Usually this is extremely easy. Something about travel makes people want to share their experiences and hear those of others. It is one of my favorite parts of travel. For a new traveler there are a few things that may make the initial conversation easy. Just remember always ask questions and try not to talk about yourself to much.
1)Introduce yourself and ask a person’s name
This seems obvious but it is often not done. Just walk up and introduce yourself. If conversation flows sit down. If not, I usually say it was nice meeting you, I am going to go walk around a little bit.
2)Ask where a person is from.
You may be surprised at some of the countries people come from. I have had to google more than I would like to admit because I didn’t know where it was on a map.
If you pay attention to the news and have heard something about their country, you could ask about it. People tend to like when another person knows something about their country. I usually like to know what is happening in the world but often believe news is only one sided or half the truth. So even for political events I may ask about them, but I suggest keeping yourself neutral. It is their country, let them tell you about it if they want to. Although for some countries I believe they have one news station that the government owns, so believe what you want accordingly. Often though you may hear a first-hand account of something you only saw on TV before. It can also be useful with conversations with others if this topic comes up.
As an American I have listened with great interest on views having to do with Balkan Wars from Serbs, Russian/American proxy wars with Russians, as well as random conversations about smaller local events. This can certainly help round out your world views as well as giving a little bit of insider information for the future conversations.
3)Buy someone a Drink
This doesn’t have to be in a flirty way. Just buy a person a drink. Although I suggest being careful because your intentions could be misinterpreted. You certainly don’t want the guy at the end of the bar trying to put his hand on your knee or worse. Usually the person will feel obligated to speak to you and could lead to a friend. If not don’t stress it, it was just one drink.
4) In the evening I will ask what the person has done that day. If it sounds interesting, I will ask for details and may do it myself the next day. I also ask what their plans are for tomorrow. Often this usually gets an invitation to go with them if the conversation is going well.
5)Questions
My go to if I can’t think of a way to start a conversation is to ask a question. This can be about anything, but normally if it isn’t anything from above, I am asking about the area where I am staying. Although if you have your next trip planned you can ask if you have been there. In my experience there seems to always be a few people at the hostel that have been to any kind of tourist destination.
If you still are struggling with this, I suggest paying attention to what people say to you when they start a conversation and try the same or similar. It isn’t hard in a hostel, but it may be uncomfortable at first. I think the discomfort will be far outweighed by the friendships you make that could last a lifetime.