From GenZ to Silver, from Jomo to Event

Diversity and flexibility are basic principles for Niemann, and acquisition and growth are also characterized by diversification and agility: “Our sales managers keep various sales channels moving in parallel. We leave nothing out, remain agile, there is potential everywhere.”

Niemann and her team are focusing on GenZ and 50Plus guest groups, families and business travellers, “school classes remain one of a&o's core guest groups”. Social media is becoming increasingly important as a booking channel, and year-round and Jomo offers are clearly coming to the fore. Sina Niemann: “Event travel remains a magnet, while offers outside the mainstream, such as outside the typical peak travel times, are gaining in importance.” Jomo, the joy of missing out, according to Niemann, is becoming an important need for travellers and can also help to regulate tourist flows more effectively and make travel more sustainable. With fresh energy and a clear focus, Niemann wants to align sales even more specifically in future: “We want to get even closer to our customers, make greater use of data-based approaches and further expand partnerships.”

A passionate traveller

Both privately and professionally, Sina Niemann is a passionate traveller. She has travelled to and got to know almost all 42 a&o hotels since she started in January: “The range is really broad” – from XL hotels such as Hamburg City and Berlin Mitte to listed and historic addresses, e.g. in Leipzig or Budapest, to surprisingly familiar hotels such as the a&o München Hauptbahnhof or a&o Köln Dom. “a&o doesn't fit into any box,” says Niemann, ”except that best value for money is always at the top of the list and therefore affordable, comfortable and sustainable travel is the focus.”