Networks
← Older revision
Revision as of 19:03, 7 October 2016
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
Line 1:
Line 1:
{{pagebanner|TT Banner.jpg}}
{{pagebanner|TT Banner.jpg}}
−
A '''hospitality exchange''' or '''home stay network''' is an organization that connects travelers with local residents in the cities they're visiting
. If travelers can connect with the right people at the right time, they can get room and sometimes board in the place they're visiting for free or at a deep discount. Network size goes from a few thousands to a hundred thousands, and most networks are growing steadily
.
+
A '''hospitality exchange''' or '''home stay network''' is an organization that connects travelers with local residents in the cities they're visiting.
−
Home stays have advantages
and disadvantages
. The most obvious advantage is that accommodation costs are much lower (at most networks for free) than at [[Finding accommodation | hotels]] or even youth [[hostels]]. More important, though, is the opportunity
to
make
a
personal connection with someone from a different culture and social classes, you see the destination you're visiting from a local perspective. You have your own adventure and as a side effect, the goal from some
networks
, this can build and strengthen intercultural understanding and reduce prejudices and intolerance.
+
==Advantages
and disadvantages to
using
home
stay
networks
==
+
Home stays have advantages and disadvantages. The most obvious advantage is that they enable users to save on accommodation costs. In addition, they provide the opportunity to make a personal connection with someone from a different culture and/or social class, see the destination from a local's perspective, and build and strengthen intercultural understanding thereby reducing prejudices and intolerance.
−
There are disadvantages, though. Home stays require some additional planning before travel, and courtesy requires sticking at least reasonably close to your schedule. There are usually strict limits on the length of stay and what you can do in the home. You often have less privacy than in a hotel. And the opportunity to make a personal connection has
its flipside
: awkwardness between host and guest can make a visit to an otherwise pleasant city unbearable.
+
There are disadvantages, though. Home stays require some additional planning before travel, and courtesy requires sticking at least reasonably close to your schedule. There are usually strict limits on the length of stay and what you can do in the home. You often have less privacy than in a hotel. And the opportunity to make a personal connection has
disadvantages
: awkwardness between host and guest can make a visit to an otherwise pleasant city unbearable.
==Networks==
==Networks==
−
There are
a number of different
networks that connect hosts and guests, with different requirements for participation, restrictions for guests and member number and geographical spreading.
Hospitality Club
and CouchSurfing are the biggest online organizations with over
300
thousand
members.
The
number of active
members
within the different networks is unknown due to a lack of standard definition of what exactly constitutes an active member
.
+
There are
many
networks that connect hosts and guests, with different requirements for participation, restrictions for guests and member number and geographical spreading.
Airbnb
and CouchSurfing are the biggest online organizations with over
100
million
and
10
million
members
,
respectively
.
−
For many, joining just requires filling out a Web form; some offer and others require further verification. Usually a Web listing or printed book of available hosts is provided, sometimes with
eBay
like
reviews by
travellers (or vice versa). All listed networks operate worldwide.
+
For many, joining just requires filling out a Web form; some offer and others require further verification. Usually a Web listing or printed book of available hosts is provided, sometimes with
references
by
other
travellers (or vice versa). All listed networks operate worldwide.
−
Here are how the various projects index by size
(data for CS, HC, GFL and Servas collected from respective sites 7/15/12 ; data for BW collected from respective site 8/13/16; others date from approx. 2010)
:
+
Here are how the various projects index by size:
Members * Organisation
Members * Organisation
------- ------------
------- ------------
−
1
,
266
,
083
* [[#CouchSurfing
Project
]]
+
10
,
000
,
000
* [[#CouchSurfing]]
−
707
,
253
* [[#Hospitality Club]]
+
328
,
629
* [[#Hospitality Club]]
−
92
,000 * [[#
BeWelcome
]]
+
115
,000 * [[#
GlobalFreeLoaders
]]
−
89
,
525
* [[#
GlobalFreeLoaders
]]
+
93
,
000
* [[#
BeWelcome
]]
−
50,000 * [[#Tripping]]
+
50,000 * [[#Tripping]]
−
19,172 * [[#Servas]]
+
19,172 * [[#Servas]]
−
10,824 * [[#WarmShowers.org]]
+
10,824 * [[#WarmShowers.org]]
−
4,000 * [[#Evergreen Bed and Breakfast Club]]
+
4,000 * [[#Evergreen Bed and Breakfast Club]]
−
4,000 * [[#Affordable Travel Club]]
+
4,000 * [[#Affordable Travel Club]]
−
1,350 * [[#Pasporta Servo]]
+
1,350 * [[#Pasporta Servo]]
−
700 * [[#Hospitality Exchange]]
+
700 * [[#Hospitality Exchange]]
−
? * [[#Casa Casa]]
+
? * [[#Casa Casa]]
−
? * [[#Belodged.com]]
+
? * [[#Belodged.com]]
−
===CouchSurfing
Project
===
+
===CouchSurfing===
−
The
CouchSurfing
Project
[http://www.
CouchSurfing
.
org
] is the largest hospitality exchange organization, founded in January 2004. While it started off as a non-profit organization, in 2011 it became a for-profit C corporation. As of November 2012, there are over 1,200,000 members in 70,000 cities of 236 countries. Membership is free. Profiles are very comprehensive and extended search is possible (allowing to search for specific characteristics such as "wheelchair accessible").
+
CouchSurfing [http://www.
couchsurfing
.
com/
] is the largest hospitality exchange organization, founded in January 2004. While it started off as a non-profit organization, in 2011 it became a for-profit C corporation. As of November 2012, there are over 1,200,000 members in 70,000 cities of 236 countries. Membership is free. Profiles are very comprehensive and extended search is possible (allowing to search for specific characteristics such as "wheelchair accessible").
The Terms of Use of couchsurfing are [http://tos-dr.info/#couchsurfing worse than Facebook's] and probably go against European Union legislation.
The Terms of Use of couchsurfing are [http://tos-dr.info/#couchsurfing worse than Facebook's] and probably go against European Union legislation.